LET'S COOK GRITS! BASIC BEGINNER RECIPE

Grits, have you ever heard of them?  

I can remember traveling up north in my youth.  It hit me as surprising back then that no one up there knew what they were. They loudly said, "I don't even know what a Grit is!"  

They kept asking me questions over and over about anything to get me to talk.  Evidently the southern accent they loved!

They also said that about sweet iced tea! This young mind thought, in shock, "What have I gotten myself into?" They offered me a cup of hot tea which I accepted with a glass of ice and sugar on the side. They stood there with their mouth open watching me make my glass of sweet iced tea.  Yes, they were then in shock.

Oh, and before I forget another unknown at the time was something we call 'Fried Chicken'.  The nerve of these people baking everything! What's a southern girl to do, cook her own? 

Times sure have changed because most know what fried chicken and sweet iced tea are.  Grits the results are still out on that one.

I find that even down south here people either love or hate grits.  There seems to be no middle ground on this subject.

Today we are cooking our own 'Grits'!

SEVERAL TIPS IN MAKING GRITS

• The rule of thumb in making grits is 4 parts water to 1 part grits. Keeping that in mind you can adjust your serving sizes to suit your needs.
• There are two types yellow or white grits
• I find that a whisk aids in keeping the lumps down when cooking
• Optional:  Add a tablespoon of butter to the pot when you add the grits it helps flavor and prevents the grits from sticking as badly.
• Keep everything within reach and be careful you will be boiling water and grits when hot and bubbling can pop on you. That hurts! The pot lid should be close by.
• After the 5 minutes of cooking take a hot pad remove lid and stir or whisk carefully. Check to see if the grits are thick and to your liking. If so turn the heat all the way down to low cover and serve soon. If they aren't thick enough then cook the remaining 2 minutes, checking often.
• You can also keep them warm adding additional water if necessary.
• Remember you will have to adjust your stove's heat to cook anything. My stove high =10 medium =5 and I cook my rice and grits on medium-low = 2  low = 1.
  You will soon find out what range settings for each cooking task. My settings are what works well for me.

Serve while warm.  We of course in this household use real butter.  We also tend to like a little more salt to our grits, for taste. You cook yours and decide how you like them.

My Aunt Willie Lee used to say, "What you add to or eat with your grits will give them flavor because by themselves they have very little flavor."  (she had a point)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS

• Butter

• Grated Cheese of your choice.  It will melt quickly in the hot grits.

• Gravy such as Red Eye or White

My granddaddy always said, "Get Jim Dandy Grits, they are the best"!  We tend to like them here as well. If you like grits any are pretty good and that's a fact!  In his earlier years, he had his own corn ground into cornmeal and grits.

I hope you enjoy your grits cooking!