A southern feast

I've lived in the south all my life, with the exception of a year spent in New York, but I never had shrimp 'n' grits until about 6 month ago. I have been missing out all these years! When my BFF Kiwi a.k.a. Ninja Kitty and her boyfriend visited Atlanta for Labor Day, we decided to cook a southern feast of shrimp 'n' grits and macaroni and cheese casserole (we love a good casserole in the south; hopefully Ninja Kitty will post her chicken casserole recipe soon....hint hint!). Warning: the following recipes will cause extreme fullness of the stomach.

Shrimp 'n' Grits

Ingredients for grits:

• 3 cups milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup stone ground white cornmeal
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 3 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Ingredients for shrimp:

• 2 Tbs. canola oil or olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 lbs. spicy Italian or andoulille sausage (or regular pork sausage for those sensitive to heat)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 bunch scallions, minced

Directions for grits:

1. In a 3 quart pot over medium-high heat, add milk, cream, butter, salt, and pepper.
   
2. Slowly whisk in grits. Keep whisking every couple of minutes to keep grits from clumping.
   
3. Once grits begin to bubble and thicken, turn heat off and move pot to back burner. Keep covered.

Directions for shrimp:

1. Mince the onion and sautee with oil and garlic in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add sausage, and brown.
3. Sprinkle pan with flour and stir to make a roux. Roux should be the color of caramel.
4. Add stock and bay leaves, and simmer.
5. Peel and devein shrimp.
6. Add shrimp to the sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes until they're firm and pink.
7. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve immediately over grits.

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
  
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch
  
• 1 lbs. cooked macaroni (wheat if you want to attempt to be healthy)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded munster cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
  

Directions:

1. Melt butter over medium heat (every good recipe starts with butter).
2. Add milk and bring to a simmer.
3. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold milk. Slowly pour into simmering milk, and whisk constantly.
   
4. Keep whisking and allow sauce to thicken. Once sauce covers a spoon, remove from heat.
5. I a large bowl, mix three cheeses together. Remove 1/3, and set aside.
   
6. Add sauce to the large cheese mixture, and stir until cheese is melted.
   
7. Add pasta and stir until it's completely coated.
8. Place macaroni in a buttered casserole dish and top with reserved shredded cheese.
9. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until top is brown and bubbly.
   
10. Cool for 15 minutes and serve.