Grits

Grits refers to a ground-corn food of Native American origin, that is common in the Southern United States and eaten mainly at breakfast. Modern grits are commonly made of alkali-treated corn known as hominy.
Grits are similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world such as polenta. "Instant grits" have been processed to speed cooking.

Whole kernel grits are prepared by adding five or six parts boiling water (seasoned with salt - ¼ tsp. for each cup of water) to one part grits and cooking for 20-30 minutes. Grits expand when cooked and need periodic stirring to prevent sticking and lumps forming. Grits are most typically served seasoned with generous amounts of butter. On occasion they are served with grated cheese, butter, sausage, bacon, or red-eye gravy; it is significant that corn products are typically not served sweet.[citation needed] Grits may also be accompanied by fried catfish, salmon croquettes, and in the Low Country of coastal Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia, by shrimp as a traditional breakfast dish. Charleston-style grits are boiled in milk instead of water, giving them a creamy consistency.

Solidified cooked grits may be sliced and fried directly in vegetable oil, butter, or bacon grease, or they may be breaded in beaten egg and breadcrumbs first.

For one serving of Grits:
Boil 1.5 cups of water with salt and a little butter. [Use milk and they are creamier!).  Add 5 Tbsp of Grits.  Reduce to a simmer and allow the Grits to soak up all the water.  When a pencil stuck into the grits stands alone, it is done. That’s all there is to cooking grits.

How to make red eye gravy:
Fry salt cured country ham in cast iron pan. Remove the ham when done and add coffee to the gravy and simmer for several minutes. Great on grits and biscuits.

How to Eat Grits:
Immediately after removing your grits from the stove top, add a generous portion of butter or red eye gravy (WARNING: Do NOT use low-fat butter.) The butter should cause the Grits to turn a wondrous shade of yellow. (Hold a banana or a yellow rain slicker next to your Grits; if the colors match, you have the correct amount of butter.)

In lieu of butter, pour a generous helping of red eye gravy on your grits. Be sure to pour enough to have some left for sopping up with your biscuits. Never, ever substitute canned or store bought biscuits for the real thing because they cause rotten teeth and impotence.

Next, add salt. (NOTICE: The correct ration of Grit to Salt is 10:1 Therefore for every 10 grits, you should have 1 grain of salt.)

Now begin eating your grits. Always use a fork, never a spoon, to eat Grits. Your grits should be thick enough so they do not run through the tines of the fork.