by Sandie on February 8, 2010
Fact: I love me some Paula Deen. As the reigning queen of southern cooking, I’ve turned to her recipes time and again when craving down-home, southern fare. But rarely would I imagine pitting a recipe against hers, that is, until now.

Armed with the following recipe from Rodney Williams of the Strawberry Creek Inn B&B, the gauntlet has been thrown. Move over Ms. Paula, it’s time for Shrimp & Grits, B&B style!
An enticing combination of stone-ground grits, Applewood smoked bacon and shrimp coated with coconut milk, cayenne pepper, thyme and a dash of lime, this dish brings a touch of class to any meal. A solid competitor against other Shrimp and Grits recipes such as Paula Deen’s Shrimp and Grits or Bobby’s Lighter Shrimp and Grits, I invite you to try them all and put this one to the test. I think you’ll agree: this recipe holds its own.

Not a fan of grits? Prepare the shrimp according to recipe instructions and serve atop a bed of rice or pasta. Either way, it’s a bit of heaven on a fork. Enjoy!
Strawberry Creek Inn’s Shrimp and Grits
(featured on Inn Cuisine, recipe courtesy Strawberry Creek Inn B&B)
for the grits
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup mushroom stock (in a pinch, may substitute vegetable stock)
- 1 cup stone-ground grits (or any non quick-cooking grits)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or to taste)
- dash of heavy cream (or as needed)
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more, after grits are prepared, if desired)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (plus more, after grits are prepared, if desired)
for the shrimp
- 1 pound shrimp—peeled, de-veined and butterflied (tails on or off according to your preference)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like heat)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 6 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped into bite-size pieces (reserve cooked bacon to be used as a topping; bacon grease will be used to cook the shrimp)
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (1/2 cup used to cook shrimp, plus 1/2 cup reserved for toppings)
suggested toppings
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1 & 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
- chopped bacon (reserved from shrimp prep)
putting it all together
Combine milk and mushroom stock in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper, then pour in grits slowly, whisking continuously, bringing back up to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes; continue stirring/whisking about every 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat; stir in butter and a dash of heavy cream. Taste, then add more butter, heavy cream, or salt/pepper if desired. Cover and set aside.
Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Toss shrimp in cayenne, then pour coconut milk over shrimp and toss to combine. Set aside.
Place chopped bacon in a cold skillet and turn heat to low; stir often, cooking until browned. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, allowing grease to drain back into skillet; drain cooked bacon on paper towels. Increase heat under skillet to medium, add shrimp to bacon grease one at a time, shaking off excess coconut milk before adding to pan. Cook shrimp on each side until pink; pour lime juice over shrimp (being careful of splattering), then add scallions and thyme. Saute for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Spoon grits into serving bowl(s), add shrimp and any desired toppings, and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
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by Sandie on February 2, 2010
All the flavor of homemade cinnamon rolls packaged in pancake form---ingenious!
How often does a recipe sweep you off your feet with its ingenuity and comforting taste? And how come I didn’t think of creating Cinnamon Roll Griddlecakes? Genius I tell you, sheer genius!
Cinnamon Roll Griddlecakes are the brainchild of the Americus Garden Inn B&B located in Americus, Georgia. Securing them a semi-finalist position in the 2008 contest “Pancakes with Personality,” I find it hard to believe this recipe didn’t take 1st place.
Not nearly as sweet as you might imagine, the following recipe for Cinnamon Roll Griddlecakes gets everything right, in exactly the right proportions. From the hearty texture and sublime, cinnamon-roll flavor of the pancakes…to the soothing, homespun flavor of the apple-walnut topping…to just the right amount of sweetness in the homemade icing—it’s like getting a hug with every bite.
Enjoy!
The Americus Garden Inn B&B was chosen, for the 4th consecutive year, as a Top 10 B&B and inn in the U.S. and, for the first time, as a Top 10 B&B and inn in the world by Tripadvisor® in its 2010 Travelers’ Choice® Awards. Visit The Americus Garden Inn B&B Blog for more information.
Cinnamon Roll Griddlecakes, what memorable mornings are made of.
Cinnamon Roll Griddlecakes
(featured on Inn Cuisine, recipe adapted from the Americus Garden Inn B&B, Americus, Georgia)
Note – While the following list of ingredients and directions may seem a bit long, I assure you this recipe is quick & simple to make, with ingredients most cook’s already have on hand.
for the griddlecakes
dry ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (may substitute whole wheat flour)
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
wet ingredients
- 1 extra-large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (may substitute milk) *see note in recipe
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup (I suggest Karo Lite)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
for the apple-walnut topping
- 1 large apple (your favorite) peeled, cored and diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
for the homemade icing
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 & 1/2 to 4 & 1/2 teaspoons milk (start with less, may need a little more to obtain desired consistency)
In a large bowl, combine all 6 dry ingredients for griddlecakes, tossing to combine. In another, smaller bowl, combine all 5 wet ingredients, whisking to combine. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. *Note: if using buttermilk, batter may appear a bit thick—add plain milk by the single tablespoons to thin out as necessary. If using milk in place of buttermilk—batter may appear thin—it will thicken as it rests. Allow batter to rest for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients—batter will thicken as it rests.
Working with the apple-walnut topping ingredients, melt butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan; stir in brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Stir in apples, cover and cook over low to medium-low heat for 10 minutes (or until tender), stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in walnuts. Cover and set aside.
To make the homemade icing, combine all 3 ingredients in a bowl. Add more milk (or more confectioner’s sugar) as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Cook pancakes (dropping by the 1/4 cup or slightly less) onto hot, non-stick griddle or non-stick skillet that has been preheated over medium heat. Flip when bubbles appear on top and bottom is lightly golden. Cook second side until lightly golden. To serve, top with apple-walnut topping and drizzle with homemade icing.
Yield: approximately 8 pancakes
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by Sandie on January 30, 2010
As Inn Cuisine’s 2 year anniversary approaches, I find myself reflecting on how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown as a blogger, both in my vision of what I want Inn Cuisine to become and my abilities to get it there. But I haven’t done it alone. Because I believe in giving credit where credit is due, I want to acknowledge some of the resources that have helped me the most during these first two years of food blogging.
In this post, I’m focusing on digital food photography & food styling—creative endeavors I’ve come to enjoy more than I ever imagined. Growing from a mom who loves to cook and take too many photos of her kids (as well as the occasional sunrise, ice-covered tree or vacation), I’ve worked diligently to overcome taking miserable food photos like this:
Inncredible Egg Casserole from the Inn Cuisine archives. Sad isn't it? Such a great-tasting recipe, but so ill-represented by my (then) lack of food photography & styling skills. Hard to believe my readers stuck with me!
To becoming a food photographer who takes mouthwatering photos like this:
After 18 months of learning, experimentation and practice, I started photographing & styling food that way I had always envisioned.
Finally...a photo of pancakes that makes you want to dive right in! The only thing more delectable than eating these Sweet Potato Pancakes was the feeling of success I experienced when viewing this shot.
How did I make that leap? By learning everything I could about my Nikon digital SLR and Nikkor lenses and studying the key resources that I’m sharing with you today.
Instead of rewriting the ton of great information that’s already out there, I’m sharing my favorite food photography & styling resources, all widely available to anyone with the tenacity and finger strength to keep Googling. To save you valuable time, I’ve compiled the best tips & tricks I’ve found into one, easy-to-search list. If you’re looking to ramp up your food photography skills, I hope you find these resources as helpful and informative as I still do!
Up next…more invaluable resources for food bloggers.
20 Invaluable Resources to Help Polish Your Food Photography & Styling Skills
- Food Styling & Photography – Still Life With
- Food Styling and Photography at BlogHer – La Tartine Gourmande
- Thoughts (and some advice) on Photography – Lucullian Delights
- Photography Tips – White on Rice Couple
- Food Photography – Wrightfood
- Food Photography for Bloggers – Vegan Yum Yum
- Tips on Food Photography – My Cooking Hut
- Our Approach to Food Photos – Smitten Kitchen
- Food Photography Tips – 101 Cookbooks
- Lighting Tips – Digital Food Photos
- Lowel EGO Lights for Food Photography – Steamy Kitchen
- Photoshop Tutorials – Food Bloggers Unite!
- Shoot First, Eat Later – Food & Wine
- A Few Food Photography Tips – Raw – Boston.com
- Food Photography Techniques and Tips – Digital Photography School
- Tasteful Food Photography – O’Reilly Digital Media
- Digital Photography Tutorials – Cambridge In Colour
- Professional Tips for Better Food Photography – Ask the Photographer
- Food Photography – Silverace
- 10 Ways to Know You Made a Good Picture – Photo Focus
Want to sharpen your food photography & styling skills even further? Here are 2 tantalizing titles for all you food blogging bookworms:
Any tips or resources you’d like to share? Please feel free to add them in the comment section of this post!