Southwest Barley Grits Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN GRITS

Steps:

• Thaw the spinach and squeeze dry with paper towels. Drain the corn.
• Put water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave 7 minutes. Using a wire whisk or fork, stir in grits, taco seasoning, and onion. Microwave, uncovered, 4 minutes. Stir and microwave 2 minutes more.
• Stir in corn, spinach, margarine, and half of the cheeses.
• Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour grits mixture into the dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

SOUTHWEST BARLEY GRITS

Steps:

• Place 1/3 cup barley in the container of a blender; process until barley is coarsely ground (15-20 seconds); place ground barley in a large pan; repeat procedure with remaining barley.
• Cook barley over medium heat for 4 minutes or until toasted, stir often.
• Add in water, milk, honey, and salt; bring mixture to a boil.
• Lower heat; simmer 25 minutes or until barley is soft, stirring often.
• Add in cheese, chili powder, and chiles; cook 5 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly.
• Transfer mixture to individual bowls, top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream; serve with hot sauce.

SOUTHWEST CHEESE GRITS

Steps:

• In a large pan, combine 3 1/2 cups of water, the butter, jalapenos, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper and bring it to a boil. Add the grits and stir. Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring until the grits start to thicken. Add the sour cream, half of the Cheddar, and half of the Monterey jack and stir until creamy.
• Preheat the oven broiler.
• In a small skillet, add the remaining 1/4 cup water, green peppers, onions, and pimentos and cook over high heat until tender. Pour the grits mixture into a large flameproof casserole dish and top it with the cooked vegetables and ham. Add the remaining cheese on top and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted. Garnish each serving with scallions and tomatoes and serve immediately.