Next up is Baked Cheese Grits

Yield: 4 Decent-size Servings
Post Sunday, 18 November

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
1 cup stone-ground grits
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup, packed, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 4 ounces
1 cup, packed, Monterey Jack cheese, about 4 ounces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Assembly

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or, alternatively, a similar size baking dish.

Pour the milk and 2 Cups water into a medium saucepan, cover, and heat on medium-high until the mixture boils, about 5 minutes.  Uncover the pot, add the grits, salt, and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium.  Stir constantly until grits are the consistency of thick soup, about 8 minutes.  Reduce to a simmer, stirring every 2 minutes, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes to let the grits thicken further.  Cook 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring constantly to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  The grits will be really sticky at this point.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, and the butter.  Pour the grits into the prepared skillet and top them with the remaining cheeses.  Turn the oven to broil.

Place the skillet directly under the heating element for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese topping is melted and starts to brown,  Serve immediately.

Excerpted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2010 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.