Spicy Shrimp and Cheesy Grits: Comfort Food

I LOVE this recipe!!!!   Great summer southern food too!  Very easy and quick to make despite the long ingredient list.  I think I made this tonight in less than 20 minutes.  It will take 30 at most!  Servings: 4 normal or 2 happy servings! Above is a happy serving!

SPICY SHRIMP AND CHEESY GRITS

Shrimp:

1 lb de-shelled and deveined medium sized shrimp (RIP Alabama Gulf Shrimp)

4 slices of good bacon cut up into 1/2 inch strips

4 roma tomatoes de-seeded and cup up

4 stalks sliced green onions

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp. olive oil

1/4-1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper depending on your spice tastes

1/4-1/2 tsp of paprika

salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, saute bacon strips with the olive oil (to get the process going) until slightly browned, remove and place on paper towel to drain. Drain most bacon grease leaving 2 tablespoons left in the pan.  Add remaining ingredients and saute for 4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately or the shrimp will over cook and not be tender and have that crisp crunch when you bite into them. Add bacon pieces back in mixture.

Variation: Use 1/2 pound shrimp, 1/2 pound peeled crawfish tail meat, and at the end stir in a few tablespoons of heavy whipping cream!

Cheesy Grits:

2 cups milk

1 cup water

1 cup Quick Grits (not instant or regular... quick grits cook in 5 minutes though I let mine sit awhile to firm up)

1/2 packet of ham flavoring

3/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar

1/4 cup of shredded parmesean

1/2 tsp of garlic powder

Mix milk, water, flavoring, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, slowly stir in grits and turn the heat down to medium low.  Constantly stir for five minutes (might want to wear long sleeves, sometimes grits can pop up and burn when the mixture starts to thicken) and remove from heat.  Add cheese and stir thoroughly.  Let sit off the heat for another 5 minutes to firm up.  This will create very firm almost polenta textured grits but very flavorful and creamy! Not the runny oily grits you get at diners and breakfast hubs across the south.

Serve layered in a bowl with a spoon!

Mustardy Chicken Salad in Pita Pockets

MUSTARDY CHICKEN SALAD IN PITA POCKETS
(Tastes amazing!  Photo doesn't do it justice)
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded (I boiled mine for an hour with some onion, carrot, celery, and bouquet garni herbs I had: rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, tarragon)
2 tender celery stalks chopped finely
2 stalks green onion chopped finely
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon stone ground whole grain mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Trying to think of good brain food to feed my fiancé this week.  He takes the bar exam next week!

Craft Project: Antiquing wooden Crates (Lavender) for Environmentally Friendly Wedding Send Off

This is another wedding post!  Next post will be a food post with my shrimp and grits recipe. I have known for a while now that at my wedding I want the send off to be guests throwing lavender buds at us.  Not bird seed, rice, bubbles, or sparklers. Here is an example of a Martha Stewart idea to put individual portions of lavender in. I thought this looked very Victorian looking. 

  

To hold them in, my mom came up with the great idea of finding an antique lavender storage crate to put them in by the door.  No such luck in finding one, so I decided to make one myself. I don't even know if they ever shipped Lavender in containers like this, probably not but I think that it looks amazing! I used my real antique Scotch-Whiskey wooden crates I am using as bookshelves for inspiration.

This project turned out so much better than I thought! I am so happy with the results.  I must say... I think I got the color spot on too!  Went to Michael's craft store and bought a wooden crate using a 40% off coupon and bought stencil letters.  Also bought a small can of wood stain at Home Depot.
Pine Wooden Crate: $5.99
Nueva Stencils: $5.49
Wood Stain: $4.45   Color: Early American
Total w/o Tax: $15.93

To Make this crate look antique, I first beat up the corners with a screwdriver, a pair of scissors, and a hammer to create small indentions for the wood stain to pool in to make darker spots.  Then on the sides I used scissors to make a few small scrapes and dots to do the same thing. Then I applied the wood stain with a small brush.  This part took about an hour. I let it dry over night outside, the wood stain has quite strong fumes so only do this in a well ventilated space! Then I researched what logo I wanted to use.  The Norfolk Lavender Trading Company has been in operation in England since 1932. I really want to visit this place!!!! Click here to see picturs! http://www.norfolk-lavender.co.uk/  I used their address and copied one of their old logos and put it on the box. I just used a sharpie to trace the letters and draw the logo though it had been recommended to use acrylic paint or india ink.  I went the fast- less messy route. 

    

I think it looks pretty real!!! What do you think?
Below is it's new location for the next year!  I think it blends in very well!!!

Update:  So my idea for using the one crate for holding the lavender has now expanded!  I have decided to make 12 more, one for each of our bridesmaids and groomsmen and have them personalized with part of their name and something that relates to one of their favorite food or drinks.  They will be used as part of the wedding decorations and then they can take them home as part of their bridesmaid/groomsmen present. : ) Some near the bar holding the wine, some incorporated into food/cheese displays to add height, one to hold programs, etc.

Moncure

Espy

 

French Emblem

Karl

Karl

Rehearsal Dinner Dress plus Decoupage Suitcases

Non-food post!  Even though my rehearsal dinner is almost a year away, I am already planning what I would like to wear.  Though I don't quite fit into this dress yet, this is my weight loss goal. I fit into it 3 years ago.  This is my grandmother's prom dress from either 1948-1951... not quite sure which year. It is a gorgeous strapless ivory tulle with glass and silver beading. I bought an estate sale purse a few weeks ago that matches it perfectly.  Though this is a very formal gown, I plan to shorten it to a cocktail length to wear. I may change my mind but I think this dress is just gorgeous and I would feel like a princess in it! What you can't see around the top line is that there is an underlayer of fluff that peaks over the bodice line. The picture doesn't do it justice and it is in almost perfect condition. I had even considered wearing it as a wedding dress once upon a time. Click on the picture to see a closeup. Didn't try very hard, but my quick peak at it the other day I found no dress label on it. She doesn't remember whether she bought this one or had this one made. She has a turquoise and a pink one that were made for her.

How much of a girly girl am I????  My tool box is a decoupaged makeup case from the 1950's covered in Victorian Scrap!  My tools..... are mostly colored pink!  Had to share the pictures while I had it out.  It matches another suitcase I decoupaged that houses my photos. 

This uses matte finish Mod Podge. I wrapped the handles in grosgrain blue ribbon soaked in Mod Podge.

Sun Drop Punch

Sun Drop Punch: We used this punch for our Alice in Wonderland Bridal Tea Party.  Very Simple and Delicious Punch!  Great for Weddings, Tea Parties, Office Parties!   I grew up drinking Sun Drop instead of Sweet Tea in Limestone County. It is a citrus tasting drink similar but much better in my opinion than Mountain Dew.  My high school, Elkmont (K-12), even had Sun Drop drink machines. If you are not familiar, Sun Drop was created in 1949 and is the dominant drink in small pockets around the country. It is highly caffeinated at 5.25 mg of caffeine per ounce compared to 4.58 of Mountain Dew. It comes in regular, diet, and cherry limeade (which is hard to find in Tuscaloosa!).

SUNDROP PUNCH (Citrus Punch)

1 large can pineapple juice
1-2 liter bottle of Sundrop (I used diet)
1 small can frozen lemonade

Punch in background... I forgot to take a closeup when we just had it made so I promise it makes more than this picture shows.

Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Bridal Tea Party: Food Pics

Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Bridal Tea Party Entry 2: Food Pics!   The next entry when I have more time will have some of the recipes! I hope you enjoy these pictures!  My mom and I have so much fun cooking!

Tablescape

Purple M&Ms (Bride's color) and Black Cherries

Bacon Crackers

Petit Fours

Cheese Straws

Chocolate Meringue Mushrooms 

Dessert plate with "Eat Me" Sugar cookies, chocolate pound cake bundt bites, macaroons, petit four, and a strawberry!

Tea Fare: Chicken Salad on a baby lettuce mix, a cucumber tea sandwich, a sweet zucchini bread cream cheese tea sandwich, crudite, cheese straws, bacon cracker, ham and cheese pinwheel, gourmet crackers!  So delicious!!!!!!

Closeup of the macaroons!

Lemon Water container with our Bee Glasses and awesome Pink Flamingo Straws! 

Being silly sipping on Sun Drop Punch!

Water and Pineapple Sun Drop Punch!

Recipes in next post soon!

Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Bridal Tea Party: Tablescape

My mom and I threw an amazing themed Bridal Tea Party for our friend Mary Elizabeth. My mom was the creator on this one and I was the co-creator and sous-chef.  Standard English tea parties are wonderful but make it a Lewis Carroll themed Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter style English tea party and it is more than twice the fun! This entry will contain many of the pictures of the tablescape and other decorations. The next entry will contain recipes and food pictures. Click on the images to make them larger. If you are in the Northern Alabama area and are interested in having 'this' tea party contact me.... my mom is getting into event planning for teas, showers, and birthdays!!!!! Very fun!  I'm going to add more pictures to this post when I have time... just wanted to throw a few up now!

Miniature Cloche with Mushroom Display

 Tea Tablescape using assorted teacups, mercury glass, fresh red roses and paper red roses, pocket watches, Alice in Wonderland playing cards, red table runner, burlap tablecloth, gold chargers, and red napkins.

Cast Iron White Rabbit..... "I'm late I'm late I'm late!"

Painting the roses red!

Beautiful Bound copy of Lewis Carroll's works including all the original illustrations.

Outside of Alice playing cards, each card had a different Tenniel drawing from the original Alice in Wonderland and a quote from the book.

Tea stained Drink Me Tags

Outside sign and display with croquet set, hedgehog and pink flamingoes! So cute!

"I want some tea too..... or maybe I mean those bacon crackers!!!!!"