Cheese Grits

[nipper]

Been having a hankering for some cheese grits. I grew up in the Midwest, so never had these. I was first exposed to these at the National Advocacy Center ( I am a Justice Department lawyer) in Columbia, South Carolina. I loved them, especially at breakfast. Then, I saw them on a recent thread along with the blue fish and spanish mackerel. Any of you have a good recipe for your favorite cheese grits?

[THEFERMANATOR]

I personally use any brand of GRITS, but I will only use a good cheese. NO VELVETA CRAP!!!! I personally like to use COLBY CHEDDAR, or a MEDIUM CHEDDER for making them. How much cheese is up to your taste. I LOVE cheese grits like no tommorrow(and it was my feeshin post you saw them in), but I CAN"T STAND VELVETA IN THEM!!! Cheese grits are easy, just use good cheese. You can even add the cheese to your taste in a bowl in case not everyone eating them likes cheese.

[nipper]

Thanks, Ferm. So do grits come in instant style and "slow cook" kind of like rice? If so, which do you recommend. Do you put in any seasonings other than the cheese?

[THEFERMANATOR]

They come in both instant and regular. I personally prefer the regular because the instant like to clump up real easily when you cook them. I only use salt and pepper in mine. No sense in covering up the cheesey goodness.

[bradford]

If I dont have cheese in my grits I have plenty of butter, salt and pepper and sometimes bacon. I like mine thick and lumpy!

[THEFERMANATOR]

I like mine thick and lumpy!
Are we talking about grits still?:D

[reelapeelin]

I like Quaker Quick Grits for mine...(not crazy 'bout instant, but better than nothin')...anyway, get 'em cookin' good and add salt to taste, then 1 slice Kraft American Cheese per serving and 1 tblspn butter per serving while still in the cook-pot, but add and stir in just B4 serving...I like the American cheese cause it's a subtle cheese flavor...but if stronger flavor is what yer after, stay w/ cheddar...twist the pepper-grinder several times over the bowl and yer good to go!!...hmmm...might have to go whip up a pot full now...yum!...

Ferm's right about the cheese, too...no substitutes for the REEL thing!!...


...and welcome to SC nipper...my sister retired from the SC AG's office recently and still in Cola...she used to prosecute bad lawyers down there...she likes my cheese grits, too...

[nipper]

Thanks, Reel. Unfortunately, I am still living here in cold Indianapolis rather than enjoying the South Carolina weather. I was just down in Columbia for some training. I guess I cannot complain about the weather here today--we are on track to set a record high of 66 today! That is about 36 degrees above the normal high for this time of year.

[reelapeelin]

Thanks, Reel. Unfortunately, I am still living here in cold Indianapolis rather than enjoying the South Carolina weather. I was just down in Columbia for some training. I guess I cannot complain about the weather here today--we are on track to set a record high of 66 today! That is about 36 degrees above the normal high for this time of year.



Well...good luck w/ the cheese grits up there in Indy...they're probably pretty good on a cold, Indiana morning...

[reelapeelin]

One other thing about GRITS...nothin' worse than LUMPY grits(other than no grits at all)...they'll lump-up on ya when ya first pour them into boiling water, so that's when ya gotta be careful...here's a KEY: use a SLOTTED spoon to pour them thru and follow that up with LOTS of stirring; bustin' those clumps up against the side of the pot if you get any...but use a slotted spoon to make those grits for fewer lumps...and if grits drop thru the slots after ya make 'em...they're TOO thin ...

[Stillrunning]

Add some shrimp, peppers, bacon and have Cheesey Shrimp and Grits very big in the South.

http://leitesculinaria.com/recipes/cookbook/shrimp_grits.html

[nipper]

Oh man, those sound good. I am not sure I saw peppers in the recipe you posted, but they would be the bomb. Some yellow peppers, some red or orange, and maybe even a jalapeno or two to kick it up a notch. The cheesy/shrimpy grits with a nice piece of bread and a salad would make a great, quick and relatively cheap meal.

[bradford]

One other thing about GRITS...nothin' worse than LUMPY grits(other than no grits at all)...they'll lump-up on ya when ya first pour them into boiling water, so that's when ya gotta be careful...here's a KEY: use a SLOTTED spoon to pour them thru and follow that up with LOTS of stirring; bustin' those clumps up against the side of the pot if you get any...but use a slotted spoon to make those grits for fewer lumps...and if grits drop thru the slots after ya make 'em...they're TOO thin ...


I like mine how you just described Reel, however I say the lumpy is better than too thin and watery all day long.

Also try some sliced jalapenos mixed in....Yum!!