Kiss My Grits!

Finally, a food experiment that turned out edible. More than edible, I'm even having this for breakfast today.
I went to college in the south where grits are served breakfast, lunch, dinner and sometimes desert. I learned that their flavor changes depending on what they are paired with, everything from savory to sweet.
Currently living in the Midwest, I missed them. Most people here have never even heard of grits, let alone tried them. I'm thinking of starting an Eat Your Grits Campaign to enlighten this part of the country.
Enough of my babble:

Bacon, Shrimp and Cheddar Grits

1 pkg pre-cooked Trader Joe's grits (or whatever grits you can find, just follow the package directions)
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1.5 cups frozen salad shrimp, thawed and dried well with paper towels
1.5 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, reserve 1/2 cup
1/2 cup fat free 1/2 & 1/2
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.
In a skillet, brown the bacon and onion and drain on paper towells.
In a sauce pan, heat the grits and 1/2 & 1/2. Add in a cup of the cheese in small handfuls, stirring until melted. Turn off the heat and add in the bacon, onion and shrimp. Add salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray and dump the whole pot of lovely goodness in. Sprinkle the top with the reserved cheese and place in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is bubbly, about 20 minutes.

I served this last night with grilled pork chops, steamed broccoli and corn. I could have skipped the chops since the grits had plenty of protein and are REALLY filling, but I wasn't sure if my boys would like them, but they did. Who couldn't love bacon, shrimp and cheese anything?

Next time I may just add in some veggies and make it into a complete meal casserole.