• Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and Tabasco. Set aside while preparing the grits and sauce.
  1 pound medium shrimp, Juice of a lemon, 6 dashes Tabasco sauce

For the cheese grits:

• Bring the water and salt to a boil in a smallish saucepan.
  2 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt
• Add the grits to the boiling water using a whisk. Using the whisk ensures that you don’t get lumps in your grits.
  ½ cup quick-cooking grits
• Now cover the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the grits according to the package directions.
• When the grits are done, stir in the butter, black pepper and garlic powder.
  2 tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, couple dashes garlic powder
• Next, add the grated cheddar and stir until well blended.
  4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• Hold the finished grits over a very low heat until needed.

Finish making the shrimp and sauce:

• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until brown but not yet crisp.
  4 slices bacon
• Add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  1 small onion, ¼ green bell pepper, 1 clove garlic
• Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
  3 tablespoons chopped scallions, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Stir in the stock or broth and salt. Cook for a minute or two until sauce is thickened.
  1 cup chicken broth or stock, ½ teaspoon salt
• Add the shrimp mixture to the sauce and cook until shrimp are opaque – no more than three minutes!
• To serve – ladle a generous amount of grits into a shallow bowl and top with shrimp and sauce.