Dinner: Shrimp & Grits, Texas Style

Tonight I wanted something SPICY, but was also in the "Sunday" frame of mind... comfort food.

Being an addict for shrimp... I thought: Shrimp & Grits! A nod to my Southern heritage.  Living in Texas years ago I have a pretty good palate for hot and spicy.

So here's the scoop:  I took quick cooking grits (1 cup) and used chicken broth and the liquid from a can of Rotel tomatoes (3 cups total) too cook them in.  Once I had the liquid measured, I added back the drained Rotel tomatoes.  Delicious enough, right? Creamy. Spicy.  Not good enough yet.  Add 2 pats of butter and 1/2 cup of aged White Vermont Cheddar and a half teaspoon of roasted garlic grey salt (I get mine from NapaStyle.com).

Then, the shrimp.  I used a pound of large, peeled and deveined Gulf shrinp that have been marinated for a couple of hours in 1 T. of Vietnamese Garlic-Chili Paste - more or less to your taste, but the grits are going to be spicy too so.. tread lightly.  Quick saute of 4 green onions, thinly sliced using only the whites and about 2" of the green ends, one Jalapeno, seeded and FINELY chopped in olive oil (about 3 T.) and butter (3 pats).  Add the shrimp and saute FAST until pink on one side.  Now here's the tricky part: flip em over, remove them from the heat, scoop them all in the center of the pan and cover.  Let it sit for about 3 minutes and they will be PERFECT. Overcooked shrimp are not to be eaten.  Ever.

Shrimp and a little of the pan juices, served over the piping hot grits in a nice earthenware bowl?  H-E-A-V-E-N!

An ice cold beer is the perfect compliment.

Go for it and let me know how it turns out.

Aesthetics: Art.... or Not

I love beautiful things. Art, in particular, sometimes eludes me.  Once in awhile I will see a piece of art that everyone raves about but that I just cannot see why there was such a hubbub!  I have friends with wonderful art collections and I love looking at the different things that bring each one of us enjoyment.

I have a limited edition serigraph given to me years ago as a gift from a friend in San Francisco.  I had it for a couple of years before having it framed.  I love it and it hangs in the dining room of my house today.

The Persian Princess is a hand pulled serigraph from an original created by Alberto Vargas in 1930. The painting appeared on the cover of "Hearst Magazine". It is signed in the serigraph with the trademark-protected "Varga" signature. I like her.

Art.. or not? What ever browns your biscuits can be your "art".

Design Inside: LIGHTS! .... Camera....er, LIGHTS!

I think that the right lighting can make or break a mood.  Glaring overhead lights are sure to put everyone in the room in an unhealthy "light" and make for a short cocktail party.  I love this subdued lighting in my living room.... soft lights in translucent silk shades atop chunky crystal lamp bases make for a warm, inviting place to be.   Trust me.