Paula Deen would be proud.

Tonight was an attempt to recreate (and put a little spin on) a meal from Salt Air, a farm-to-table restaurant here in Rehoboth Beach. A group of us ate there back in the fall when Sundays were $19 three-course meals. WHAT?! Yes. At that point in my life, I was pretty sure it was the best meal I'd ever had. Seriously, if any of you ever visit me, we're eating there.


But, in my ever humble opinion, tonight's meal easily bested the restaurant-quality meal. This is a meal you might only make once every couple of months because it very rich, but soooo worth it.


The Meal: Shrimp and cheesy grits with sauteed arugula 

We bought one pound of fresh gulf tiger shrimp. If you don't want to splurge on fresh seafood, frozen is okay. But fresh is always better.


The Ingredients: One pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
                                1/2 tsp. paprika
                                1/2 tsp. chili powder
                                Dash cayenne
                                Pinch of kosher salt
                                1 tbsp. olive oil
                                Dash crushed red pepper flakes


                                3 cups water
                                3/4 cups grits
                                4 tbsp. butter
                                1/2 tsp. salt
                                1/4 tsp. black pepper
                                1/2 tbsp. garlic
                                1/2 cup heavy cream
                                1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese


                                4 oz. arugula
                                1 tbsp. olive oil
                                1/4 tsp. salt
                                1/4 tsp. pepper
                                Splash lemon juice


The Shrimp: Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Toss with shrimp to coat. Set aside until grits are nearly done cooking. When ready to cook, pre-heat pan with olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes. Sautee about 2-3 minutes on each side.

The Grits: Bring water to a boil in small saucepan. Add grits, reduce heat to low and cook covered for about 8-10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, butter and garlic. Cook an additional 5 minutes on low. Add heavy cream, allowing grits to thicken for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

The Arugula: Preheat small saute pan with olive oil. Add arugula, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Cook until wilted and tender, about 2-3 minutes.

VOILA!

The Dessert: Ina Garten's Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Since we were adventurous with dinner, we just looked up a simple recipe for dessert. That Ina Garten...she annoys the hell out of me, but damn it, if her food isn't fantastic! Served with lemon curd and fresh whipped cream.

I promise my food photography skills will get better. I just got a schmancy new camera and haven't quite figured out all the bells and whistles yet!

Post-Dinner: (500) Days of Summer. The ultimate hipster movie. I, for one, never understood the negative connotation that hipster has come to acquire. It's a darling and heart-wrenching movie. And there is nothing but one word to describe Zooey Deschanel in this movie: Bitch.