Jalapeno Cheese Grits

This is a great recipe from one of my Southern Living cookbooks.  It isn't spicy at all, so don't be afraid of the jalapenos that it calls for.  I made it to bring to a friend's house, so since I wanted to keep it wam, I baked it in the stoneware pot from my crockpot.  Then, when it had finished baking, I put the pot back in the crockpot and just kept it on warm.  So easy and so good!  We didn't have any leftovers at all.  

The original recipe said to add five eggs (!) at the end, but I didn't see the point of that, so I left them out, and everything was still great.  I also didn't add all the cheese that it calls for (that's four cups of cheese), but as with anything, the more cheese you add, the better it is.  I sprinkled some of the leftover cheese over the top before I baked it, and that made them look even better.  Enjoy!


Jalapeno Cheese Grits

32 oz chicken broth
1 3/4 cups quick cooking grits
1 stick butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350.  Bring broth to a boil in  large saucepan; stir in grits.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Cover and remove from heat.  Melt butter in a large skillet; add chopped onion, bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in grits and cheeses.  Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9"x13" baking dish.  Bake, covered, for 45 minutes or until set; serve immediately.  Yields 8 servings.