Back To Your Roots

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By Loryn Purvis

Since I’m from the South, there are a few dishes I’m expected to know how to make well by default. I’m expected to have a killer fried chicken recipe, bake buttermilk biscuits with my eyes closed, and brew tea so sweet it will give you a toothache! Yes, I can do each of those things pretty well, but I honestly think it has more to do with my general love of cooking than my Southern heritage. However, a few nights ago I thought my husband and I could benefit from a nice culinary reminder of where we’re from, so I tried my hand at Shrimp and Grits for the first time. What a great evening! I made a batch of the sweetest tea that has ever been brewed west of the Mississippi, served it in classic mason jars, and headed outside to the patio to enjoy a Southern dinner under the stars. Awesome, low-key date night, and it wasn’t even the weekend!!

Maybe it’s time for you and your spouse to take a gastronomic road trip back to your roots. Grab a recipe from your past or theirs, and make a night out of it!

Old Bay Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits

For the Shrimp

5 slices a bacon, chopped
10 small to medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Old Bay Seasoning
Black Pepper
2 T melted butter

Heat pan to medium and add chopped bacon. Cook until fat is rendered from bacon and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping bacon fat in pan. Season shrimp generously with Old Bay and black pepper. Add to pan and cook until pink and slightly springy to the touch. Remove from pan and brush with melted butter. Set aside.

For the “Grits”

4 ½ cups water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup sharp white cheddar, ¼ cup reserved for garnish
¾ cups whole milk, room temperature
5 T unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
black pepper, to taste

Bring water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add cheese, milk and butter. Stir until butter and cheese have melted. Season with black pepper.

Transfer grits to plates and top with remaining white cheddar, shrimp, bacon and chives. Serve.

About the Author: Loryn Purvis

Loryn’s number one thrill in life is sharing delicious meals with her loved ones. She enjoy introducing people to dishes that they have never tried, or even never liked before, but come away loving! She doesn’t think that weeknight dinner has to be boring. It should be an experience the whole family looks forward to every night. As a wife and mother who works from home everyday, Loryn knows that quality and nutrition do not have to be sacrificed in order to get a meal on the table. It doesn't have to be casseroles and cans everyday! That's where the idea for her online meal planning website, Menu Therapy, was born. Menu Therapy is her way of helping busy parents and serious home cooks alike, prepare meals using whole-foods and fresh ingredients. Put down that flavor packet and can of "cream of whatever," and begin using fresh herbs and spices to achieve a more healthful and delicious result. Loryn graduated from San Diego Culinary Institute in 2011, and will be a lifelong learner of everything food. Taking what she learned in the culinary arts and combining it with what she knows works in her kitchen for her family, Loryn creates weekly meal plans and shopping lists for people who love to cook. Loryn lives in Southern California with her husband of almost nine years, BJ, and their two children Kellan and Allie.

Back To Your Roots