I was born in NY, but my mother and grandmother were born in the South. So, Growing up, we always ate southern meals. On the weekends, my grandmother often made grits for breakfast . It was so delicious.
These Cheese Grits, Ham and Fried Egg with a little Tomato Gravy is perfect when I crave a hearty grits breakfast now.
My family only uses Old Fashioned, not quick grits. I like to quote the movie, My Cousin Vinny. “No self respecting Southerner eats quick grits.” Lol. It’s so true! Truthfully, I’ve never even had quick grits, unless it was made in a restaurant that way without me knowing.
The cooking directions on the box says to cook the grits for 15-20 minutes. My mom and grandmother never cooked them for that short of a time. They always left the pot on a low temperature for about 30-40 minutes…. low and slow. It’s the best!
So here’s the recipe for this grits dish. In my rendition, I added cheese to the grits and the tomato gravy. I wanted to kick my grandmother’s dish up a notch, and I think I did!
Cheese Grits:
1 cup Grits
3 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup cheddar & Monterey Jack cheeses
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Tomato Gravy:
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp chopped onions
1 garlic clove chopped
1 tbsp chopped green pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch
4 Thick slices of Ham
4 fried or poached eggs
Chives to garnishing
Grits:
In a pot over medium heat, combine grits, water, cream, salt and pepper. Stir as the water cooks down and the grits thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat and let them simmer for about another 15 minutes. If it gets a little thick, add more water a tablespoon at a time until right consistency. Add cheeses and butter. Stir until smooth.
Gravy:
In a pot over medium heat, add oil, onions, peppers and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are slightly softened. Add tomato sauce and broth. Combine cornstarch with a teaspoon of water in a small bowl or cup. Add to the sauce. Stir until thickened.
Ham:
In a frying pan over medium heat add a teaspoon of oil. Add the ham slices and brown on each side.
Egg:
In a pan over medium heat add a tablespoon of butter. Crack 4 eggs in the pan, and cook for sunny side up.
Assembly:
Spoon grits into 4 bowls. Add a slice of ham to each bowl, then add an egg. Top with the gravy. Garnish with chives.
