RECIPE: THREE CHEESE GRITS (SO EASY!)

Do you need something quick, easy, and comforting for breakfast or brunch during the holidays? This super fast grits recipe is perfect for Christmas morning or any holiday brunch because it's not only delicious, it's quick to fix and affordable, too.

I call these my 3G Grits; it is the Gouda, Gruyere, and Goat cheeses that take these grits from everyday to gourmet. You can use whatever combo of cheeses you have... it is the perfect way to use the leftover cheese you have hanging around in the fridge.

THREE CHEESE GRITS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups quick cooking grits or stone-ground grits; cooked to package instructions

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Gouda, coarsely grated

1/2 cup Gruyere, coarsely grated

1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Smoked paprika (optional, to lightly sprinkle on top)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Generously butter a shallow baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Make grits according to package directions. Stir in butter, heavy cream as the grits are almost done. Add the peppers, and stir in the cheeses, reserving a bit of each for the top. Stir until the cheese is almost completely melted and pour into the buttered dish.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

RECIPE: FLUFFY BEIGNETS

Pate a choux pastry is used to make all sorts of dessert deliciousness. Churros, éclairs, profiteroles, and even towering croquembouches are made from choux pastry. Beignets can also be made from choux but isn’t often used in the South; most chefs make the chewier, rolled yeast variety of beignets like they serve at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. I prefer a fluffy choux beignet which have been made famousby my buddy Panini Pete. If you make it to his place in Fairhope or Mobile, Alabama, you'll see an early morning line forming for Pete's beignets. They taste more like a hot doughnut and are delicious fried dough heaven. Sprinkled with Confectioners’ sugar while they are hot. Serve with a squeeze of lemon. These won’t hold well once your squeeze the lemon over them but then again, they’ll go so fast you won’t have to worry about that.

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FLUFFY BEIGNETS

Prep Time: 12 minutes   Cook Time: 7-8 minutes per batch

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups water

6 ounces unsalted butter

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

6 eggs, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Canola oil for frying

Food thermometer

Confectioners’ sugar and lemon wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS: 

Put canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat and bring it to 350 degrees F.

Mix the salt into the flour.  

Put the water and butter in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour all at one time to combine and form dough which will pull away from the side of the pan. Switch to a wooden spoon. Add the eggs, two at a time, blending well with the wooden spoon between each addition. Beat the dough with the wooden spoon until it goes from ‘slippery’ and glossy to matte.  Add the vanilla and stir to incorporate.

Scoop the dough with a small ice cream scoop and place in the hot oil. Take care not to over crowd the pot or the temperature of the oil will drop and your beignets will soak up oil. Fry for 7-8 minutes, turning the beignets around frequently in the oil. Drain on paper toweling.

Serve warm with a dusting of Confectioners’ sugar and lemon, lime, or orange wedges.

RECIPE: TRADITIONAL MILK PUNCH

In certain areas of the South, you’ll most certainly find  Milk Punch on the menu for brunch, especially during the Christmas and Mardi Gras seasons. I always make them for Christmas morning and I cannot wait to have Milk Punch when I travel to New Orleans; it is one of my travel traditions. Favorites are from Commander’s Palace and Arnaud’s. The one pictured is from Tableau; so good, I had two.

This recipe can easily be doubled or multiplied for a crowd. For a big batch, pour the ingredients into a gallon container with a lid and shake well. Pour into a chilled silver or glass punch bowl and serve over crushed ice.

TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS STYLE MILK PUNCH

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1

1 ½ ounces brandy (brandy is traditional but you may use bourbon if you prefer)

½ ounce dark rum (optional)

2 ounces whole milk

¼ cup heavy cream (omit for a lighter drink)

½ ounce simple syrup* (substitute 1 tablespoon powdered sugar if you don’t have or want to make simple syrup for 1 drink)

1/4  teaspoon vanilla extract

Freshly grated nutmeg

Crushed ice

DIRECTIONS:

Put the brandy, rum, milk, cream, simple syrup, and vanilla into a cocktail shaker filled ½ full with ice. Shake until sugar is completely dissolved.

Strain into glasses of crushed ice. Grate nutmeg over the top and serve.

*To make simple syrup: Add equal parts granulated sugar and water to a pot, bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once it comes to a boil, immediately remove it from the heat and allow it to cool before using. Store up to 2 weeks in the fridge.