Barbecue Shrimp with Creamy Cheese Grits

*from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Barbecue Shrimp

4 bacon slices
1 lb large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on), or you can use frozen shrimp
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 whole cloves garlic
3 T. Tony Cachere's
1/2 t. ground black pepper
Garnish: chopped green onion

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon until crisp, about 12 minutes. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 T. drippings. Crumble bacon.

2. In a jelly-roll pan, place shrimp in a single layer. Drizzle with reserved 2 T. drippings and butter. Add garlic, Tony's, and pepper, tossing to coat. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and firm. Serve over Creamy Cheese Grits, and sprinke with crumbled bacon and green onion, if desired.

Creamy Cheese Grits

1/4 C butter
3 C whole milk
2 1/3 C chicken broth
1/2 t. hot sauce, Tobasco
1 1/3 cups instant grits (can use polenta)
1 8 oz bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. In a medium saucepan, bring butter, milk, borth, and hot sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, sitrring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. Add cheese, stirring until melted.

My Take: I though the shrimp were really good. A little too spicy for me, but good. But I thought the grits were too cheesy, and that's really saying something since I love cheese! The pairing was kind of weird to me, but okay. I think when I make this again I'll use less Tony's and will just do the shrimp.