BAKED CHEESE GRITS

I love grits!  I’ve been eating them now for 51 years.  I can’t find them here in Canada so I have to rely on the kindness of family to send them to me or I have to bring them home from visits to Georgia in my suitcase.  I know it’s time to visit Georgia when my grits storehouse is running low.    I think the best recipe for Baked Cheese Grits can be found right on the back of the Aunt Jemima Quick Grits box, but following is my recipe for “fancy cheese grits” when company comes over.

4 and 1/3 cups water

½ t. salt

1 and ¼ cups quick cooking grits, uncooked

¼ cup butter

1 and  ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)

½ t. black pepper

3 eggs, beaten

1 and ¼ cups shredded swiss cheese

Instructions:

*Bring water and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan.

*Gradually stir in grits; return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until done.

*Stir in butter, 1 and ½ cups cheddar cheese and pepper.

*Set mixture aside and let cool for 15 minutes.

*Stir in beaten eggs. Temper the eggs by adding a large spoonful of warm grits to the beaten eggs and then adding the entire egg mixture to the hot grits.  This brings the temperature of the eggs closer to that of the hot grits.  Otherwise adding the cold eggs to the hot grits will cause the eggs to scramble as they enter the mixture.

*Pour half of the grits into 9x11 pyrex baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM

*Sprinkle swiss cheese over the top of the grits.

*Pour remaining half of grits over the swiss cheese

*Sprinkle  ½ cup of cheddar cheese (for topping) over the top surface of grits.

*Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until set.

*Cover top of grits with aluminum foil during the cooking process if top becomes too brown.