Big Pimpin'...

Trying not to spend G's.
In an effort to cut back on the insane amount of money I've been spending by going out to lunch all of the time, I've started trying to take my lunch to work. On days when there are good leftovers in the fridge, this is easy and typically delicious. The problem that I run into the most is during weeks when I don't have much time to cook. The very thought of a pb&j is enough to make me cringe (elementary school rears its ugly head), so I have to get creative, or starve.
I had planned on cooking dinner last night, thereby providing myself with a few meals worth of leftovers, when a friend who's about to go out on tour reminded me that we had dinner plans to get Indian food. A good friend about to leave town for a month+ethnic food=I'm there.
I had enough time to boil some eggs and make a quick egg salad that will hopefully last for about two lunches. That is, if I don't it it straight from the fridge tonight. No promises.

Egg and Olive Salad

4 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayo
15 kalamata olives
1 Tbsp juice from olives

Roughly chop the eggs and the olives and throw them into a bowl. Add the mayo and the olive juice and stir to combine.
I know. It's pretty much the easiest recipe ever, and it has no seasoning. The olives and olive juice add crazy good flavor though, and for whatever reason, this really made my mouth happy.

Shrimp and Grits

I thought about titling this post "The South will rise again, and flood the nation with heavy cream" but decided to go for a more simple, and less confusing, name.
These were unbelievably good. Seriously. I licked my plate. As did everyone else who ate them. Sweet sister Rainer and I found the base recipe online, and then of course I had to mix it all up. The result was a winner, for sure.

Shrimp and Grits

- 4 servings cooked grits (add 1/4 cup Velveeta and 3 Tbsp. cream from dish)
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups pre-cooked cubed ham (add to that 1/2 Tbsp. Tony's seasoning)
- 1 cup diced leeks
- 3 Tbsp. diced onions
- 4 Tbsp. diced green peppers
- 20-30 large shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
- 5 Tbsp. white wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Cook grits according to directions; add velveeta and set aside and keep warm. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ham and seasoning and saute until crisp. Add diced vegetables and saute until onions are translucent. Add shrimp and saute for 30-45 seconds or until pink. Remove from the pan and set aside. Turn heat up slightly and wait for the pan to start smoking slightly. Deglaze the pan with a white wine. Slowly add the cream and let reduce until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take 3 Tbsp of the cream sauce and stir it into the prepared grits. Pour shrimp mixture back into large pot and stir to combine. To serve place grits on plate and spoon shrimp mixture over it. The sauce will soak through the grits and pool on the plate. Inhale.
Now go run a mile. I didn't, but it would probably be a good idea.