Commonly known as Southern-style comfort food, grits make an excellent side dish to accompany pulled pork, fried chicken or breaded cod fish. Adding cheddar cheese can turn a plain bowl of grits into an epicurean delight. Make your next dinner party a cinch by making these cheese grits ahead several days to give yourself time to make the rest of the meal. Whenever you make them, your guests will surely enjoy the smoothness of properly cooked grits combined with the sharpness of cheddar.
Melt in a large saucepan 1/4 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat.
Finely chop 1/2 cup of white onion with a sharp knife and cutting board. Place the onion in the saucepan with the butter and cook until the onions are translucent.
Finely mince 1 clove of garlic and add into the pan stirring for about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 5 cups of water.
Mix 1 cup of grits and 1 tsp. of salt into the saucepan and stir until combined. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until it has a thin porridge-like texture.
Add 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar into the grits and mix until thoroughly combined.
Whisk together a 1/2 cup of milk, 2 eggs and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper in a mixing bowl.
Pour the milk mixture into the grit mixture slowly while stirring the grits constantly.
Grease a 13 by 9 inch pan with butter. Pour the mixture into the pan and cover with plastic wrap.
Store the pan in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Remove the plastic wrap, and place in an oven heated to 350 degrees. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the center of the grits casserole is set.
Tip
Add other sharp cheese such as Parmesan or Gruyère cheese for a twist on flavor.
Add a couple of teaspoons of hot sauce to make the grits spicy.
Warning
Minced garlic burns easily. Keep an eye on it when cooking it in the saucepan.
References
- "The Joy of Cooking"; Irma S. Rombauer, et al.; 2006
Writer Bio
Alyssa Ideboen has been writing professionally since 2005. She has contributed to several print and online publications, including "Lexington Woman" and "Global Business" magazines. Ideboen holds a Bachelor of Arts in business management and communication from Judson University.