Grits and Eggs with a Creamy Twist

Grits, eggs with bacon or sausage was a Sunday morning favorite when I was growing up.  Grits known for its mark on Southern Cuisine is not just for breakfast anymore, it is now served for lunch and dinner with shrimp, or lobster.   So the next time you want to impress your Sunday Brunch guest, try my recipe for Grits and Eggs.  Just the right portion full of creamy cream cheese and topped with egg, crispy bacon and a little onion flavor from chopped chives. Enjoy

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Quick - 5 minute Grits
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 4 ounces Cream Cheese 1/3 Less Fat
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Milk
• 2 Slices Bacon
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp of Chopped Chives
• 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 4 ramekins with butter flavored or regular cooking spray. 

2. Cook Grits according to package directions for about 5 minutes until nice and creamy.  Then add butter, cream cheese, and milk stir until blended well. Let simmer for about 1- 2 minutes, remove from heat.

3. Microwave on high, bacon for 2 - 3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.  Remove and let drain on paper towel than chop into small pieces, and then set aside.

4. Place grits in prepared ramekins, filling each ramekin about half. Then crack one egg over each ramekin filled with grits.  Be careful not to break the yolks, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Top with chives, cover with aluminum foil, place ramekins on baking sheet, place in oven and let bake for about 15 minutes or until egg whites are set and yolk is firm.

5. Remove from oven and top each dish with Triple Cheddar cheese and chop bacon. Serve with toast, or toasted English Muffins. 

Blue Cheese and Pimiento Potato Salad

Bottled Blue Cheese dressing sounds like a quick way to give flavor to this salad, but so many bottled dressing are full of preservatives and sodium.  I love cooking with as many fresh ingredients as possible.  So I develop my combination of flavor for this blue cheese potato salad.

 Ingredients

• 3 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes (about 5)
• ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
• ½ cup Crema Mexicana, preferably or  you use sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons hot mustard
• 4 ounces Crumbled blue cheese
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
• ½ cup medium white onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• ¼ cup diced pimientos
• ¼ cup diced jalapeno peppers
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation 

1. Fill a large pot with about cup of water and add salt.  Then place a steamer basket inside of pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a rapid simmer.  Add potatoes to steamer basket; cover and let steam for about 25 minutes or until tender.  Do not let potatoes over cook.

2. Remove potatoes and allow cooling, then peeling, slicing potatoes into ¼” thick slices.

3. While potatoes are cooling, make the dressing.  In a large bowl, combine rice vinegar, Crema, mayonnaise and hot mustard, blend well.  Then add blue cheese and eggs; mix well.

4. Once potatoes have cooled, to the dressing add onions, celery seeds, pimientos, and jalapeno peppers, then combine potatoes to the dressing a little at a time making sure not to break potatoes or mash them.

5. Add chopped parsley; hold a little back for garnish.  Salt and pepper to taste; it should not require too much salt due to the blue cheese.  Then place potato salad in refrigerator for about an hour or until you are ready to serve.  Enjoy!!