Dear Future Husband,
I don’t know you yet. That’s totally fine. I write you letters sometimes. How creepy is that? Don’t answer that…. rhetorical question.
Look at this bowl of shrimp and grits. Your mouth is probably watering. That’s normal.
Here’s what I’d like to do, Future Husband. I’d like to make you a giant bowl of shrimp and grits. I’d like for you to come home from work, sit in front of the television and watch ESPN… I’m assuming you like that sort of thing. I’ll be in standing in the kitchen eating the other half of the shrimp and grits directly from the pan while reading Martha Stewart magazine. I like that sort of thing. A lot.
Wait… is it weird that we wouldn’t share this meal at a table together? No… right? You understand that I sometimes like to share a meal with Martha Stewart magazine. I understand that dinner with ESPN is equally important.
I’ll even bring you a beer if you call out for one. I hope we have corny beer cozies from the 80’s in our house. I hope we’re cool like that.
Here’s to future marital teamwork. High five.
Love,
Joy (the baker and grits maker)
Please don’t make me do a lot of work here. This dish shouldn’t require any convincing at all.
Grits are stone ground hominy (soaked and dried corn)… very similar to polenta. These grits are cooked up to a medium thickness then finished with sharp cheddar cheese and um… butter. Yea. Salt and pepper make this whole situation ideal.
Now…
The cheesy grits get topped with bacon bits, shrimp, scallions, garlic and a splash of lemon to brighten the whole thing up.
Good grief. Now that’s a meal.
Shrimp and Grits with bacon and cheese
serves four, or just me.
recipe adapted slightly from Bobby Flay
4 cups water
1 cup stone ground grits (also known as polenta)
salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined without the tails
6 slices bacon
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 large garlic clove, minced
Bring water to a boil. Add grits to the boiling water while whisking to prevent clumps. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Lower heat, bring to simmer and cover until water is absorbed. Follow the directions on your box of grits or polenta. Cooking times vary. Once thick, remove from heat and stir in butter and shredded cheese.
Rinse and pat shrimp dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet. When cooked through remove from the pan and add shrimp into the bacon grease pan. Cook until shrimp turn pink. Add lemon juice, bacon, scallions, garlic and parsley. Cook for another three minutes.
Spoon the grits into a serving bowl and top with shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.
VERONIQUE BRYANT
2020 and this is still my go to Shrimp and Grits recipe! My family LOVES it!
Sarah
What an amazing feast! Your shrimp and grits looks SO good! Yum! These ingredients are going on my grocery list! Thanks for posting such a great recipe! Ihad featured u in the post of Top 7 Gorgeous Recipes of Seafood on AllFreshRecipes, ur renewly posts will be paid close attention!
BP
Do you know that this is now my official valentines day meal two years runnning? How awesome is that. Romance, shrimp and grits. Can’t wait.
Amanda B.
Not sure how I happened to come upon this in the archives, but it made a great dinner last night. You didn’t tell us it was a 30-minutes-or-less recipe! Nice surprise on a night I worked late but was still determined to cook. I gave my shrimp a shake or two of Tony Chacheres because I like-a-the-spicy. In the spirit of “marital teamwork” he made the grits, I made the shrimp. Thanks for this. It’s going in the weeknight dinner rotation. Often. :)
Rhonda Hendricks
I am making this for Valentine’s dinner tonight!
Caitlin
I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a long time, and finally the other night my boyfriend and I made it together for our anniversary dinner. It was totally delicious, simple, and I felt like the completely appropriate thing to make for an anniversary. Thanks Joy!
Ashley L.
Wow! Made this for a group of friends last night and it was a HUGE success. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks Joy!
Arlene Duggan
I had the absolute best “Shrimp and Grits” in Greenwood SC a couple of years ago. It was heaven! There was a touch of bacon and lots of tender shrimp but it was the heavy cream that made it soooo good!! Yum!!!
Caroline
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for ages and I finally made it tonight. Oh my goodness it’s DELISH. Getting a bite with every single ingredient in it… darn near magical. Also, I love your blog, your style, pretty much the whole package!
Brian Sanders
Joy – Great recipe for the shrimp and grits! I have lived in Charleston, SC all my life, am a chef and know good shrimp and grits when I meet ’em. I would, however, add one ingredient to your recipe: Heavy Cream. Reduce the water slightly when cooking the grits and when they are three quarters done incorporate the heavy cream. May not do much for the dietary aspect, but boy does it step up the texture and flavor. One last note, try substituting the shrimp topping (many of my southern friends are cringing at this time…) for grilled beef tenderloin pieces and smother with a portobello cream sauce.
Brian Sanders
Jen
oh my. can we be friends in real life? i’ll be your neighbor who also happens to write letters to her future husband and whips up some amazingness in the kitchen. women like us need to stick together.
salt (n’ butter) of the earth, i tell ya.
Rebecca
Joy (my mom and sister’s name!)- I never had shrimp ‘n grits until I moved to Atlanta, and have tried several times now. My favorite place to have it does it with sauteed asparagus on top and tiny crispy fried onions as well….it’s delicious! I tried it at one of the fancy top-chef places here once and paid twice as much, and was twice as disappointed – thick pasty grits, bland shrimp and just a tabasco butter sauce. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Torrie
Thanks! It was a husband pleaser. Your future husband is a lucky man!
Yellow08
OMG!!! I’m going to try this recipe ASAP!!
Anne
Oh my goodness, we made this last night (slightly modified with bell peppers and a shot of whiskey) and it was so amazingly delicious. Seriously, wow, what a gorgeous (and simple, and quick to make) recipe! I’ll be making this one again, fo sho.
Elizabeth
I have been wanting to make this dish for a while, and these photos seal the deal. And bacon, too?! Come on. It’s going to happen. It’s inevitable. Thank you very much. :-)
michelle
This looks so good. I want to make it for a dinner party this weekend but can I use cornmeal instead of grits?
Nancy
I’d love to make this for a company meal for six people.
What do you think would be a good side dish to round out the meal besides crusty bread?
joythebaker
how about sauteed kale or spinach, with garlic?
Gee
My family loves grits, Friday I making shrimp and grits for my family.
Steve
OMG… lucious food, ESPN, beer, intelligence, sense of humor, I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE!
Joy… will you marry me?
Janet
Just made this today and it was so good!!! I’ve never eaten grits before, but (of course) anything with bacon on it is good!!
Bailie
I made this recipe tonight for dinner and it’s one of the best new recipes I’ve tried lately! The lemon really ties the whole thing together and I think I could happily eat this every week for dinner!
joythebaker
so glad you like this!
Kat
I think about my future husband too. This recipe looks scrumptious, I have to try it.
Joy
Hi Joy!
My name is Joy too and I feel I’m a soft of “chef.” I had cooked shrimp a day earlier and wanted a great recipe for cheese grits….these were absolutely heavenly.
Glenda in Tulsa
Joy, I made this recipe this morning for a birthday breakfast with friends and we all decided that we are going to make it again…and again. It’s a keeper! Also wanted to let you know that my daughter sometimes writes letters to her future husband. Which I have to admit I thought was weird. But at least I know that she isn’t alone now and somehow it seems a little less weird now. :)
Deb in Indiana
Joy, I just tried this recipe, and it was as delicious as it sounds. So simple and so tasty. I didn’t have scallions and used plain old yellow onion, and I found that it needed a little extra lemon juice. We are not grits eaters (my husband guessed that the shrimp was served over cous-cous…), but this may be the start of a beautiful relationship.
Cindy
I know this post has been around for ages, I just wanted to thank you for this recipe because it was a huge hit at my Sat morning family brunch. It made me look like a super cook. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
joythebaker
aaaaaanytime!!
Abby
I have just stumbled upon your blog from beansandink.com. I have your future husband at home watching TV and eating dinner while I am in the kitchen eating my portion with martha.. funny how when you write it, it sounds great.. but living it… lol well thats another story.
Love your blog.. and I am soooo making shrimp and grits tomorrow! Thank you!
Cory
Oh, yummy. Although I would rather eat together, if I wasn’t married, this would be a convincing case to meet, fall in love, propose and marry you. Instead I’ll make and devour this tasty dish. Great job with the pictures and the recipe – can’t wait to give it a go!
Jess S
This sounds amazing, maybe because I live in the Middle East where three of the ingredients are difficult to get or expensive. The one ingredient I can’t get at all is the bacon bits. Any ideas, anyone, of how you could get the smoky flavor those delicious pork bits would get you without actually using pork?
Deb in Indiana
There is a product called Liquid Smoke, which you could try using VERY sparingly. You probably can’t get it in the Middle east either, though…
I’ll bet the dish would be good with just butter in place of the bacon grease.
beouf
Love your post and the recipe is wonderful! I’ve been married once – never again – husband or wife, but I want to be able to say, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.”
Ann
Hey! I loved this recipe. I made it for my sorority sisters and they all loved it. I paired it with your red velvet cupcakes for a super southern dinner and I got so many compliments! Thank you so much for your blog, it’s the best and makes me feel like I can bake. You, Joy, are the best!
Russ
^ Makes shrimp and grits for his wife. Again tonight, in fact. Not much better in the world.
Sapienesque
Please consult with my boyfriend :D
Kelsey
Just made these for dinner…DELISH!!!!! Thanks again, Joy :)
Joel
Hey fellow blogger. The picture above just made me want to drool. Nice post. I just posted about my Asian inspired version of shrimp and grits on my blog. Let me know what you think. http://www.cookeatlive.net. Your blog rules BTW
Zoë
#1 – Love your round tongs. Never seen anything like them, where’d you get those?
#2 – I’ve looked, but been unable to find grits or hominy anywhere in Toronto. Can I use cornmeal or something similar and more common in Canada? If so, how do I cook it, what with not having instructions on the back of a grits box?
Sapienesque
Have you tried looking in the isle with all the cereals? Otherwise, try Amazon. They have everything.
bhakthi
This blog post makes me love life. Fr rlz.
KT
Joy, there are VERY VERY few things I love more than shrimp and grits – including my future husband or next ex (whichever comes first). I can’t WAIT to make this!!
Dave Adams
Nothing… But nothing… Says southern cuisine like “Shrimp and Grits”! As someone born and raised in South Carolina, this dish says “Welcome to the South” like no other… Be it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner… Formal, or casual… Shrimp and grits is sure to please!
natalyn
Yay! I’ve been looking for a good shrimp and grits recipe! I’m a southern girl who never had shrimp and grits before a couple of years ago. (I have had fried fish and grits though…I won’t start on how awesome that is). I’m definitely gonna whip this up for my family!
Oh, and even though this recipe looks amazing, your letter to your future husband was totally the best part!
Julia
Um…so I made this for my boyfriend and I on a nice, cool, early Fall evening. He was skeptical. “Shrimp and Grits – where do you come up with this stuff?”, he said. “It’s gonna be good…trust me!”, I said. Let’s just say, now he is a believer. The recipe which is supposed to make 4 servings, made 2. Thanks, Joy.
Liz
Oh yes, this was GOOD. Made my husband REALLY happy.
And it will surely make your future husband ridiculously happy as well :)
Thank you for this delicious recipe!
joythebaker
i’m so glad it was a hit!
J.R."Hotmetal" Clark
Sounds real good to this southernboy! I think I’ll try it real soon.
joythebaker
um… do people actually call you ‘hotmetal’ !?
jax
He’s just trying to impress you.
den den
Aint been a big fan of grits before, but this dish was a delicious epiphany !! … And ur hoped-for hubby letter was a hoot! I’m much too old to be a future, but can I be a past lives husband? Shirley Maclaine says it’s ok.
p.s. If Shirley teaches me to channel Bobby Flay, will u go out w/ me?
Octavia
So, I first was caught and read this post because I happen to love cheese grits. My fam is from the South so I know Down Home Cooking when I see it! But, what I love most about this post was the note to your future husband! I thought that was just too cute, especially because I think your totally sane for doing it! I do it sometimes too, only in my head… LoL
kgardner
This was a very deliciously sinful meal. I made it a couple of weeks ago when it was a little chilly in th evening. It warmed me right up. I love delicious comfort food. Thanks for sharing this.
Veronique
Last night my sister INSISTED that I make the shrimp and grits for her. So I did not have enough shrimp for her and her friend (of course someone extra always shows up in time for dinner) I added andouille sausage to bulk it up. Amazing! Thanks Joy, you’re the best!
Ashworth
Leave the cheese out. Use homny grits. Pull your meats from the pan and a bit of butter, toss in a bit of flour and cook. Deglaze with weak coffee. Work it till you got red-eye gravy to go with. So good you’ll smack your momma.
Leslie
You’ll find him when you least expect it and this dish won’t hurt your chances by any means!
Cheers! Leslie
quidquid quidquid
I LOVE to fix shrimp and grits for my husband. It feels so Southern and wifely!
Courtney
Yum. This looks goooooood! Your letter to your future husband made me smile. Cute. Your future husband is a lucky fella. :)
Teya
Yum! I’m a Southern girl, and I love grits, but had never heard of this dish until a trip to New Orleans last fall, and I instantly fell in love. I’ve made them one other time, using a different recipe, but I stumbled across your blog in my search for a new recipe the other day – and I’m so glad I did – it was AMAZING. So, as it turns out, I’ve been completely worthless ever since, b/c I’ve been consumed with reading and catching up on your other posts. I’m glad my craving for Shrimp and Grits led me to you, I’m pretty sure it was meant to be, Now I’m planning on baking one of your sweet treats this weekend! Cupcakes, perhaps??
Tammy
Oh Joy, if I was a dude and not married already, I would soooo marry you!
Your gritz look amazing, I had no clue they could look that delish, to be honest until today I had no idea what Gritz actually where (we dont have them in Scotland, which is a shame.)
Keep up the good work and dont stop searching for the future hubby or you could always borrow mine if you like, I get fed up of him at times LOL
Bart
Hi Joy,
Oohh boy… would I love to eat those shrimps :-)
To bad that I don’t like ESPN or watching sports at all…
Thumbs up for your blog! Even in Europe, you’re ideas would be greatly welcomed!
Greeting from Belgium.
PS: you should try something with Belgian chocolate (maybe you allready did). If so, try Côte d’Or, I think it’s the worlds finest.
Greetings, your would-love-to-be-that-future-husband :-)
smjs
possibly the most delicious thing i have ever seen done with grits….woulda never thought to eat em with shrimp
Sarah
Joy, I just want you to know that as a fellow single girl I LOVE your posts about cooking for a “future husband” or about food that boys might like. I also hope one day to cook for a man who just likes to eat, and one that will not care if I read Martha Stewart as I eat.
AGinTO
Being Canadian, I didn’t know what “grits” were for the looooongest time. Until someone told me that it’s more or less just…POLENTA!
Polenta sounds so much more civilized than “grits”. Grits sounds like something you eat in prison! LOL!!!
But I love it… and I shall try this recipe soon! :o) My hubby will love eating it while…watching ESPN. ;o)
Lia
Amazing recipe. I took note of that to give it a try. I’ll let you know how it went…
Cheers, Lia.
Kocinera
This looks like such a yummy dish. Oh, and I’m totally with you on the whole sharing dinner with a magazine thing, I’ve had more than a few lovely evenings with Real Simple. :D
Renée
I’m not a big fan of shrimp or grits, but that picture you posted looks so yummy! I think I might have to make this soon! You’ve posted some tempting recipes lately. With talent like yours, any guy in his right mind should be knockin’ down your door to be with you.
meg
hey lovely joy,
thanks for putting some southern food up there. i’m from the south and as you can tell by the comments above, we G.R.I.T.S. *love* to be called out for having delicious, fattening, man-snagging foods. lmk if you ever do guest posts, i have a delicious biscuit recipe that’s kind of a secret (which means i want to share it with the whole world). if no guest post, you are welcome to come visit me in davis and we will make some together.
xo, meg from clementine
silvia
No se como llegué hasta aquí…pero me encanta todo lo que he visto,encima me sacas sonrisas…que más se puede pedir…este plato a mi gusto es magistral!!
Un gran saludo ;))
Leah the Nosher
This post just made me so happy. Thank you.
Summer appropriate comfort food – who knew?
Zoe
I love your blog and have only recently found it when I was searching for a good blueberry muffin recipe. Now I’m hooked! I literally ran to the grocery store to buy some big shrimp after reading this post earlier today. I’m eating as I type. I can’t believe how good this tastes. My new comfort meal all the way. Thank you! I’m working up the courage to make your berry birthday cake…
joythebaker
work it, girl. work it!
Mary Beth
Joy, since you are a lover of heavy cream, you might try replacing some of the water for cooking the grits with cream/half & half/whole milk… and sometimes a little chicken stock. I am from South Carolina and that’s how we take our grits to another level. Can’t wait to try your version!
Sarah from 20somethingcupcakes
It is SO weird you just posted this. I was just googling a recipe for this the other day, and this came up. I had no idea you just posted it – I thought it must have been an old one that just popped up. We are on the same wavelength!
Amelia
You’re so cute, can I tell you that? :0)
christina
I think your Future Husband and my Future Husband are hanging out at the same sporting event somewhere. And they have no clue how good they are about to have it, if they just would get their act together and come find us. The last guy I dated wasn’t adventurous enough…in the kitchen. He’s now the ex. Keep practicing, Girl. Some guy’s about to adore your grits.
joythebaker
amen.
Sarah
Wow. Cheese looks nothing like that in Australia. It freaked me out a little. I also am new to the world of grits. BUT THIS LOOKS SO GOOD. I will be harrassing store owners until I can make it.
Amy
WOW. Made this tonight and it is absolutely divine! I’m a born and raised Southern girl and this really knocked my socks off. Thanks for sharing Joy. I really like your blog and your writing style. You are very talented.
Orit
You’re fantastic :)
Francine
I love the post. You are so funny and creative.
Tracey
I made this last night for my current “husband candidate”. It was the first time I have ever cooked for him, and I knocked his socks off! Thanks for the inspiration!
Jen-
Okay, being from Texas….YUM! Thanks for the info. And Candice…NO….cornmeal won’t do. Ask your grocer or order online…it’s worth it. ;)
And, Joy, my dear sweet friend with killer style…..the first year….don’t be TOO nice. Make him work for it a bit. ;) Trust me…afterwards you can pamper and get pampered. But start it too early and you are the giver…always.
MassiveHugs!
Jen-
joythebaker
wait…. don’t be TOO nice? i’m not sure i know how to do that.
oh crap.
Liisa
My dad called my mom for second date 2 months after the first date cause someone told him that she made a mean french onion soup. They happily celebrated their 40th anniversary this year.
There is a lot of sports on TV in their house and my mom has her archived Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines strewn (in an organized fashion) in every corner of the house.
Those shrimp and grits will lead to great things.
G.
can a bowl of grits be pretty? why, yes!! your future husband is a lucky guy! remind him of this. everyday.
Sarah D
A- I’ve always been slightly afraid of grits. They make me think of a hot breakfast cereal who’s texture I could never quite handle… however I’m willing to set a side my fears for this recipes, looks so good!
B- Love the new banner design, my favorite so far.
candice
I grew up in the South .. I ate grits. I love grits. A bowl of grits with a fried egg on top makes me happy.
I can’t eat shrimp but the grits make me smile anyway.. while my husband sits in the living room watching The Capital Gang or something like that and I am in the kitchen, reading Living magazine ( Argentine house porn)..
un beso, C
trisha
oh gosh i love you.
Eliz
Joy,
I do not know you nor will we probably ever meet as I am a New Yorker to my core as you seem to be glued to the West Coast however, I feel as if I have known you since birth, told you my secrets and heard yours as well, because you write like I write, speak as I speak and eerily express thoughts I have been thinking of all day on your blog for me to read that night. Though we are two different people who grew up on two opposite sides of this great country and possibly have two very different lives, I find it oddly comforting having a comrade in arms who does the dorky things I do, like talk to her future husband and children (yea, I know how it feels, you giggle at its silliness yet it comforts you to express the things you can’t wait to do in that mushy-settled part of your life), only who has the bravado to do it on the world wide web, for all to hear and love.
So, Joy the baker, thanks for explaining to the world your thoughts and helping me, Elizabeth the baker, feel reassured that even though I may be a bit geeky, I am in good company :)
Kenna
LOVE, love love the letter to your future husband. Your writing is such good humor!
Meghan
joy the baker you are simply hilarious
Elizabeth @ Dapper Paper
Grits are a southern girls best friend! all. my. life.
I actually was getting ready to make some shrimp and grits from a recipe in the new Food and Wine (that’s a totally southern edition). The last ones I made I adapted Bobby Flay and another recipe together (there are so many different takes on it!).
@Candice, I think if you use cornmeal, it’s more like polenta. At least, that’s what I use for polenta?….
lorena
I’m making this tomorrow night for MY current husband :) looks delish.
Terri A.
I made this for dinner last night and had to share it with a friend. I almost pushed her aside to finish her bowl and mine. This was THAT good!
Reagan @ Recipesmademyway
I moved to South Carolina a few years ago and I’d never even heard of grits before! I still haven’t tried them but cheesy grits with bacon sounds pretty darn good… minus the shrimp for me!! not a fan! :)
Mondo
Looks amazing and easy to make. Had a similar dish at The Park in Echo Park. You should take your future husband there, mos def. ;D
Candice
Hello Hello. LOVE your blog. I do have a ‘dumb’ question, since I’m from the Great White North, and we don’t ‘do’ grits here. If I use corn meal, is that the same??? Thanks!
Sues
This looks awesome!! I’ve actually never made grits… Crazy! I might need to start now. I’m sure your future husband is veryyy happy :)
Angharad
This header is my favourite yet! It’s a beauty. Also, I’ll be your husband if you make me those shrimp and grits. For cereal.
Erin
Joy, you bring me such joy! Thanks for this idea… dinner tonight, with Present-day Husband and Baby Daddy. He’ll love it!
cathy
looks yummy! i’m making it tonight, but i have to call it “shrimp and polenta” to get everyone to eat it. love your blog!!
Meg H.
since I’m traveling with no kitchen, i hopped down to South City in Atlanta and had their shrimp and grits. Divine! Thanks for the idea. (And really, I’m surprised Future Husband hasn’t come over since this post.)
Jennifer
Oh – this looks SO good! As a girl from the South finding my way in LA, I dream about shrimp and grits. Seriously, is there anything more comforting and delicious than cheese grits? A place that I love back home makes a full on stew with the shrimp and serves it over grit CAKES — little patties of grits formed around balls of cheese and fried. No kidding. It’s serious business. If I can ever talk them out of the recipe, I’ll be sure to pass it along.
Shannon @ bakeandbloom
I love man trapping meals like this
The prawns (sorry I just can’t bring myself to call them shrimp) look amazing!!
Bonnie@WhatAboutPie
Oh, man, that looks so delicious! I could totally eat that up right now being as it is 12:39 am and I am still awake catching up on blogs I love!! That was a sweet little scenario you created about you and your “future hubby” having dinner. So sweet! How do you not have a boyfriend…you are cute, pretty, friendly, personable, talented, you cook fantastic stuff….so seriously! I will say a little prayer for you that you meet your future hubby very soon!
bakerme
Oh Joy, you are completely adorable. Unfortunately I live in Tasmania and can’t get grits! :(
I am planning this cupcake decorating party on Sat. for six girls and me and we’re using your “sweetheart rose cupcake” recipe… that buttercream is un-beatable… and your vanilla cupcake recipe, and decorating frosting recipe. So I could tell my friends that Joy the Baker is hosting this party :) I totally adore Martha Stewart Living. But my dad won’t let me read it during mealtimes ;)
In other news… i lovelovelove your blog. And the new set -up. sorry for not commenting more often…. I’m the sort of person who reads the post and doesn’t bother with reading/writing comments! Sorry.
Love love love- me
Mary Margeson
OK, so. When I was a kid, I didn’t like grits. And oddly enough, I have not tried them since then. I try to try things that I don’t like occasionally because…you know…our tastes change from time to time.
I might need to try this recipe. Just ’cause you made it look so good. (And I’m not just trying to suck up because I feel bad that you said I made you feel like an a-hole. Really, I’m not. These pics made my stomach growl.)
Yolanda
Seriously, you are just too damn cute. Why Future Husband hasn’t come to the realization that he cannot live without you is beyond me.
Alla
Oh, Joy Im sooooo happy you posted this recipe. I have been craving grits for the longest time (I use to eat them all the time as a child). I just bought a a batch of fresh ground grits because I remembered seeing a recipe for shrimp and grits somewhere on the the web but couldn’t remember where. So thank you for saving me a lot of time. This will be dinner for Friday, since tomorrow I already planed to make fish.
Thank you once more, your timing was impeccable!
Katie
You read my mind! Looks like I know what I’m having for dinner tomorrow!
jenna
I was just wondering what a baker has for dinner…
Jaclyn
This looks so good…and dinner with Martha Stewart magazine sounds like an awesome dinner date. Your letter to the future husband is hilarious by the way
Lindsy Carranza
I love the letter to you future husband, adorable :) You sound like me in some ways when it comes to that, I like to believe I was born in the wrong time :) This looks delicious! Makes me crave grits I don’t think I’ve had any since I lived in North Carolina years and years ago.
Mo'Betta
This is one of my most favorite things. If I was a guy, I’d want to marry you, just based on this post, okay, and the molasses chocolate chip cookies. It almost makes me want to marry you anyway. Or at least be your BFF. (but not in a creepy stalker way, just I-really-like-your-cooking way)
Laura
I don’t know about Future Husband…but I’m drooling! One of my favorite foods!!!! :)
blessings
~*~
Ellen
Shrimp & cheese grits – YES! So. Good.
Jack
Marry me!
steph (whisk/spoon)
mmm…i ate cheddar grits this morning. of course i had them at a restaurant, b/c i had no idea how to make them myself…where was this post at 9am est??
jackie
this is hilarious (the letter not the food).. i’m a new follower. love your blog.
Melissa
Could I be yr future husband? OK, the fact that I am already married and a girl might get in the way, but aside from that I would totally marry you :) This post even made my 8 yrs vegetarian mouth water. You are just so sweet and funny and never cease to put a smile on my face.
Alexa @Sohdalex
So I can’t believe I just now found your blog! ~ Your recipes look wonderful, I can’t wait to try them, and your posts are full of good humor. Eating dinner while standing in the kitchen with a magazine is a past time of mine as well, you are not alone ;)
annie
Dang, my stomach actually, audibly growled while I was reading this post! I’m totally going to make this on payday (Friday!), and making a mental note to keep shrimp in the freezer so I won’t have to wait next time… :)
CookiePie
I love that you write to your future husband! And that your relationship with him is so secure that you can eat dinner apart occasionally without worrying about it. And that you share a love for ’80s beer cozies. When he finds you, I hope he gives you a big smooch before tucking into this yummy dish!
Liz
I love the letters you write to your future husband, and I hope that once you do meet him, he will read back through these and delight in how cute you are.
Despite living in GA most of my life, I somehow never tried shrimp and grits (which just sounds like an odd combination to me) until about a year ago, and now I’m hooked. There is something so perfect about cheesy grits, salty bacon, and sweet shrimp that goes together soooo sooo well. Unfortunately my future husband doesn’t feel the same…. Oh well, more for me :)
Cooking Gallery
Your ‘future husband’ is a lucky man to have such a good cook and baker like you as a ‘wife to be’ ;)! Great website!
Emily Rose
shrimp and grits is probably my favorite meal of all times. this recipe looks fantastic! i’m sure you’ll receive some marriage proposals after serving this dish to your suitors!
Evan @swEEts
This post not only made me laugh a little, it also made me want to give grits another chance.. Thank you Joy.
Jules
This reminds me of my husband’s recipe for shrimp and grits. We live down in the south in New Orleans and my hubby makes this dish several different ways. Sometimes he makes grillades and grits and sometimes shrimp with smoked Gouda grits. you should try the Gouda cheese next time, its really good!
It’s kinda one of the reasons I married him~ he’s an amazing cook! lol. But I’m the baker in the family, and I get my tips from you. So thanks! ;))
Cho
Oh Joy.. that looks amazing but letters to your future husband are normal in comparison to a woman looking for a husband via youtube. Just thought I’d share my two cents. She already has a wedding date, dress, cake set all she needs is a husband.. isn’t that nuts?
http://www.khou.com/news/Project-Husband-Dallas-woman-turns-to-YouTube-to-find-perfect-match-100125004.html
Elizabeth
Wow…that. is. CRAZY.
Melzor
Oh no. No no no no. I can’t decide if I should wait til tomorrow night for my boyfriend to get back from NH to make this…. or make and eat it all by my-happy-self tonight. Curses!!
Sara Tea
I truthfully don’t think I’ve ever eaten grits, and now I feel like I’ve been missing out. If anything has shrimp and bacon I’m in. I’ve written letters too, and I always imagine being like, “oh hey love of my life i wrote you this” and then him being like “UH… psycho!” and proceed to skip town.
Megan
Joy you crack me up! Too bad my fiance’s a vegetarian with recipes like these:)
Kate
Joy you are amazing! I love love shrimp and grits. Yours are a bit different from mine, I am totally going to try these soon.
jk scaglione
truth be told, I always have instant grits in my pantry for that grit and sunny-side up egg with butter comfort-food treat now and again. I even turned my sister on to them and she went wild for them! True story. Question: I lived in the south and learned about grits there, but where, dear joy, did YOU learn about them? (FL?)
mad love for your blog,
Alice (Someone Who Bakes)
Hmm, being a native southern Californian like yourself, I’ve only ever had grits once, when I was a kid, and I remember not being impressed. Yours, however, look good enough to convert me to all kinds of Southern food (except gravy on anything but turkey. Or chicken-fried anything. I still don’t feel comfortable with those yet). I can hear the doors opening now!
rachel
hmmm is it possible to be creepy and charming at the same time? your shrimp and grits look delish! future husband is a lucky guy :)
NEG
Well if you lived in West Texas I would introduce you to my son because you are as sweet as they come… and very talented. He definitely would call out for a beer.
Sushi Girl
Excellent post, again. Awesome photos, you make me SO hungry!! I like your Letters to Your Future Husband too, He is out there and is SO gonna love you Joy!! I know it’s a bit premature but I am looking forward to your wedding :D
PS: Martha ROCKS!!
*love*
Elizabeth
Quick question: The recipe says “1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined without the tails” but it looks like there’s still tails on the shrimp in the picture. Is this artistic license?
joythebaker
I left the tails on when I cooked up this dish for myself. I noticed that’s it was a little hard to eat so I think it’s a better idea to remove the tails. Good eye!
victoriao
ooh I love recipes where grits are involved! I love anything savory with cheesey grits. I must make this, the shrimp look so delicious!
Elizabeth
I’ve never had grits, living in Canada will do that to you. I have polenta, but it’s apparently not the same. Damn…cause that look so freaking good.
And don’t worry about the letters to your future husband. I think you should save them, cause they are hilarious…not creepy. You know what’s creepy? Planning your wedding before you meet..not in the little girl cute way, but like, having a folder and going to wedding expos and buying a dress. Yeah I knew a girl that did that. She’s still single…creepy!
joythebaker
Weeeiiiirrrd.
Susan
This recipe looks super yummy. My husband likes grits even more than I do. Oh, and I wrote letters to my “future husband” and gave them to my husband shortly after we were married. I thought it would be romantic — his eyes would fill up with tears, he’d pull out his own stack of letters written to me, his future wife, years back. This is what actually happened: His mouth smiled. His eyes said, “This is creepy. I married a weirdo!” Oh well, good think he appreciates and loves my creepy weirdness.
mary straton
look at you! If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were Southern with your shrimp and grits!
Mike
You have made my favorite dish, thank you! I ask only that you try it with some chopped spicy andouille sausage to give it some zing.
I don’t know how I’m going to make it through my work day now. Mouth is watering too much to think.
Lisa
One of my favorite meals, but I’ve never made it myself! Best I’ve ever had was in Austin, TX. Will make these for my man, and of course me, soon!
Maria
Looks like a comforting and tasty meal!
Sara
Wow, this looks amazing. Don’t worry, I enjoy sharing meals with Martha Stewart Living, too.
Chad
Joy, why can’t we see your pictures on Flickr? I always love your pictures and wish I could make them my desktop background. But, whenever I click on your pictures, it takes me to a Flickr page that says the picture is private.
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
joythebaker
i’ll unprivate those pictures for you.
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking
Your future husband will rejoice ;) Yum!
Ali
You are too funny! I love it. I also like standing in the kitchen eating while standing reading a magazine. Mine is usually some trashy gossip mag tho. This meal looks amazing!! I have to try it very soon!!
Ben
I want to go to there.
Katie@Cozydelicious
This sounds like football season in my house (except that my husband is allergic to seafood and hates grits). There is nothing wrong with sharing a meal without being together, every so often. I mean, if that were wrong, I’d have to watch football. Which is not an option. Period.
la-la-lisa
I have a confession to make — grits scare me as does cream of wheat and, well frankly, oatmeal. Polenta I can almost get my head around because you can let it set and cut it into wedges. Those grits look like something I might try. You seem like a nice CA girl and I trust that having lived there myself (shout out to my old homies in Long Beach, Koreatown & Glendale). I hope you understand this is a complement. I live in TX where grits, or what some call “grits,” flow like the mighty Rio Grande.
Oh and I love shrimp and those look good too. Let me say that my first husband was a picky eater. That’s one of the reasons why there’s a second husband. He’s a keeper. He eats EVERYTHING and he likes his food spicy. He just can’t eat shrimp. Sigh. Morale of the story, as if there really was one here, oh shit I forget.
joythebaker
best comment every. i might need to move to a place where grits flow like a river. dang.
Heather (Heather's Dish)
i can’t believe you posted this…i have been CRAVING shrimp and grits for waaaaaaaaaaay too long now! will you marry me? :)
DessertForTwo
I love that you made this! It’s one of my all-time favorite dinners! Hooray for grits!
And it’s totally normal to write letters to your future husband. Save ’em up, then give them to him on your wedding night. Super romantic! :)
joythebaker
or just super creepy.
Rachel Hundley
or romanticreepy :-)
Mari
You’re so cute…. =)
Nicole M.
LOL Wow… you crack me up!!! :-)
L
Mmmm, it looks delicious!
Can I ask what china that is? I just bought some plates at a flea market and they look so similar!
joythebaker
this is my grandparents’ china from the 1930’s. all it says on the back is ‘made in china’. it’s a mystery.
Marti
Well thank heavens “L” asked, because I was wondering the same thing. I just bought china last week at an auction: 10 place settings of Bareuther (German—or as they called it “Bavarian”) china made in occupied Bavaria, immediately after WW II. (Auction price: $25!!!)
But what I like about yours is the beautiful green and the lovely whiteness of the plates. I think food looks better, less “muddy” with a white background. Alas, my Bareuther china is a slightly grayish cream colored. I will have to make this dish and put it on my plates to compare.
Your grandparents had lovely taste! And you have a lovely blog. :)
Evie
This is what we do! You’ll get there someday, in due time. Shrimp and Grits are a staple in the South. You can even spice them up with a little bit of Frank’s Hot Sauce and paprika. Makes them have an orangey color.
Leandra
There really is nothing better than sharing a meal with a martha stewart magazine!!!!!!
Ethan
I would hope there is some middle ground between ESPN and Martha Stewart…maybe like the Food Network or sitting down together and asking how your day was and commenting on the buttery goodness of the grits :)
Carrie
Love this post. Shrimp and grits…dreamy!
Black Omena
I’m going to have to try this very soon!
Pete
Not only do your s&g look good……………my favorite are your 30 minute chocolate croissants…..watch out Rachael
Cathy
Grits are actually ground hominy and polenta is ground corn. Hominy is corn that has been through soaking and such till it is big and white.
joythebaker
hmmmm…. i think you might be right!
Melinda
Mercy me…that looks as good as the real stuff you get in Charleston. I sense a date night coming on!
JB
*files for divorce/books ticket to L.A.*
Lauren
Looks divine.
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic
Your future husband is gonna be one lucky guy! Those shrimp and grits look awesome. I’ve never tried making grits before but now I am motivated to do so! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
krissypoo
ok, this is officially my favorite post ever. you are so damn cute. i get crap up here in the “north” for lovin’ the grits like i do. now i know you love ’em too, screw everybody, they don’t know….
Heather @ The Single Dish
Great cute post. Love shrimp and grits or polenta! Pretty meal.
Pete
A baker & a cook ………..do you also make candles?……….I’ve always liked your “style” of baking…………now you have totally won me over. Being from Mobile, Alabama I know a bit about grits………those look pretty darn good. Cooking shrimp & grits must mean you are looking for a “southern gentlemen”. Correct? I’m actually looking to get out of the hot and humid south. Have always liked California………liked your Seattle travelog…….was up there last summer.
I’ll keep in touch………….?
joythebaker
so many periods.
Lori
I’ve had to go dairy free while I am nursing, but this almost makes me want to quit so I can eat it NOW! Looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it in another 9 months or so….Until then I’ll just wipe the drool off my keyboard!
Lauren
Haha thanks for the laugh! Cute post! I’ll definitely be trying this.. I love me some grits and I love me some shrimp and I’m sure I’d LOVE them together! Oh and I *suppose* the man will probably like them too, haha! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Ariel
cutest. post. ever. :)
Sonja
Joy – looks delish!
I had the same question about grits versus polenta and found this:
Polenta is a boiled, slow-cooked cornmeal “mush” — typically made with coarsely ground yellow corn meal. Grits consist of coarsely ground hominy (dried maize kernels which have been treated with an alkali),
So, looks like they are different, but both delicious! :)
Just made a polenta recipe myself as well — http://www.acouplecooks.com/2010/08/polenta-with-swiss-chard-and-garlic/ – must be in the air!
joythebaker
good lookin out.
newlywed
Future Husband better not be a finnicky eater! But with your cooking, I think you can convert him to many things. This dish looks awesome; I love grits! BTW, I made your spicy parmesan crackers, and they were perfect! Very easy to follow directions.
Jules
Oh my…thanks for adding the cheddar to this dish. I don’t think there is any other way! Speaking of husbands, I’ve been wondering how to make mine drop dead (not literally, of course) from his birthday meal. Annndd, I’m pretty sure this is the one. Yes! Oh, and when you find this husband of yours, I am pretty sure he’ll never ever let you go.
Marianne
FINE…I was just gonna run out for cocoa powder, but I’ll add shrimp and corn meal to the list. Note to self: Never muse out loud “that looks tasty” when current husband is about.
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday
Being Italian I have always known this as polenta.
Is there a difference between polenta and grits?
Lynda@meandmypinkmixer
Joy – I love reading your posts! Your future husband is one lucky guy to get a sweet & funny girl like you who is also a kick-ass baker and cook :) I would totally rather read Martha than watch EPSN too!
styro
Grits and polenta are slightly different, grits are made from hominy which is dried corn treated with an alkaline like lye. This process makes the corn more nutritionally available. There is interesting historical evidence about how “grits saved the south” from starvation after the civil war—treating corn with lye or wood ash made the corn more digestible and more nutritious, potentially saving many southerners from starvation during Reconstruction. :) I am a real grits nerd. Great photos and recipe!
Kristina
I have always wondered what “grits” were and now I know – I love polenta, thanks Joy (PS Im an Aussie so we don’t serve “grits” here)
sippy
Eating grits right now topped with a fried egg and some bacon. Grits are the “IT”. :)
Gen
Lucky future husband! I love your plate by the way, it looks ancient and refined!
Terri A.
I have a friend coming over to dinner tonight and now I know what I’ll be making!
Joanne
Is it weird that I write letters like this to my future husband and post them on my food blog as well? I hope not.
They usually accompany things like burgers and pizza. Sometimes chocolate cakes. Shrimp and grits – good too.
You are not alone, sistah. Not alone.
Denise
From someone who just had this dish from Paula Deen’s, the Queen of southern cooking, restaurant….this looks so delicious and gorgeous!
Estela @ Weekly Bite
What a cute post! I love shrimp and grits! Your future husband is lucky :)
Rachel (Two Healthy Plates)
This is pretty much the only way to eat grits. That being said I’ve only had shrimp and grits, maybe….twice? in my whole life? That doesn’t sound right. Maybe this recipe will change all of that!
Jill in Atlanta
That looks yummy, but I’m still going to be critical! Our recipe has you toss the shrimp in seasoned flour and then use the flour, bacon fat and some broth to make a small amount of sauce. Really wonderful on cheese grits. It convinced a Yankee (my dad!) just Sunday. And, I should be honest– it was my husband who did the cooking, not me. I wasn’t watching ESPN, but consider the possibility! You could be sharing that kitchen space with Future Husband….
Jessie Heninger
I have been cooking a while now and watching tons and tons of food network and never new that polenta (fancy) is really just grits (down home) that made laugh right out loud. I thought you might also like to know that before my husband and i had kids we used to love to share a meal with episodes of Firefly, she was one of our favorite dinner guests.
Shauna
I’ve been thinking about shrimp and grits ever since your tweet about it on Monday. I was even planning to celebrate a rare day off today with making said shrimp and grits for lunch, and what to you do? You post the most vibrant and gorgeous-looking pics and recipe of… shrimp and grits. Girl, I heart you in the world’s biggest way.
And seriously, why aren’t men lining up at your door?? Are they just that intimidated by your awesomeness? Come on – art projects! Cookies! Shrimp and Grits!!! Where is the love?? Ugh, men can be awfully stupid sometimes.
Jess @ Bakericious
If I am a man, I will marry u :P yum yum!
The Blue-Eyed Bakers
Oh gosh you went there. Thank you for going there. There being the shrimp and the grits. Perfect. Mouth-watering. Even with all this ESPN talk we’re still interested…as long as we get a Martha mag to eat dinner with as well…
styro
Best grits in the world:
http://www.byrdmill.com
I prefer the white grits to the yellow, but that is a personal preference.
The Nerd
Holy wow, woman. You just busted up in my territory with these shrimp and grits. What’s next, gumbo??? (Actually, don’t even bother with the gumbo. I’ve never been a fan. I’m an anomaly in the south.)
joythebaker
i like you.
Andrea
I made something similar to this on Sunday. Loved it, except unfortunately for me (not by choice) all my pots are non-stick and all my whisks are metal so I was left with lumpy polenta. I’ve since added a silicone whisk to my amazon wish list (cheaper than new cookware). I have to admit, yours looks better than mine (I think it’s the bacon). Maybe one day my future husband will be as lucky as your future husband.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
I have never, ever had grits. I am so deprived.
Lauren at KeepItSweet
My husband would be so happy if I said anything like that. Haha that looks delicious.
peachkins
Now I know what grits are…
Esther
you are actually the cutest thing in the world! if i were a man and could deal with dating long distance i would totally be your husband.
singleinoz
Oh wow – I was totally thinking that I might give grits a go – i mean they can’t be all bad if you pair it with shrimp… so then I was trying to think where would I find grits in Australia, then I read that it was Polenta! Awesome. I could still never bring myself to eat polenta for breakfast….
Also I totally need to send you some corny beer cozy’s from Australia! Althoguht we call them stubby holders or tinny holders. Yes stubby and tinny are words we call beer (so here the hubby would call out from the lounge “honey bring me a tinny will ya’). Tinny is the beer in the can and a stubby is a slightly more squat shapped bottle of beer. But it is a very ocker term, ocker is a slightly better word than Redneck…. more country bumpkim rather than wife basher….
There you go now you have learnt something too!
Silvia
Lovely polenta con scampi, never heard of cheddar in it though, and I surely come from the land of polenta (NE Italy, near Venice), but maybe this is a good idea, I’ll try it.
Usually husbands do appreciate a good cook, I already envy yours, he’ll be a lucky man!
Silvia
oops, I forgot to add that my mum cooks polenta with water and then adds a little milk.
Alexis
a-mazing. and ditto – i would totally be your husband, too.
Corrie
I cant sleep, and now I am starving. evil Joy… just plain evil. (and now I have Eartha Kitt’s Evil song stuck in my head. sleep isnt gonna coma back easy)
Hannah
Oh Joy. That looks so YUM!
Your future husband will be a lucky man!
hleure
This is my favorite food in the WORLD! I can’t wait to make it! thanks for sharing, as always.
Wei-Wei
I’ll be your husband! :D
Wei-Wei
Haley
Wow – I’m making sure that my current husband never reads your letters or he may be my ex and your future husband- shrimp, grits, beer, beer cozy… OK scratch that- Will you marry me?
Roxy
One lucky dude I’d say…this looks so yummmy!