Cooking web notes

Garlic Cheese Grits Casserole

I love grits however prepared and it is probably an acquired taste but, I loved grits dishes when I first had them living in Louisville and it even made a Southerner out of Bill when grits won him over.  It’s kind of funny also that after we were married and had lived in Louisville a while, he was the one with the strong southern accent, and I was the one who grew up there!  I always knew he was a gentleman, and then realized he was a southerner too at heart, truly a southern gentleman!  

The Grit Poem

 

   Here's an ode to the lowly grit.
   The more you eat the better they git.
   Ye can get 'em yellow, ye can get 'em white,
   makes no difference if you cook 'em right!

   Eat 'em at breakfast, lunch or dinner.
   Anytime ye eat 'em, they're a winner.
   Eat 'em with eggs and a little meat,
   Without grits no meals complete!

   Some folks like 'em kinda bland.
   Others say butter makes 'em grand.
   As for me, just bring 'em on.
   ain't no way to fix 'em wrong!

   There's a special place in my heart
   for the farmers who do their part.
   To them I owe many thank  ye's.
   'cause without grits, we'd all be Yankees!

   Now don't ya'll Yankees start a fuss.
   We're glad ya'll moved here with us.
   Pick up a spoon and put 'em in your mouth,
   you'll thank God you moved down South!

   The best advice I've ever given,
   if you ain't eatin' grits, then you ain't livin!
   then you'll  enter  at Heaven's gate,
   and you'll  find grits are on your plate!

   Let me make just one more rhyme.
   It'll soon be breakfast time.
   No matter where you go to eat,
   be sure you get that Heavenly treat.    GRITS !!!!!

 William D. Faulkner

 

There really is a huge difference between commercial milled grits and stone ground grits.  I had never eaten stone ground grits until we took a trip to Savannah, Georgia and there was no turning back.  It is remarkable that being stone ground can make such a big difference.   

Since stone ground grits are not available here in Cary, I order mine from Nora Mill Granary just as I do my stone ground corn meal.  Here is what the folks at Nora Mill say about grits:  “Mass-produced grits are steamed to loosen the tough outer shell before the grains are dried, and the hull, bran and germ are removed, leaving a product somewhat lacking in nutritive content – not to mention taste.  Nora Mill Stone Ground Grits are stone ground from dried, hulled, locally grown corn kernels and always include the nutritious and flavorful germ of the corn.  The germ is rich in niacin, iron and riboflavin.”  They made a believer of me as their grits are not only tasty; they have a great crunchy, gritty texture also!

If you have never eaten grits, you are in for a surprise and now is a great time to try the versatile dish.  Grits can be made spicy by adding jalapeno peppers or shrimp, bacon, scallops, crab, mushrooms, andouille or any other kind of sausage, whatever you like!  Here is a great delicious grits casserole recipe loaded with cheese and garlic, having a great creamy yet crunchy texture:

Garlic Cheese Grits Casserole

Ingredients:

4 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup stone ground grits

1 stick butter

1 tube Kraft Garlic cheese

2 eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon baking powder

Milk

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Bring water and salt to a boil. 

Slowly stir in grits and return to low boil.

Cook for 5-10 minutes until thickened.

Add garlic cheese and butter to hot grits and stir until melted and incorporated.

Pour 2 beaten eggs into measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup liquid.

Slowly stir the egg mixture into the grits.

Cook 2-3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish.

If desired, sprinkle top with ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese after 30 minutes of baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Note:  If you can not find a roll of Kraft Garlic Cheese, substitute 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese and 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder, depending on how much of a garlic taste you want.  Or, try 10 ounces herb and garlic cheese, such as Boursin.

Yummers!!!  Love those grits, y’all!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 6:52 AM and is filed under Casseroles, Cheddar, Cheese, Grits, Nora Mill, Side Dish, Stone ground grits. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.