Shrimp Cheese Grits Casserole

This post was from awhile ago…but making for Christmas gang also!  I am exhausted! I had 30 wonderful kids with me all weekend as we all went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  My daughter, Haley, invited 30 of her friends from Wash U in St. Louis to come experience Mardi Gras for the first time.  Many had never even been to the South so of course I had to have lots of food!! We had 5 king cakes and I cooked our classic Louisiana dishes that feed a crowd. I made Shrimp and Cheese Grits from Freezer Friendly Meals, ahead of time and froze so I didn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen when everyone got there.  I also had to make our favorite appetizers kids love to dig into – Hamburger Dip and Super Salsa…both with only a few ingredients and so easy. Of course they were gobbled up! It was a whirl-wind weekend full of fun but good to be back in my routine too!

Shrimp and Cheese Grits for a House Full

I always have so much fun filming my segment, ‘Holly’s Kitchen’ on “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture.” Louisiana has amazing fresh ingredients such as beef, rice, crawfish, and of course sweet potatoes! For March I showed how to make Steak Tacos with Cucumber Avocado Salsa with delicious Louisiana beef. Also, from my new cookbook out this fall, I made the incredible Berry Good Oatmeal Cookie Cake, so you will get a sneak peak of a great new recipe! Check out when the show airs on your local station or watch it online at TWILAtv.org.

Holly’s Kitchen on “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture”

Let your kids help out in the kitchen and you may just find out you have a little chef on your hands! Ease them into learning about food, nutrition, and cooking and this recipe is the perfect start. All it takes is opening up a few jars of pre-made salsa, adding avocado and you have a fun, effortless dish that kids love creating and eating! Did you know that 1/2 cup salsa = 1 serving of vegetables?

Super Silly Salsa from Holly’s KIDS COOKING for Mommies

Serves 24 (2 Tablespoons)

2 cups salsa
1 (11-ounce) can Mexican-style corn, drained
1 avocado, diced
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.

Terrific Tidbit: Use your favorite salsa or whatever you have in the pantry.  For a treat, pick up fresh salsa in the refrigerated section of supermarket for a flavor bonus. Have fun by using red pepper squares or cucumber rounds as chips to dip.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 30, Protein (g) 1, Total Carbohydrate (g) 5, Fat (g) 1, Calories from Fat (%) 11, Saturated Fat (g) 0, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Sugars (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 0, Sodium (mg) 149

Super Silly Salsa