Name: Jalapeno Cheese Grits
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: North America, Southern
Ingredients: 4 cups water; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup quick-cooking grits; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 large eggs; 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided; 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper; Dash hot pepper sauce

Creamy, spicy jalapeno cheese grits are the ultimate southern-style comfort food. Serve them for breakfast or bring them to a potluck.

Ingredients

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick-cooking grits

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 large eggs

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Dash hot pepper sauce

Instructions

1 Cook the grits

2 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water and the salt to a boil. Slowly stir in the grits and the onion and garlic powders. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the grits, covered, until they're thickened, about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

3 Add the eggs

4 In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot grits. Slowly return the tempered eggs to the pan, whisking constantly. Editor's Tip: If you pour whisked eggs directly into the pot of grits, the eggs will curdle quickly. By adding a small amount of hot grits to the eggs, you gently raise their temperature and evenly mix the grits. It's similar to tempering eggs for sauces, soups and other recipes.

5 Add the cheese, peppers and spices

6 Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar, plus the jalapenos, butter, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning, pepper and hot sauce. Pour the mixture into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top.

7 Bake the grits until the cheese browns, about 40 to 45 minutes. Garnish them with additional jalapenos.