It feels so good to be back home again, funny though when I was still in North Carolina I was feeling like I never wanted to leave. What is it with vacations that we can't wait to get there, not want to leave, then can't wait to get back to our own bed? I hated coming home but I brought something home with me to remind us of the Outer Banks until we get back next September. Shrimp!
Each year before we leave the OBX we go down to Wacheese and wait for the the big shrimp boats to come in with their wonderful treasures. We take our biggest cooler and have it loaded at the dock with 50 pounds of just caught shrimp. The fishermen layer and pack the shrimp with crushed ice till it is very secure to drive back to Maryland. When we get home we load them into freezer bags, of various sizes, and then fill the bags up with water to keep them from getting any freezer burn during the year. It is very economical this way and it always tastes super fresh.
My first shrimp meal back this year is my favorite southern touch for the soul, none other than Oh Boy, Shrimp and Grits. It's warm, and yummy and tastes fantastic with every bite. You can find the recipe so many places but one of my favorites is one by the reigning queen of southern cooks, Natalie Dupree. Look for her Shrimp and Grits Cookbook, it's terrific.
My recipe is a mixture from different people and my family is crazy about it. Give it a try, I think you'll love the ease and taste.
Shrimp and Grits
Start your grits by putting 2 cups of water and 2 cups of milk in a sauce pan. Bring to a low boil and stir in 1/2 stick of butter till melted, then add 1 cup of stone-ground or quick grits (important - NOT Instant Grits). Add salt and pepper to your taste. Stir well and occasionally, then cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes. The grits will have absorbed all the liquid and be very creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in another 1/2 stick of butter and two cups of Sharp Shredded Cheddar. Put a lid on pan and set aside to stay warm.
In a frying pan, fry up 8 slices of your favorite bacon till crispy. Remove bacon from pan and stir in 1 cup of sliced, fresh button mushrooms. Then add 1 cup sliced scallions and 1 large clove of minced garlic. Stir everything in the bacon grease left in pan until they begin to soften. Stir in 1 pound of peeled and deveined fresh shrimp and cook until the shrimp turn pink. Add about 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of Louisiana hot sauce and a couple of tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley. Crumble up your bacon and give the shrimp mixture a final stir. Pour your warm, cheesy grits into a big bowl and dump the shrimp mixture on top for a fantastic treat. Its great with a green salad and some crusty bread. Rich, wonderful, tasty and pure southern comfort food. I am so happy we brought back 50 pounds of shrimp, a year seems like such a long time to spread them out. Enjoy!
PS. I have been getting a number of emails about the freezing of shrimp so I thought you may like the process. Fill the bags about half full with the shrimp then the rest of the bag gets filled with cold water. Use a bag size based on the amount you may want to thaw out at a time. This also works for freezing fish. The seafood last a very long time staying as fresh tasting as when you put them in the water because of the water. We have been doing this for years and it is perfect for big sales and purchases like this one.
I am planning to move to a new and larger place after the new year so I decided to go with a minimum of decorations this Christmas. I figured it would be less to unpack from storage and less to have to pack after Christmas if we just did one small tree and my favorite 
This past weekend my girlfriend and I, along with my Mom, spent hours making candy for Christmas and to sell at the holiday church bazaar next week. We made all of our favorites, Turtles, Pralines, Peppermint Bark, Toffee, Toffee Bark, Chocolate and Caramel covered Pretzels and this year my new favorite, Eggnog Truffles. Actually I am not much of an eggnog drinker unless I am served up someone’s homemade eggnog with a hit of rum or brandy but these wonderful little candies are fabulous. They taste wonderful and truly melt in your mouth. I know they will all sell at the church bazaar and we will have to make another batch the week before Christmas just for us. Try these, they are not difficult to do and they are worth the effort!
This wonderful caramel comes in a 5 pound block and it is made by Peter's Candy. I was able to order it online from a terrific small business out of California called an Occasional Chocolate. The 5 pound block sells for around $21.00 and is worth every bit. It is very soft and buttery tasting and super easy to use. To make your turtles all you have to do is cut or pinch off the amount of caramel you need for the size of the turtle you're making. Roll the piece of caramel into a ball. Set down 3 or 4 pecans in the shape of legs and push down the caramel ball onto the top of the nuts, spreading it out so just the tips of the nuts are showing. Depending on the amount of chocolate you like for your candies either dunk the caramel and nuts fully into the chocolate or spoon some onto the top of the nuts and caramel. Set on waxed paper to let the chocolate get firm and glossy. We make some with pecans, which is the traditional turtle nut, and some with almonds but whatever nuts your family loves could be used. Also available at the Occasional Chocolate is bags of very good Guittard's melting chocolates in Milk, Dark and White for great prices. My favorite is the dark chocolate of the turtles. 
with it. We always wrap some around pretzel rods then dip them into chocolate with sprinkles and nuts on the top. So, so yummy! The caramel stores very well if you find yourself with any leftover. We made many turtles and rods so far this year for our holiday use and packaged up many of them for the bazaar at church to sell. It seems nobody can pass one up and we didn't have any leftovers to save. This is good stuff and I hope you try it out. I put a link to her online business, check it out because I'm sure you will like all the ingredients.
2 bananas – sliced and sprinkled lightly with lemon juice so as not to brown 
Are you ready for the little goblins and the big pumpkin at your house? I have my few little decorations out, not many, mostly fall leaves and a last minute pumpkin on the table, but I do have my big bowl of candy already near the front door. There has been a lot of talk about when trick or treat will take place this year, Friday or Saturday so, whatever day or both days, I am ready. We don't get many children these days but the ones that are around we know so I have gotten full size bars to make it a little special. If truth be told it is partly because we love to have the left overs in full sizes. 
I walked into the grocery store this afternoon and the smell of sugar that hits you at the door is super strong. Sweet, but strong. During the Halloween season surrounding all the entrances to stores is candy, all kinds of candy. It's a dieters nightmare and a childs happiest dreams. One of my favorite Halloween candies is the little pieces of candy corn. Super sweet and honey tasting but I love it. Problem is that one serving, about 14 little kernals, is around 150 calories and I have yet to get away with just having 14 kernals. I tried it this week, I counted out my one serving and ate them slow. I felt happy that I did so well, then it drove me crazy for the next couple of hours that there were more in the bag calling my name. So of course, I got out the bag and munched on them untill I had eaten several more servings. I wasn't happy anymore. They know people do this to themselves, so why not add more pieces to a serving and count the higher calories to begin with, then when you eat your serving your guilt factor isn't so bad. Who are they fooling anyway, nobody eats just 14 little kernals and stops. A cruel marketing trick I think or rather I try to make myself believe, so I don't have to take all the blame for my self-induced sugar rush.
If you think I am naughty with candy corn, well you haven't seen anything when it comes to the guilt trip I take when it comes to little chocolate candy bars. I love each flavor especially the little Krackel bars. I do try to have some of each kind including the dark chocolate since "they" claim it has health benefits. Actually, if I pasted the bags to my hips it would be the right thing to do, make the candy curse go quicker. 
Looking out my window at the beautiful turning leaves, dripping from the rain, makes me feel cozy and contented. I love fall, my favorite season, and watching the leaves out front turn red gives me such a nesting feeling. With me, besides staying warm and cozy, means cooking something from the comfort food family, soup. My family thinks I am little weird, well actually I am but you never heard that from me, because I can eat soup everyday from now to springtime and not get bored.
After searching through my vast collection of recipes in books, magazines and lots of little cards I have decided this weekend would be perfect for the warm and creamy, and one of my most favorites, Cream of Cauliflower Cheese Soup. This recipe I found once in the Taste of Home Magazine (it's their photo also) and it quickly became a family favorite. There are so many Cream of Cauliflower recipes out there and many are fabulous and I love them too, but today I want the cheesey one. I love this with some green salad, crusty bread and a couple glasses of merlot and I am very content. Try it, it is good for warming your soul.
My recipe is a mixture from different people and my family is crazy about it. Give it a try, I think you'll love the ease and taste.
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