Grits is one of those staple items you'll find in every household once you've past the mason-dixion line. For those Yanks' not familiar, grits is something like a porridge and filling like an oatmeal. Made of alkali-treated corn or 'hominy', grits is a hop skip and a jump from corn meal and polenta (all 3 are made from stone ground corn but different types of corn).

I have had a tremendous amount of southern hospitality these past few weeks, as I've been on tour through out the country with The Sun Flights and we've had grits prepared for us most often as cheesy grits. Theres truly nothing like waking up and starting your day with a hot pot of grits.

You can do a lot with grits as its a blank slate that can be dressed up just about any way you'd like, putting a fried egg on top (mixing it in raw egg creates a scrambled texture), grilled veggies, shrimp, cheese or even brown sugar and cinnamon, anything goes! The most fantastic thing about grits is that it is CHEAP. The simple unassuming cardboard box holds a bounty of choices and eating a filling hot breakfast for under a buck is what its all about. They are also very easy to prepare and can be ready in under 5 minutes!

Cheesy Grits

2 cups water

1 cup milk (optional)

1 cup grits

1 teaspoon butter

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Bring water & milk to a boil. Add grits and cover for 5 minutes. Stir in Cheddar and desired seasonings. I like to stir in an egg if you want a protein rich breakfast!