Garlic and Cheese Grits

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

13 Jul 2008 02:12 PM

Of all the Southern food I've learned to cook over my last twelve years of marriage, grits remains high on my 'disdained' list. Why not eat oatmeal? But my husband insists it's simply not the same. Frankly, I continue to remain unconvinced although I have to say that this particular recipe has made me think twice.

Grits, or better yet, hominy grits is a southern dish made from corn. Hominy is the dried kernel of a corn, after the hull and germ have been taken away. It dates back to Native Americans and as I understand it, was one of the first foods that the settlers got from the Native Americans. I, being a Westerner, didn't realize that grits aren't just for breakfast but are also frequently served as a side dish at other meals.

To make these grits you will need:

4 ½ cups of water

1 cup grits (any kind as long as they are not instant)

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp safflower oil

2 medium cloves of garlic, minced

½ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (The sharper the cheese, the better the flavor!)

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Note: Not the grated parmesan you can buy in a can that's in actuality 'powdered'. Get a real block of Parmesan cheese from the store and grate it by hand.)

A pinch of cayenne pepper just to give it a little kick.

Directions for the grits:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring water, grits and salt to a boil in a large sauce pan stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer until the grits are thick. (Follow your package directions on this.)

While the grits are simmering, combine the oil and garlic and sautee the garlic until it is fragrant. . .but not brown. (This happens pretty quickly.)

Stir the oil and garlic into the grits along with the cheese and cayenne pepper. Transfer the hole thing to a 8 inch baking dish.

Bake the grits until they are bubbly and have a golden brown crust.

Are you subscribed to the Families.com Food Blog? With the click of a button, you can receive an email notification anytime a new blog is posted in the Families.com Food Blog! Just look to the right of this blog and find the subscription center (it looks just like this picture). Click on "Subscribe via Email". You'll be instantly subscribed and the email address that you registered at Families.com with will receive an instant notification whenever we post a new Food Blog! Don't miss a thing - subscribe now!

Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, and also writes about politics and the occassional movie review. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.

Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger

Lauri Griffin (2703) 13 Jul 2008 05:15 PM

I love cheese grits, but then again, I grew up in Georgia!