And yes I know, most of us over the age of 50 who grew up in Western Washington, did not grow up eating grits. Maybe you had grits if you were a kid growing up in the South, but this gal growing up in Kenmore, Washington, who hated hot grain cereals to begin with, was never offered the choice. Cream of Wheat, oatmeal, Malt-0-Meal, Maypo, and Roman Meal – possibly. I can’t really remember what we had around because as a kid I hated all of them. And still do. Well, almost all. I love grits loaded with lots of cheese, butter, and heavy cream. I willingly and enthusiastically will eat grits as part of any breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (BTW – I love polenta too.)  

But grits never entered my culinary realm until we were visiting daughter Eden several years ago, and she served us White Cheddar Cheese Grits (recipe on site) for breakfast one morning. OMG. I was hooked from that very day.

And what an easy side dish to prepare. The only reason I don’t fix grits more often, is because of the fat content. But once in a while, when I can’t help myself, I succumb to my craving and throw a batch together.

And last evening was one of those times. And as much as I love cheddar cheese grits, I wanted to change things up a bit. So I went on line and did some research. And I learned a few things. First of all, never use instant or quick-cooking grits. Stick to stone ground unbleached white or yellow grits. And use the KISS (Keep It Simple Sister) principle. Do a pre-boil of the grits using only water, and in this case a bay leaf. Don’t add salt and don’t use milk or cream for the pre-boil. Cream can easily burn and salt inhibits the dried grits from hydrating properly. Salt, other flavorful additives, butter, cream or milk can all be added later. And don’t over-cook the grits. They are perfect when they are al dente.

So with all that said, give this recipe a try. Grits are truly an effortless side dish to fix. And so, so delicious. And perfect as an accompaniment to simple meat entrees. Or as a base for a variety of different dishes.

As always, keep experimenting in the kitchen. Keep thrilling your family with new and delightful offerings. And most importantly, keep resisting the urge to let down your guard when it comes to covid-19. The bug is still out there, and it’s still going strong. Peace and love to all.  

3 c. water

¾ c. stone ground corn grits – not instant or quick-cooking grits (I use Old School Brand Stone Ground White, Unbleached Grits) (Thanks Jim for turning me on to this wonderful product & for fixing grits for us the other evening. You are a kitchen KING!)

1 bay leaf

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2/3 c. grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese (I used a combination)

¼ c. heavy cream

Whisk the water and grits together in a heavy lidded pot. Add the bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, remove pot from heat, cover, and set aside until about 20 minutes before you plan to serve. (I did this step about 2 hours before I served dinner. I just let the pot sit on the stove until I was ready for it.)  

Uncover the pot, and whisk in the salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Return the grits to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and cook for 10-20 minutes, whisking regularly to prevent clumping and the grits sticking to the bottom of the pan. The grits are ready when most of the water is absorbed and the grits are al dente (tender with a toothsome bite).

Remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream. Adjust seasoning. Serve immediately or if necessary, cover until ready to serve.