Part 5 of 5 of my $13.00 a day dinner plan, Shrimp and Grits with a Pepperjack Bechamel Sauce

What a finale to a week of surprises the low country classic dishes Shrimp and Grits. I have thought about making this dish for a long time and just never got around to doing it but it fit perfectly for my $13.00. The shrimp on there own was 8.00 and I had enough to round out the meal. My wife who claims she doesn't eat shrimp or grits voted this her favorite dish of the week. This has now become one of those special occasion type meals for "company", I might just cook this again for breakfast and I don't usually get impressed by a meal I have made. But this was pretty darn good if I must say so myself. I am really starting to like being a Budget Cooking Chef, these meal have really showed me that.

8 slices of bacon
1 1/2 cups quick grits
4 cup of warm chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 1/2 cup 2% milk
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Cheddar
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup diced green peppers
2 cups of sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp minced garlic
3 1/2 lbs of peeled and deveined shrimp
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup Hot sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup parsley


Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a sheet pan with foil add the bacon and place in the oven to cook for 15-17 minutes, no need to flip just set the timer for 15 minutes and check it. When complete remove form the oven and drain off the drippings and reserve, drain bacon on paper towels when cool enough to handle chop it up and reserve. Place a medium size pot on the oven and turn it up to medium high. In a sauce pan combine grits and warm stock stir with a whisk for approx 10 minutes until the mixture is smooth remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and butter until combined. Add the cream to finish off the grits cover and set aside, it should be very creamy not thick and soupy. The grits may become thick upon sitting just add more stock or water and stir.
Heat milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan over low heat until bubbles start to form around the edges, remove from the heat and strain set aside. Rinse out the pot and add butter and flour, whisk until combined and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and keep whisking constantly for 5 minutes over low heat. Add black pepper and nutmeg, remove from the heat and add the cheese while whisking slowly continue to stir until all the milk is blended.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings add the green peppers and mushroom sauté for 3-5 minutes until slightly browned on the edges add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. When done remove from the skillet and reserve on the side. Heat 2 tbsp of bacon drippings in a large skillet add just enough shrimp to cover the bottom of the pan add 2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture to the pan sauté until shrimp just starting to turn pink. Cook in small batches, add a tablespoon of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce sauté for an additional minute. Place a cup of grits in the center of the plate add a cup of shrimp in the center of the grits. Spoon sauce around plate, garnish with bacon, green onion and parsley and serve. This meal like all the others in this blog will be featured on a regular basis now in my household. What you can come up with when pressed has changed my opinion on presenting a blog that is directed a budget friendly family. This meal was $13.90(I was under the day before) that came to about 1.98 per plate. Look for the entire shopping list to come out with other suggestions, Budget Cooking Chef out.