Southern Grits Casserole

4 cups of water
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 cup of instant grits
1⁄2 cube of margarine (or other unsalted butter)
1 8-oz package of Old English Cheese
2 eggs beaten
1⁄4 cup of milk
1⁄4 tsp ground pepper
1 4-oz can of diced green chilies

Southern Grits casserole is a classic twist on the basic mushy grits. This southern dish is the perfect addition to your upcoming holiday feast. Don’t let the long ingredient list scare you! In practice, this recipe becomes quite easy to follow. It is recommended to double the recipe for large groups or parties. If doubled, be sure to cook the recipe in a 9 x 13 pyrex casserole dish.

First, start by heating the oven to 350 degrees. Then, while the oven is heating up, set a pot to boil with 4 cups of water and one half teaspoon of salt added. The salt adds some base flavor to the grits, which the rest of the dish builds off of.

Once boiling, add one cup of instant grits. Make sure to stir occasionally while cooking to avoid the grits falling to the bottom and burning. Keep boiling until the grits are thick and have absorbed most of the seasoned water. Once thick, take off the heat and add one half cup of margarine or unsalted butter and an 8-oz package of Old English Cheese (It’s a type of sliced, processed cheese, but most other cheeses will work as well.). Finally, cover until the cheese and margarine are melted, stirring occasionally.

Once melted, set aside, and in a separate cup, beat 2 eggs and one fourth cup of milk until smooth, then add one fourth teaspoon of fine ground pepper, and one 4-oz can of drained spicy green chilies to the mixture. Once all is mixed, add all the contents to the pot of cheesy grits.