Cooking with a Southern Accent, Volume I

As many of you know, I spent this past weekend with my blogging friends Bo and Saintseester in their home state of Alabama.  I had a amazing time, and they fed me very, very well.  Here is the first in a series of recipes I’m going to post about my gastronomical adventures in the Southland (no recipes for collard greens, though, so don’t panic).  I hope you try them, and that you enjoy them as heartily as I did.

Today’s post is one of the incredibly yummy things that Seester offered us for Sunday brunch.

This was, I’m pretty sure, my first exposure to grits, and my thinking is that it won’t be my last.  The notes in the recipe are Seester’s:

Sausage & Cheese Grits Casserole

4 ½ cups water (I used a little less)
¾ stick butter or margarine
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup quick grits
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 (12 oz tubes) packages maple-flavored pork sausage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13×9x2 baking dish with cooking spray.

In heavy large saucepan, heat water, butter and salt on high until it boils.  Stir in grits, reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until grits are creamy, stirring occasionally.

While grits are simmering, brown sausage.  Drain.

Stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in milk and eggs.  Stir browned sausage into grits mixture.  Pour into prepared dish. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes out almost clean.

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar over top. Back for 2 more minutes, until cheese is melted.

I have found this recipe to be a little bit thin when it first comes out of the oven. Sometimes I let it sit before serving to give it a chance to thicken.