Orange Scones

When I came across this recipe, I was a tad skeptical. Make that more like very skeptical. A scone recipe without heavy cream and eggs? What's up with that? Sure, there's both an egg and heavy cream in the ingredients, but that's for brushing the tops. There's no cream inside the scone itself. Granted, my knowledge of scones is a bit limited, seeing as I've only been making them for a couple of months, but what I do know tells me that a scone recipe without cream is wrong. Very, very wrong.

Except when it's right. And this recipe is very, very right.

I was worried these scones would be dry. After all, it must be the cream keeping scones moist, right? Well, these are not dry. In fact, these scones have the lightest, fluffiest texture I've ever experienced in a scone. The orange flavor in these is just spectacular. It's citrusy and bright without overwhelming the delicacy of the scone. These would be excellent to serve for a brunch or tea.

So has making these scones ruined me forever to the more traditional version? I wouldn't say that. I definitely think there's room at the breakfast table for both. I'm so glad I gave these a chance, though. And I will mention these were eaten in record time. It's probably a good thing my resolution this year was to branch out into trying more creative recipes instead of trying to lose ten pounds by next week, huh?


ORANGE SCONES
from The Pastry Affair

for the scones:
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 c sugar
zest of 1 large orange
pinch of salt
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 c sour cream
1 egg
1 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk

for the glaze:
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, orange zest, and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter, until the flour mixture looks crumbly with pea-sized chunks scattered throughout.

3. Stir in the orange juice and sour cream. Mix with a spatula until dough comes together. Knead it a few turns on a lightly floured surface. The dough might be sticky, but add as little flour as manageable to your board. Shape dough into 12 small rounds, each about 2 inches in diameter. Place rounds on the baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and heavy cream. Brush tops of scones with this mixture.

4. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the tops just start to brown. Allow to cool before drizzling with icing.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Cast Party Wednesday, Foodie Friday

Nutella Scones

 

This is another recipe I was inspired to bring to you through the wonders of Pinterest. Not because this recipe came to me through Pinterest; it's from one of my favorite cookbooks, Baked Explorations. But because my pin board has made it clear that Nutella is all the rage. Remember those commercials about how Nutella was a healthy part of breakfast because it was made with skim milk and a "hint" of cocoa? Most of us know that Nutella is more like chocolate with a hint of something else (and who cares about what that something else is when there's chocolate to focus on!). Those commercials seemed ridiculous. Yet, that's about the time Nutella recipes started popping up all over the place. Hmm... maybe that was the goal all along. Pretty sneaky, Nutella.

So how many times can I use the word Nutella in one paragraph? A bunch, apparently!

Making these scones, I did have to make a change to the original recipe. My dough was too dry and would not come together. I added an extra 1/4 cup cream, and it worked like a charm. After doing some research, I discovered other cooks made the same change, and so I feel confident enough in it to write this change into the recipe. I also ignored all warnings about overworking the dough and went to town with my kneading. These scones needed it.

The end results were very tasty. They had the richness of chocolate but restrained from being too sweet. I enjoyed the hazelnuts, but think it would be equally good without them. These scones are definitely on the larger size. I don't know that you'd get too many complaints about that, though!

NUTELLA SCONES

2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c dutch process cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1 egg
3/4 c heavy cream
3/4 c hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 c Nutella

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you achieve pea-sized crumbles. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream. Pour into the flour mixture. Using a spatchula or fork, start to work the wet into the dry, getting the dough to start to come together. Add in the hazelnuts. Once the dough has come together, knead it a few turns.

3. Shape dough into a rectangle, about 6 by 12 inches. Spread 1/4 c Nutella on the dough. Roll up the dough along the long side. Stand dough roll on one of it's ends and then squish it down to form a disk. You will probably get Nutella on your hands during this step. Try to power through. Cut the disk into eight wedges, placing each wedge on the lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for about 20 minutes. Allow scones to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, drizzle the tops with the remaining 1/4 c Nutella (microwave for a few seconds first to get a more drizzly consistency).

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Have you ever had days that you're just not "feeling it." Well, that's where I am with blogging right at this very moment. I think I'm just tired. Sundae is going through a phase where she doesn't want to be more than a few feet away from me at any time. This has resulted in her jumping up and down on me at 4 AM. Although, I'm pretty sure that from her perspective, I'm the one with the problem. After all, by that time of the morning I've been sleeping, not paying attention to her, for hours. What's my problem, right? There's a reason I'm not mom material, because I love to sleep. That's why I got a cat. I thought we shared the same interests. Sundae's really throwing me for a loop with this perpetual toddler routine of hers. She's just lucky I love her insanely ridiculous amounts and that's she so freaking adorable, even at 4 in the morning.

So, basically what I'm saying, as long winded as possible, is that I don't have much to say today about this coffee cake. It's delicious. It stays moist. It's a recipe I've tried many times with no fail. It cooks in a bundt pan, which I love. It has a delicious cinnamon and pecan filling. But that's all I can think to write about it.

I need a nap. I'll kick it into gear for next week, promise!


SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

for the filling:
1 c chopped pecans
1 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp sugar

for the cake:
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 c sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in sour cream and vanilla. Gently fold in the flour mixture.

5. Pour about 1/3 of the batter into prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle 3/4 of the filling mixture into the pan. Top with remaining batter and then sprinkle with remaining filling.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack before removing from pan. When removing, keep in mind that the top of the coffee cake is facing up in the bundt pan, so you'll need to flip the cake twice when unmolding.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cookbook

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday

Bagels

Both of my parents are from northern New Jersey, and from that heritage I inherited a love of a good bagel. I have so many fond memories of waking up on Sunday mornings at my grandparents' to a kitchen full of bagels. I can even remember what everyone used to eat. My mom always chose a salt bagel smeared with butter, my dad preferred rye bagels with his coffee, and my brother loved the cinnamon raisins. I know it seems silly to remember this much about bagels, but it's one of those little family things that sticks in your brain and becomes even more important to you as the years pass.

Bagels have always been a part of my life, and, beyond the nostalgia, I just plain like to eat them. Every morning, if possible. Problem is, where I live, finding a good bagel isn't easy. So I decided to make my own. These bagels are everything a bagel should be: strong and chewy on the outside, soft and bready on the inside (my computer is telling me that bready is not a word; it totally should be, though). They are easy to make, which is a bonus when you make them as often as I do. Even if an authentic Jersey bagel shop opened down the block from me tomorrow, I think I'd still stick to this recipe.

BAGELS

1 c warm water (110 degrees)

2 1/4 tsp (1 .25oz pkg) active dry yeast

2 tbsp sugar

2 1/2 c bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt
3 quarts water (for boiling)
1 tbsp sugar

1 egg white

cornmeal

Note: this recipe can be made in a bread machine using the dough cycle. Add an extra 1/2 c flour to the ingredients and meet me in step 4.

1. In a the bowl for your stand mixer, dissolve yeast and sugar in the water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until your yeast becomes foamy.

2. Add in the bread flour and salt. With the dough hook of a stand mixer, mix on the lowest speed until the dough comes together and cleans the sides of the bowl. If needed, add more flour a tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed a little and let the machine kneed the dough for about 2 minutes.

3. Place dough ball in a large, greased bowl. Let dough rise in a warm environment until it doubles, about an hour.

4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut into six equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and pinch the edges of the rope closed to form a circle. To seal the pinch, slip the bagel over your fingers and roll it around a bit, pinch side down. Let newly formed bagels rise again for about an hour (I just cover them with a towel and leave them on my counter top for this step).

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add sugar. Drop a bagel into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds, turn over, and boil for another 30 seconds. Place on paper towels to drain. Repeat this step with remaining bagels.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle cornmeal over the paper. Place bagels on the baking sheet. Brush with the egg white. If desired, sprinkle on poppy seeds or kosher salt.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until bagels turn a golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and store in an air-tight container.

Source: Allrecipes

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Foodie Friday

Chocolate Chip Scones with Coffee Glaze

A family friend is throwing a baby shower for her daughter and asked me to bring some scones. This, of course, meant I had to learn to make scones. Somehow, I made it to the age of thirty without ever having tasted one. I think I avoided them because I thought they were were dry and pasty by nature. Few things bum me out like a mouthful of dry biscuit.

Well, I'm very happy to report I was laboring under a misunderstanding. These scones are anything but dry. Instead, they are rich and creamy. I love the addition of the mini-chocolate chips, which replace the currants from the original recipe. No offense to any currant lovers out there, but give me chocolate any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. The chocolate chips also play nicely with the coffee glaze. And as nothing says "good morning!" quite like coffee, the glaze helps transforms these scones into the perfect breakfast treat.


CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES WITH COFFEE GLAZE

for the scones:
1 large egg
2/3 c. heavy cream
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

for the glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
3-5 tsp brewed coffee
1/2 tsp maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg. Whisk in the cream. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the chilled butter using a pastry blender or by criss-crossing two knives. The butter should blend in with the dry ingredients, creating a crumbly texture.

4. Whisk the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until ingredients are combined and dough comes together. Add in the mini chocolate chips. Knead the dough about 8-10 turns, working in the mini chocolate chips as you knead.

5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a circle that's about 5-inches in diameter. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Place wedges on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake the scones in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until tops turn golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

7. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, maple syrup and 2 tsp coffee. Add more coffee, a teaspoon at a time, to get the desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over scones. These scones are best eaten within a day or two.

Source: Tracy's Culinary Adventures, who adapted it from Cafe Lynnylu, who got the recipe from Dorie Greenspan

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Fresh Food Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday

No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is the one that got away. Back when I was first married, I started to mysteriously receive Bon Apetit magazine, although I'd never ordered it. Think someone was trying to tell me something? And while I eagerly read through each issue that arrived in my mailbox, I didn't attempt many of the recipes. Back then, I could barely boil water. But there was this one recipe that stood out to me, that I couldn't help but try. It was for these No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls.

I'm comfortable working with yeast now, but this is a recent development. Not too long ago, I couldn't manage yeast without killing it. So when I came across this recipe, I knew I had a winner. This was true, not only because of how easy and simple these no-yeast rolls are to make, but because they taste marvelous.

So how did this recipe become "the one that got away"? I never wrote it down and then accidentally threw out the magazine. I spent years kicking myself for it. Apparently, I was not the only one. Thanks to the miracle of the modern search engine, I finally re-discovered the recipe through a message board post from someone else seeking it. I'm thrilled to be able to share this recipe with you, so that it will be lost no more.

NO YEAST CINNAMON ROLLS

for the filling:
3/4 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

for the dough:
2 1/2 c. (or more) all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, divided

for the icing:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp marscapone cheese (or substitute cream cheese), softened
2 tbsp buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use non-stick spray to grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the buttermilk and 6 tbsp of the melted butter. Stir until ingredients are combined and a soft dough is created. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. If dough seems excessively wet, add more flour. Knead dough about 8 turns. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

4. Once dough has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 12 x 10 inches. Brush 1 tablespoon  melted butter over the dough. Sprinkle the previously made filling over the butter and press down lightly. Roll up the rectangle along the long side and pinch the ends closed. Cut into 8 equal slices.

5. Place slices in the prepared springform pan. Brush the top of the rolls with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes.

6. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, marscapone cheese, and buttermilk. Spread icing over warm cinnamon rolls. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted slightly from Epicurious Message Boards

Baked Doughnuts

These doughnuts were a long time in the making. It all started with a doughnut pan. I've been wanting to make doughnuts for a while, but the prospect of frying them tempered my enthusiasm. I don't like working with hot oil and avoid it whenever possible. So, when I came across a pan that would allow me to bake doughnuts in the oven and bypass the fryer, I couldn't resist.

Once I had the pan, I had to track down a good recipe, and that became the challenge. There just aren't a wealth of recipes out there for baked doughnuts. I tried out several of the ones I could find, but all of them flopped. For some of them, the problem was with the taste. For others, it was the texture. Finally, I decided to try the recipe that came with the pan. Normally, I don't put too much stock in manufacturer-provided recipes, but this time, it proved to be a home run.

These Baked Doughnuts have the prefect texture for a cake doughnut. The cinnamon and nutmeg give them a great flavor. And even though finding the right recipe proved tricky, the actual process of making these doughnuts is quick and fun. Just mix together ingredients, fill your pan, and bake.


BAKED DOUGHNUTS

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp shortening
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp hot water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat doughnut pan with a non-stick spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Add in milk, eggs, vanilla, and shortening. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat until well combined. Spoon batter into wells of doughnut pan, filling each 3/4 of the way. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes and then move doughnuts to a cooling rack.

3. In a shallow dish, whisk together powdered sugar and hot water. Dip doughnuts in glaze and place back on the cooling rack. Allow to glaze to dry and then store in an air-tight container. Makes 10-12 doughnuts.

English Muffins

It's embarrassing, but, until fairly recently, I thought english muffins were the creation of Thomas'. Little did I know that these muffins have been around for hundreds of years, and historically made in the home kitchen. Once I discovered this, I became determined to try to make them myself. I was a bit intimidated at first. I am, after all, a professed lover of the bread machine. But I didn't find this recipe difficult to execute in the least. And the results speak for themselves. Sorry, Thomas', but I think I've moved on.


ENGLISH MUFFINS

1 c. milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 c. warm water (110 degrees)
1/4 c. melted shortening
5-6 c. bread flour
1 tsp salt
cornmeal

1. In a small saucepan, scald the milk. To do this, heat the milk until it reaches 180 degrees. Remove from heat. Add sugar to milk and stir until dissolved. Allow the milk to cool to lukewarm.

2. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add a pinch of sugar and/or flour to get the yeast started. Let yeast sit for 10 minutes, until frothy.

3. Add lukewarm milk, melted shortening, and 3 cups of the flour to the yeast. Mix well. Mix in salt and 2 more cups of the flour. My dough didn't need more flour than this, but if yours does, add more in 1/4 cup batches. Your dough has enough flour when it comes together as a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the mixing bowl.

4. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead until dough is elastic. If using a KitchenAid mixer, use dough hook on speed 2 for 2 minutes.

5. Place dough ball in a large, greased bowl. Cover with a towel. Allow to double in a warm place (about an hour).

6. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. The less you work the dough, the more air it will retain to create those desired "nooks and crannies." When rolling, press as lightly as possible with roller.

7. Line a two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle parchment paper with cornmeal. Cut rolled dough with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Place rounds on baking sheets. Gather any left over dough, and roll out again. Repeat this step until all dough has been shaped into rounds.

8. Cover muffins and leave out on counter top to rise, for about 45 minutes.

9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake muffins for 8 minutes on each side. Cool on a rack and then store in an air-tight container. To eat, toast muffins and top with butter, jam, or cream cheese.

Source: Allrecipes

New York Crumb Cake

I grew up eating a cake similar to this one. We called it coffee cake, but the creators of this recipe have decreed that term verboten, so crumb cake it is. The beauty of this cake is the layer of delicious brown sugar crumbs on top, mercifully almost as thick as the cake itself. There's no better way to begin the morning.


NEW YORK CRUMB CAKE

1 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Note: the first set of ingredients is for the crumb topping and the second is for the cake base

1. Preheat the oven for 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir until combined. Fold in flour until incorporated. Set bowl aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

4. Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter. Gradually add in sugar, beating well. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add sour cream and then vanilla, mixing until just combined. Incorporate dry ingredients into batter in three batches, mixing between each addition. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

5. Crumble brown sugar mixture over the batter, trying to get an even top layer.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. Allow to cool overnight.

Source: Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented

Waffles

What's there to say about these waffles? Other than they are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Waffles are a great throw-together-at-the-last-minute meal (or, in my case, a I-forgot-to-go-grocery-shopping-again meal), because the ingredients are all things I have hanging around my pantry. They whip up pretty fast, too. This is a great base recipe that can be tinkered and experimented with. Try adding mini chocolate chips, or bacon pieces. Express yourself!

BASIC WAFFLES

• 1 egg
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Add in flour and beat until smooth. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, one at a time, blending well before each addition. The batter should be completely free of lumps and should have the consistency of buttermilk (not too thin, not too thick).

2. Cook waffles in accordance with your waffle maker's instructions. I have the Cuisinart waffle maker. I set my machine to it's highest setting, and pour in 1/3 c batter at a time. I get about five waffles from one batch of this recipe. Your mileage may vary.

Source: Allrecipes

Recipe Monday: Yankee Bastard Cheese Grits

I'm not native to the land of the grits, northern girl that I am. In fact, I'd never tasted grits until I decided to make them. It didn't go well, but I was committed to making it better. And so I tried dozens of batches until I came up with this cheesy combo. It's now one of our favorite things, and my husband requests it regularly. Since it's so easy and quick to make, I'm more than happy to oblige.

I'm quite certain my version of cheese grits would be enough to make a proper southern cook faint a little. I do it all wrong. I gather from my research that "real" cheese grits are to be baked, something I saw as an unnecessary extra step, especially if you're trying to get breakfast on the table lickity split. I use quick-cook grits rather than their more revered stone ground cousin because of availability issues. That said, if you can look past the inauthentic-ness of things, I think you'll find these grits are worth it.

YANKEE BASTARD CHEESE GRITS

• 2 1/4 c. water
• salt for the water
• 1/2 c. quick cook (not instant) grits
  
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 c. pepper jack cheese, grated

1. In a 2 quart sauce pot, lightly salt the water and let it come to a roiling boil. Add the grits and bring the water down to a medium-low heat. Stir grits for about 30 seconds, until boiling subsides a bit, and then cover. Continue cooking the grits over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

For grits newbies, if you are unsure whether your grits are done, give them a quick taste. If you feel like you are chewing on half-cooked rice, it could probably use another minute or two. Grits are done when they are soft.

2. Turn the heat down to low. Add your cheeses, starting with the cream cheese, making sure each is melted and well-combined with the gits before adding the next. Serve immediately.

What's great about this recipe is that you can tweak it to accommodate whatever you have on hand. I've used mozzarella, swiss, and even processed American cheese slices. I've never received a complaint, although the recipe above is our favorite combination. I like to serve these grits with scrambled eggs topped with salsa. Yum.

Just as a side note, I've included a picture of what my "half cup" of cheddar cheese sometimes looks like. We're cheese fiends over here. If you want to increase the amount of cheese in this recipe, you'll get nothing but respect from me!

Source: Cats and Casseroles original recipe