Cheesy Grit Breakfast Bowls

Museums are boring.

There, I said it.

When I’m visiting somewhere – either totally new or a place I used to call home – the last thing I want to do is be stuck in a giant building full of hallways staring at things I can’t touch or taste or buy.

I realize this may make me sound like an uneducated, classless plebian…well then, ok.

I like to eat my way around a city. Gastro-tourism (if that isn’t the most zeitgeisty word I’ve ever typed…) is my thing. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, snacks, coffee stops. I’ve got it all planned out from Appetizers to Zuppa. Most people can’t hang. My dad bowed out on our trip to Savannah a few years ago, my sister refused to eat anymore when we were in New Mexico, my friend Meg just sat and watched me eat a piece of pie in Baltimore.

Seth is doing his best to keep up and I’m awfully impressed that so far he has. Today is going to be the real test, however. I’ve got all three meals slotted and scheduled for our first full day in Greenville. The highlight will certainly be lunch at GB&D. I’m already fantasizing about their burger (and the fries dipped in burger sauce). What adds to the allure of the meal is that I know how much work has gone into it. I know how long Jen took to perfect her burger sauce. I know how long it takes those burger buns to rise. I know how long Kris has been in the kitchen prepping the components for virtually every dish.

For instance, I know that when he arrives in the mornings the first thing he does is start grits. Those take the longest. His grits simmer on the stove for over an hour – simmering away in a mixture of milk and cream and butter that is truly wonderful. Then he carefully seasons them, pairs them, and plates them. I watched him do it for months and am still floored at how he can turn a simple (some would say bland) starch into a mouthwatering meal with a little time, a little patience, and a little milkfat.

I don’t have his patience. Lord knows I never will. But, when I have a little time and some extra milk, cream, butter, and cheese on my hands I like to make grits. Quickly. Easily. I like to pile them high with roasted veggies, dash on the hot sauce, and watch an egg yolk glaze everything in the bowl. I’m no Kris, and these aren’t his grits, but their good, even great. The best part? No 14 hour drive is required.

Cheesy Grit Breakfast Bowls

For the grits:

1 cup quick cooking grits

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 stick butter

Pinch of salt

Dash of hot sauce

½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, if desired

In a medium sauce pan, bring the milk and water to a boil. Stir in grits. Simmer, 3 – 4 minutes, before stirring in butter, one tablespoon at a time. Taste and season with salt and pepper before adding cheese, if using.

Serve immediately.*

For the grit bowls:

Roasted veggies of your choosing (I had some extra leftover from make my chicken dinner)

Bacon, cooked crisp, broken into small pieces

Eggs, fried to your liking

Arrange the veggies, meat, and egg over the grits as desired and serve with a generous amount of hot sauce and large spoon.

*If there are leftover grits, or you don’t serve them right away, you can revive them by simply reheating over low heat with a few tablespoons of liquid (either milk or water) stirred in.