Slow Cooker Shrimp & Grits

There's not much better to a Southern girl than shrimp & grits!  I could eat shrimp & grits for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  There are many recipes for this Carolina low country dish, but I especially like mine to include tomatoes (you do know how much I love tomatoes, right?).  As an added bonus, I can put my trusty slow cooker to use!  The grits & sausage cook in your slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours, after which you add the shrimp, onions, peppers, and tomatoes for an additional 2 hours of cooking time.  Dish it up in shallow serving bowls and serve with a tossed green salad and crusty bread.  

Servings: 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

¾ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups quick-cooking grits, uncooked

   (not instant)

½ pound Kielbasa sausage, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small Vidalia onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 Tablespoons butter

Fresh ground pepper to taste

3 cups shredded Cheddar/Monterrey Jack cheese

2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained

DIRECTIONS:

Combine chicken broth, salt, and grits in lightly greased slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Two hours before serving, sauté the peppers, onions, garlic and shrimp in the 2 Tablespoons of butter until tender.  Add this mixture to the grits in the slow cooker, along with the cheese, ground pepper to taste, and tomatoes with chilies.

Increase heat to high and cook for an additional two hours.