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If you are not from the South, then you may be tempted to skip over this recipe due to your dislike of grits, but I challenge you to give this recipe a chance anyway.  My husband does not like grits, but he loves this recipe.   So go ahead and give it a try – it’s quick, easy, and good for you!

Also, this could be a great meal to make for someone to break-up the usual pasta or chicken based casseroles.

This recipe is from the October 2011 edition of Southern Living magazine.

Ingredients

Parmesan Grits:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Creamy Shrimp Sauce:
1 pound unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (41/50 count) (I saved myself some time and used peeled and cooked shrimp)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth (I used vegetable broth instead)
1/2 cup chopped green onions (I left these out)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (I left this out since we aren’t hot sauce fans)
2 cups firmly packed fresh baby spinach

Preparation

1. Prepare Parmesan Grits: Bring 1/2 tsp. salt and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in cheese and pepper. Keep warm. (Note: when I cook grits I find that leaving the heat on medium high is too hot and then hot grits pop out all over my stove.  They cook just fine if you even turn the stove completely off and just leave the pot sitting there on the hot burner for about 5 minutes.  Stir with a fork as soon as you poor the grits in and keep stirring often with the fork to keep them from getting lumpy.)

2. Prepare Creamy Shrimp Sauce: Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Sprinkle shrimp with pepper and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil; heat 30 seconds. Whisk in flour; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in broth and next 5 ingredients; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in shrimp and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach is slightly wilted. Serve immediately over grits.

Meal Delivery Tip: If you prepare this meal for someone, be sure to ask in advance about their seafood preferences and allergies since shrimp is an allergen for many people.

Here is a recipe I have really been enjoying lately. It’s a nice vegetarian option over the traditional spaghetti. I also think it makes a pretty presentation which just makes food that much more enjoyable, don’t you think?

If you’ve never had a spaghetti squash, it’s one of those yellow things you’ve probably seen at the grocery store or farmer’s market and thought, “What do I do with THAT?” Here’s what it looks like before you cut it up and cook it:

After you cook it, the insides will look a lot like regular spaghetti noodles. Cool, huh? Next time you see one at the store, don’t be afraid to try it. I promise the recipe won’t disappoint!

Spaghetti Squash (we call it “Silly Spaghetti” at our house)

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash (1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozarella cheese
1 ½ cup grated zucchini
2 cup tomato sauce
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
dash of pepper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese for topping

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in 2″ of simmering water; cover and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Holding the hot squash in a potholder, run the tines of a fork across its pulp (these are your “noodles”). Be careful not to break the squash shells because you will use these in step 4.
3. Mix the strands with the cheeses, zucchini, sauce, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Scoop everything back into the squash shells. Sprinkle tops with parmesan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Here’s the finished product:

There’s really more food in there than what it appears. Our family of 2 adults and 2 kids will usually eat one half of this for dinner and have the other half later for leftovers.

Meal Delivery Tip: Serve with a spinach salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.