Shortcut Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits
Shrimp and Grits are a signature Southern dish and, in my book, you can never go wrong by ordering it at a restaurant. My husband fell in love with shrimp and grits while we were dating and in an effort to win him over, I whipped the dish up a time or two (oh, to be young again!). My recipe is insanely easy, includes one million short cuts and lets the white cheddar grits shine as the star of the show.
This dish is easy to make for two or a crowd, especially if you don’t mind cooking with an audience (I don’t!) because it comes together in a matter of minutes. Behold, my Shortcut Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits 
Shortcut Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits
Shortcut Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits
Ingredients 
4 cups of water
1 cup stone ground grits (NOT instant) 
3 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup Cabot Extremely Sharp White Cheddar
1 cup or so of frozen, pre-marinated garlic shrimp, peeled and de-veined, we prefer tails off 
(SeaPak is our go-to brand and Trader Joe’s occasionally has a great option as well, whichever you choose just make sure the shrimp is only marinated and not in a sauce of some kind)
4 slices of bacon
1 lemon
1/4 cup sliced green onions/scallions
salt and pepper
Optional: fresh, chopped parsley for garnish

Method
In a non-stick or coated pot, cook grits according to instructions
add salt and pepper to taste 
(I usually do three grinds of the salt grinder and two of the pepper)
Add butter and white cheddar, stirring with whisk to incorporate
Reduce heat to low and cover grits
In a large pan cook the bacon until crispy
remove bacon and turn down the heat
Add shrimp to pan and let them cook in the bacon grease (oh yeah, you’re doing it)
Once shrimp are almost cooked through, add the scallions, the juice of one half a lemon and the slices of bacon, roughly chopped
Stir together and allow shrimp to cook through – maybe just a minute or so more
Plate the grits, add a healthy spoonful of the bacon and shrimp mixture, garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 
Serve immediately, yields 4 servings 
Shortcut Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits  
The longest part of the process is waiting for the water to boil for the grits – it’s just that easy and that good! If you don’t want to use pre-marinated shrimp, add a little garlic and a little Old Bay to the pan as the shrimp are cooking in the bacon grease, that should do the trick! 
Enjoy!
Shortcut Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits

Adapted somewhat from this recipe.

Shortcut White Cheddar Shrimp and Grits