Weekly Recipes 15; I love September!

{Grit Cakes w/ shrimp}

It's my second favorite month. School starts, the weather is amazing. I love what we've always called "Indian Summer"; warm weather with a September breeze.

I'm in my second week of school and it's been a very smooth transition. Groovy Girl is settling into her freshman year; top dog in her junior high. She's already busy with football cheer and soon dance will begin. Then we'll be a whirlwind of crazy.

{G.G. 2nd from the L.}

Today there was a little football activity happening at our kitchen table with my two favorite men. Husband and son were busy drafting their fantasy football teams and I loved listening to them banter back and forth together and with the other online football friends.  Knowing this annual event was taking place and that the 21-year-old headed to our house to draft with his dad like old times I offered to make them brunch. I know, my gifts abound...

At Early Girl in Asheville this summer my husband ordered grit cakes; it was like biscuits and gravy but with cakes made from grits. I took that as my inspiration for today's menu. I googled, looking at a variety of different recipes, and settled on one from Epicurious. It was Shrimp and Grit Cakes though and my handsome husband is allergic to shellfish.  I did have a lovely piece of good farm-raised steak from a local meat locker so I transformed the recipe just a bit.  The grit cakes were so very easy to make and delicious! I need to host a brunch for friends just so I can make this again.

I sliced the steak into bite-sized pieces and created the same sauce the recipe calls for except I didn't add the flour.  I also had three ears of sweet corn calling my name from the vegetable drawer and I cut the kernels from the cob and added that and it blended like it belonged.  On a small plate I plated two grit cakes with the steak, juices, and corn/pepper mix on top and a handful of blue chips tucked on the side. A little Parmesan over the top and it was ready to be eaten! As usual I failed to take a photo before they dug in. The plates looked award-winning and the they were licked clean so I guess I did good.

The recipe made enough that I have leftovers that we can eat for breakfast tomorrow. Tonight I will be whisked away for an anniversary dinner out on the town. Dressing up + no dishes to do = win/win

I'm working on finishing Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam. I have about 6 short fiction books to read for Iowa Children's Choice that I need to finish before my final ratings.

Have a great l-o-n-g weekend.