Amy's Sausage Grits

We kicked off our holiday season at the shop with our first annual Christmas Open House November 3-5. The shop was filled with entertaining essentials, gifts, tabletop decor and the aroma of cranberry punch, biscuits and sausage grits! We had numerous requests for the recipe for our sausage grits. I’m happy to share the recipe for this family favorite. It’s the perfect dish to serve for Christmas morning brunch!

If you’d like to try it yourself, join us Saturday December 3rd for Open House #2. Mimosas, a biscuit bar and sausage grits await you!

Ingredients

2 lbs Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
4 Cups Water
1 1/4 Cups Quick-Cooking Grits, uncooked
4 Cups (1 pound) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 Stick of Salted Butter
1 Cup of Half and Half
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
5 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
Garnishes: Tomato Wedges or Fresh Parsley

Instructions

1. Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles. Drain and set aside.

2. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan and stir in grits. Return to a boil and  add 1 Teaspoon of salt to the grits as they come to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from heat and add the cheese, salted butter, half and half, dried thyme, and garlic powder until the cheese melts. Stir in the sausage and eggs.

4. Pour mixture into a 4-5 quart round casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden and thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving and garnish with tomato wedges or fresh parsley.

5. Enjoy!