Club: Baked-Baked Cheese Grits

I'm so excited for Club: Baked this week for two reasons......I'm hosting, and I got to pick a very special recipe in the book (Baked Explorations)......Baked Cheese Grits!  Why is this such a special recipe, you ask?  It's very much my Dad.  He isn't necessarily from the South, but his parents and grandparents were so he was raised on a lot of Southern-type cooking.  Fast-forward quite a few years, and he's passed on the Grits and Eggs breakfast to me and my siblings.  Granted, I'm sure I'm the only one that still makes it, but I don't care.  I LOVE grits!  Of course it also helps that I'm a big-time Daddy's girl.  

   

 These baked grits remind me so much of that meal my Dad would make Saturday mornings, that it was uncanny.  Definitely a rich and creamy and cheesy and super de-duper fatteningly delicious way to make grits.  It was incredibly easy and a much more refined way to eat my childhood breakfast than the "smash it all together in a kind-of repulsive looking, albeit, delicious mess" sort of way. 

 I really wish I could have found stone-ground grits to use, as the recipe calls for them.  Alas, after going to six different grocery stores and specialty stores, I was out of luck.  Unfortunately, this recipe is using quick grits.  Never fear. My hunt will not end here.  I WILL find stone-ground grits to try someday!  Probably later this week, as Murphy's Law, would have it right!? 

{baked cheese grits}
   "baked explorations" by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito

2 c. whole milk
[2 c. water]
1 c. stone-ground grits
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 c., packed, grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 4 oz.
1 c., packed, grated Monterey Jack cheese, about 4 oz.
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or, alternatively a similar size baking dish.

Pour the milk and 2 c. water into a medium saucepan, cover, and heat on medium-high until the mixture boils, about 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, add the grits, salt, and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir constantly until grits are the consistency of thick soup, about 8 minutes.  Reduce to a simmer, stirring every 2 minutes, and cook for about 15-20 minutes to let the grits thicken further.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring constantly to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  The grits will be really thick at this point.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3/4 c. of the cheddar cheese, 3/4 c. of the Monterey Jack cheese, and the butter.  Pour the grits into the prepared skillet and top them with the remaining cheeses.  Turn the oven to broil.

Place the skillet directly under the heating element for 203 minutes, or until the cheese topping is melted and starts to brown. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 large servings.

Check out how the other bakers fared this week by going HERE.