SAUSAGE & GRITS....

Well, I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but around here we are in the middle of a Winter storm ~ our first official "snow day".  The kids are off from school, Christmas is right around the corner, company is on their way, and I am in the mood for some major comfort food. 

  This is one of those recipes I don't make often, but when I do everyone seems to LOVE it, so I thought I would share it with you.   This is a make ahead kind of dish.  Of course, you can cook it right away.  But I like getting up, having my coffee, and just popping it into the oven.  I have also started dividing the dish among two pans - cooking one the next day and freezing the other for later!  If you love sausage, you will love this dish.  If you don't like grits, guess what!  You will still like this dish.  I brought it to our small group at church and before I had a chance to tell everyone what was in it, it was gone.... and when I told them what was in it, they were surprised.  They didn't know about the grits.  That's because you cook 'em until they are super creamy... 

So, without further ado, here is the scoop on this fabulous dish...

Here are the super stars...

Saute your sausage, remove from grease, add onions and brown.  Add back sausage and green chilies. (this alone is yummy).

While you have that going on, cook 1 cup of grits in 4 cups of salted water until thick.

After the grits are done.  Add in butter, cheese, 2 eggs slightly beaten and Tabasco.  mmmmmmmmmm......

Combine the grits with the sausage mixture, put in a baking pan.  Top with some cheddar, parsley and paprika.

I won't be baking this until tomorrow... Once it bakes, the cheese on top gets all gooey and delicious.. 

Hope you'll try it!!   

 RECIPE

1 cup uncooked grits                                                   2 cups grated Cheese

1 pound ground sausage                                              10 dashes Tabasco

1 onion, chopped                                                         1 teaspoon paprika

two 4.5 ounce cans green chilies, chopped                    1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook grits in 4 cups salted water until thick.  Saute sausage, breaking it into small pieces.  Saute onion in sausage fat; drain.  Add onion and chiles to sausage.  Add butter, eggs, cheese and Tabasco to grits.  Combine grits mixture with sausage mixture.  Pour into a 13x9 inch casserole dish and garnish with additional cheese, chilies, paprika and parsley.  Bake for 1 hour.  Can be refrigerated up to 2 days before baking.  Freezes well.

Bon apetit,