Country Kitchen Recipes: Kiss my Grits

After 15 years of living below the Mason-Dixon Line, I finally found enough nerve to buy grits. Okay, so they are not hominy grits -- but baby steps okay?

Lately, and due in part to rising food costs, I've been curious about cooking cheaper foods that I normally wouldn't pay attention too. The 2lb bag of quick grits in the photo to the left was found at WalMart for $1.26. As soon as I got home I browsed the Internet trying to find some simple yet out of ordinary uses for grits -- you know other than slathering them with butter and cheese, which by the way I heard was a good use. I mean come on, being from Vermont sometimes the only coaxing I need to try a new food item is to be told it goes good with cheese.

But this time the thinking needs to be outside the normal "cheese box". So I put forth this personal challenge. The challenge is to find three recipes that incorporate grits as a breakfast item, a side dish, and as an intrinsic part of the main course. The next challenge will be getting my entire family to sample the dishes.