For the Grits…

4-5 cups shrimp or chicken stock
1 cup yellow stone ground grits
1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
¼ cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp Salt
3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Tips:  Try not to use quick cooking grits as it is not the same!

Directions for grits:

1. Bring 4 cups of the water and 2 teaspoons of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Slowly whisk in the grits and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the grits are soft and have lost their gritty texture, whisking every few minutes for a total of 15-20 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add remaining water and continue cooking until absorbed. Add the cheese and heavy cream and whisk until smooth; season with salt and pepper. 

Shrimp

½ pound thick cut bacon
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
20 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place bacon in a medium pan over medium heat and cook until golden brown and crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Cut into pieces.
2. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan and place back on the heat. Add the olive oil and increase the heat to high, season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add the shrimp and the garlic to the pan and sauté until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side. Remove shrimp to a plate. Reserve the garlic oil to drizzle over the finished dish.

Divide the grits among 4 bowls and top each with 3 shrimp. Drizzle the top with some of the bacon/garlic oil that the shrimp were sautéed in and sprinkle with some of the bacon & green onions.

Shrimp and Grits Recipe is a post from: TasteForCooking

Once we were settled into our hotel in Savannah, we began our journey to find restaurants we had read about on the internet. The first place I wanted to go was Lady and Sons. It was my 40th birthday, and I had made up my mind that was where I wanted to eat.  Our hotel was only blocks away. I recognized the red and white awnings as we approached, so I rushed over to peak through the window. Sadly, I was not impressed.  The buffet had a descent selection, and yes I realize you can order from the regular menu as well, but it just wasn’t what I expected.  I am a Paula Dean fan and still went into the store to buy sauces and “butt” rub, but I passed on dinner. On that note, you don’t need to eat at the restaurant to buy Paula Dean, her products can be found all over Savannah in various gift shops.

We moved on to try some BBQ, over at Barnes.  We tried the brisket, ribs and friend shrimp, with hush puppies and Brunswick stew as the sides. You walk up to the counter to place your order, and after a short wait they take it over to your table. There is a small bar with two good size flat screen tvs. The BBQ sauce was much lighter than back home. I had heard that in many places in the South they use mustard in the BBQ sauce and I am not a huge fan, so I already made up my mind the sauce wasn’t for me. I was wrong! The sauce was excellent.  Everything was great except the fried shrimp – we found the shrimp a bit overcooked, but what were we doing ordering shrimp with all of the great BBQ items being served anyway?

We took a trolley tour of the city, and ended the days adventures with a slice of pizza ($3) at Sweet Melissa’s, right across the street from Lady and Sons.

Have I mentioned yet that I like Savannah more than Charleston? I’m looking forward to exploring more of the city tomorrow!

Foodie Road Trip Day 5 is a post from: TasteForCooking