Jalapeño Cheddar Grits
This is an easy tasty dish. I like to eat this for breakfast, but it would generally be used as a side dish to go with steak or ribs or barbeque. I like it spicy, but the first time you make it you should probably make the tamer less spicy version.
Ingredients

Jalapeño Cheddar Grits just out of the oven
- 1½ cups grits (before cooking)
- 2½ cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (reserve ½ cup)
- 1 stick butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 large eggs, well beaten
- 4 fresh jalapeños, minced
- ½ green bell pepper, minced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
Preparing the Dish
- Cook the grits according to the directions on the package. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add the onion and cook over low heat until transparent.
- Stir the onion and butter into the grits, and then add the remainder of the ingredients except the reserved ½ cup cheese, mixing well.
- Pour mixture into a lightly buttered 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle the remaining reserved ½ cup cheese on top
- Bake for 1 to 2 hours, until the top turns golden brown as shown in the pictures here.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes:
- The grits should be the long cooking variety. Stay away from quick cooking grits, and definitely no instant grits!
- To make the dish less spicy (hot):
- Remove the seeds and pithy white flesh from the jalapeños and discard, rinse them well before mincing
- Omit the ground red and white pepper.
- To make the dish spicier, in small steps:
- Add the ground white pepper
- Add the ground red pepper
- Leave the seeds and pithy white flesh in the jalapeños and mince
Enjoy!