Cheese & Sausage Grits
Kelly Jenkins Howard (originally from Willie Mae Jenkins)
Brown sausage, drain. Add Tabasco, garlic, salt and pepper; set aside. Cook grits. Add cheese, butter, eggs and chilis to cooked grits and mixed thoroughly. Add sausage mixture and stir until well mixed.
The source for this recipe, Willie Mae Jenkins, is my paternal grandmother and my daughter, Hannah Mae Howard’s namesake. My dad affectionately refers to this as “gruel,” and is now a required staple dish for our annual Possum Kingdom Lake trip. (Nov 2010)
1 lb regular breakfast sausage
Tabasco to taste
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup prepared instant grits
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 eggs, well beaten
1 (4oz) can mild green chiles
Brown sausage, drain. Add Tabasco, garlic, salt and pepper; set aside. Cook grits. Add cheese, butter, eggs and chilis to cooked grits and mixed thoroughly. Add sausage mixture and stir until well mixed.
Pour mixture into well buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350˚F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
NOTE: Can be frozen. Very important to use instant grits.