Shrimp, Chicken, Spinach, Peas and Sautéed Garlic Served on White Pepper Grits

WOW, you just died and went to comfort food heaven, you just didn't know this was the ticket to get there. I telling you, this is so much better than it looks.

Seriously though, if you've been to New Orleans then you may have noticed that grits are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it's all fantastic. For me, I like this combination of shrimp, chicken, spinach, peas and sautéed garlic served over grits. The key to this dish is to get the right consistency to the grits, not too thick, not too runny, right in the middle.

Ingredients: Shrimp

1lb medium large shrimp

1 grilled chicken breast

4 - 5 sliced garlic

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup cooked spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil

Ingredients: Grits

1/2 cup uncooked grits

1 cup water
1 cup 1% milk

1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preparation: Chicken and Shrimp

For this dish I used cooked grilled chicken and cooked shrimp because that is what I had on hand, however you can quickly sauté up some chicken and shrimp for this dish.

Heat a 12" sauté pan to medium and add a little olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and sauté for a few minutes making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the cooked spinach and frozen peas and cook until the spinach is wilted and the peas are hot. Lastly, add the cooked chicken and shrimp and toss until hot. Be sure to check for proper seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation: Grits

Make the grits according to the package which is 1 cup water, 1 cup milk and some salt to taste. When cooked add 1 tablespoon butter and the white pepper.

To plate, place a generous amount of grits on a plate and top chicken, shrimp, spinach and peas. Finish the dish by drizzling a little olive oil over the top of the dish and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.