Call me Mrs. Bobby Flay!

You will want to make these sweet potato grits at least a couple of hours before you want to eat. The grits will chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before you fry them.

Sweet Potato Grits

• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked regular grits
• 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring milk and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened.

Stir potatoes and next 4 ingredients into grits.

*kitchen hack* Pour this mixture into a muffin tin that is sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least a couple of hours.

Grit Cakes

You will need:

• Flour, for dredging
• 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large preferably nonstick skillet, heat enough oil to coat bottom of pan over medium-high heat. Dredge both sides of cakes in flour and pan-fry about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Drain on paper towels and keep warm before serving.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

• 1 pound extra-large (16 to 20 per pound) shrimp, shelled and deveined, tail-on
• Barbecue sauce
• 10-inch skewers, soaked 30 minutes

Heat the grill to high. Thread the shrimp onto skewers, about 4 or 5 shrimp per skewer, threading so that the skewers goes through the tail and thick end of each shrimp. Brush the shrimp with some of the barbecue sauce and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly golden brown on both sides and opaque, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side.

I plated these by placing 2 grit cakes on a plate topped with 3-4 shrimp, diced tomatoes and cilantro.