Start with 4 cups of water with 1 tsp salt and 1 vegetable bouillon cube added. Bring this to a boil in a 6 qt. pot.
Slowly add one (1) cup of stone ground grits or polenta (same thing). WATCH OUT…it may boil over when the grits are added to the boiling water so take it easy. I highly recommend Weisenberger Stone Ground Yellow Grits that come all the way from the Weisenberger Mill in Midway, Kentucky. This place should be on your bucket list it’s so picturesque. Cook the grits for 30 minutes on simmer…just so it bubbles a little. Stir about every 5 minutes.
When the time is up, turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese. Stir these until melted. Mix in one 4-ounce can of fire roasted diced green chiles, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Add 1/2 cup cream (either half-n-half or the real deal heavy cream). You may want to add a bit more cream until the grits are dreamy creamy. Serve along side any main egg breakfast dish or serve as the base for some really awesome Shrimp-n-Grits…yummy in my tummy.
If you want to make ahead to serve the next morning, follow the recipe but don’t add the cream. Cool the mixture, put the lid on the pot and refrigerate over night. In the morning, remove from the frog, add the cream and reheat the grits on the stove on medium low, stirring occasionally. Serve when fully heated.
Shake things up a bit: Add 1 tablespoon of diced jalapeño. Experiment with different cheeses in place of the sharp cheddar. Don’t add the cream, shape the grits into a round log, refrigerate until it hardens, slice into 1 inch rounds, dip in flour and fry in oil or bacon grease until crisp on the edges…be still, my heart!
