Bacon Gouda Grit Fritters & Pepper Jelly Dipping Sauce

So last week I shared a recipe for grits & grillades.  Well, when I made that...I made a lot of extra grits.  Why? Because it was Potluck Time at work!  We try to do these quarterly (which, really, it's probably a good thing they're not more frequent otherwise we'd all have some serious health issues), and they're usually somewhat themed.  This one was "Spring Cleaning"--as in, what can you throw together from what's in your fridge/pantry that needs to be used up?

I'll admit...I chose this theme explicitly so I could make this recipe, because it requires cold grits as the base.  I've had this recipe in my Pinterest for-ev-er, so it's really a two-fer...I would need to make some OTHER recipe that involved grits, and then use the leftover grits to make these fritters, and then BAM--two blog posts.

Delicious, delicious gluttony. 

Also--the original recipe calls for pan-frying these.  But I did the first four as a test batch fried and burnt the crap out of my arms...plus they were trying to fall apart a little bit, so I figured the less I had to move them around, the better. I opted to oven-fry them instead (also easier since I prepped them the night before, but actually cooked them AT work right before the potluck so they'd be hot). And, you know, a little healthier too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda
• 1 diced green onion
• 6 slices low sodium bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 large eggs + 1/4 cup water
• 1.5 cup Panko crumbs
• 1.5 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• Misto olive oil spray
• ½ cup Red Pepper Jelly
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

Cook grits & broth according to package instructions.  Then add the cajun seasoning, gouda, green onion, and bacon and mix well.  Lightly grease a 8x8 pan and then pour the grit mixture in and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

When ready to prep your fritters, create a work station--in one bowl, combine the egg (beaten) and water, and the panko+breadcrumbs in a second bowl.  Then grab your grits and roll into small balls (I opted to create all my fritter-balls first, THEN batter them to streamline things).  

Roll each ball in the egg mixture and then toss in the breadcrumbs and place on a greased cookie sheet.  If you're not cooking right away, you can freeze these to help keep the breading crisp.

To oven-fry, preheat your oven to 425F, then spray the tops of the fritters with olive oil (this helps them to crisp up and brown).  Bake for 15 minutes, then flip, and bake for 15 more minutes.

While they're baking, you can make the dipping sauce.  In a small bowl, combine the pepper jelly, mustard, and vinegar, and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until smooth.

Serve the fritters while warm (seriously--they're no where near as good when cold or even room temp) with the pepper jelly sauce.  

Grits & Grillades (Chef John Folse Recipe)

I used to really enjoy working at Martin's on Sundays...and not just because my friend & I used to occasionally sneak mimosas (shhh....).  Sundays meant Sunday brunch, and we often got to taste test the daily specials.  One of my favorites was grits and grillades.  Now..that's saying something, because I generally do NOT like grits.  I'm a total texture person--I don't do tapioca, or cream of wheat, and grits are well...GRITTY!  But then the great people of southern Louisiana introduced me to CHEESY GRITS.  And BACON-Y GRITS.  Y'all.  You add cheese and bacon to things and I'm there.  

So...grits and grillades.  What exactly are grillades, you ask? It's essentially a meat stew, using thin medallions of beef, pork or veal, braised to be fork tender and falling apart.  The meat is stewed with the Holy Trinity (bell pepper, onions, celery) along with garlic, tomatoes and spices, which thickens up to a delicious "red gravy" as it's called south of I-10.  Nowadays, it's a common Sunday Brunch staple.

This recipe is adapted from Chef John Folse's version.  Originally, I wanted to do a slow cooker version (and probably will eventually), but due to lack of foresight, my round steaks were still frozen when I was prepping everything...so I did the Dutch oven version instead so that the steaks could thaw while I was at work. :)

INGREDIENTS: (Makes 4-6 servings)

• 2 medium-size round steaks (about 2 lbs)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1/4 cup bacon drippings
• 1 cup onions, finely diced
• 1 cup celery, finely diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, finely diced
• (1) 14 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup green onions, finely diced
• 1/4 cup garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley
• More Cajun seasoning, to taste
• 2 tbsp cornstarch slurry (optional)
• 2-3 cups cooked grits (traditional or quick, your choice)
• 1 cup smoked gouda, grated

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the round steaks into 3 inch medallions.  In a quart sized bag, combine the flour and Cajun seasoning, then add the steak and shake to coat.

In a dutch oven, heat the bacon grease over medium heat and saute the medallions until browned on both sides.  Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, tomatoes, green onions and garlic.  Cook for 5-7 minutes, then add the beef broth.  Bring to a low boil, then drop the temp to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, uncover the pot, add the mushrooms and parsley and cook for 10 additional minutes.  If you like yours a little thicker, add the cornstarch slurry during this time.

Meanwhile, you should be cooking your grits.  Once at the thickness you like (NOTE: I like my grits a bit thicker...and yet, I can NEVER seem to get them to thicken up the way I want.  I am forever cursed to make runny grits.  Thankfully, adding cheese can be very forgiving), add the gouda and mix until melted.  

Serve the grillades over the grits and devour.  For the record, this dish is generally better the first night.  We had a lot of leftovers, and while they TASTE great, the textures get a little weird once refrigerated.  Just FYI. 

Smoky Shrimp & Grits

As expected, holidays around here were hectic. I’m sure you can empathize!  But I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and filled your bellies with delicious, warm, comfy foods, and perhaps got a few nice gifts!  I hope your children & extended family didn’t completely destroy your home, and that you had a few moments to rest & put your feet up.
Today’s recipe is perfect for a cold, snowy day when you need something creamy, cheesy & satisfying.  Plus, if you use instant grits, it takes less than 30 minutes to make.  Perfect for after work when you need to throw something together on the fly that still feels gourmet—plus it’s under 300 calories per serving!
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup instant grits
• 1 cup smoked gouda, shredded
• 4 slices bacon, 1/2” diced
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup sweet corn
• 2 green onions, sliced
• smoked salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
First, cook your grits according to the package.  If you’re morally opposed to instant grits, you can make regular, I was just saving some time.  Once the grits are fully cooked, stir in the cheese.
Next, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy (6-8 minutes).  Pull the pieces out & let drain on a paper towel.  Then add the shrimp, tomatoes, corn, Cajun seasoning & smoked salt to the skillet & cook until the shrimp are done (3-5 minutes).  Stir in the green onions at the last minute, then serve over grits.
NutriFacts:
 Calories 281.8
  Total Fat 5.1 g
  Saturated Fat 2.9 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
  Cholesterol 228.5 mg
  Sodium 769.3 mg
  Potassium 366.1 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 27.4 g
  Dietary Fiber 2.1 g
  Sugars 1.8 g
  Protein 29.7 g

Bacon & Gouda Waffles

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I started using a FitBit in January to start helping me to be more accountable for my health.  And so far, it’s my little miracle machine, and I’ve lost 15 lbs so far this year!. I wear it everywhere and check it throughout the day, making sure I’m hitting my goals for steps, miles, calories burned, etc.  I’ve also been *pretty* good about logging my calories, and the Food Journal shows you the ratio of Fat to Carbs to Protein in your summary:

So this breakdown lead me to wonder:  What’s the ideal ratio for each of these categories?  My research all seemed to point towards the 40/30/30 ratio: 40% Carbs, 30% fat, & 30% protein.  But I’m a carb-fiend, so I’ve been finding it difficult to hit that mark each day. I almost ALWAYS end up high on the carb side. 
Then I thought—if I can find recipes or meal ideas that focus on this 40/30/30 ratio, then it should be a lot easier to hit that target.  I spent a few minutes searching for “40/30/30” on Pinterest (NOTE: this is NOT a helpful search—the search function pulls these numbers individually, so you get results like “40 recipes that cook in under 30 minutes!” and “Bake the 40 shrimp at 350F for 30 minutes”), then went over to Google.  Where I learned that the “40/30/30” ratio is also referred to as The Zone Diet (just goes to show how out of the dieting loop I am).  And fortunately, the Zone Diet people are nice enough to have a full database of recipes on their website—for free!
I pinned a few recipes that sounded tasty, including one for “Bed & Breakfast Waffles” that included Chicken Sausage in the ingredient list.  I thought, “ooh, savory waffles!  That sounds fun!”  I talked up these savory waffles to the Hubs & he was on board.  But then…I actually read the directions, and it just said to make the sausage & serve it on the side.  BORING.
So…I took the base for the waffle batter, and then decided to add some bacon into the waffles (since we didn’t actually HAVE any sausage to try to integrate into it)…and then…I saw the block of smoked gouda. 

INGREDIENTS: (makes two servings)
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 large eggs
1.5 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp agave syrup
2 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 cup shredded gouda
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all of the wet ingredients and blend until smooth(ish).  Then add in the dry ingredients, and finally the bacon & gouda & mix well.
Heat your waffle iron & spray both plates with olive oil.  Then spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into the waffle iron and cook until crisp & golden (on my Cuisinart iron, I use the “4” or “5” setting).
Serve topped with fresh fruit & drizzle with real maple syrup.  These things were SERIOUSLY good, guys.  The salt & savory-ness from the bacon & cheese balanced perfectly with the syrup & slightly sweet cake.  And the use of eggs & cottage cheese in the batter helps boost the protein level in this normally carb-rich dish.

NUTRIFACTS:
Calories: 335
Fat: 18g
Fiber: 2.6g
Carbs: 21g
Sodium: 400mg
Protein: 20.2g