Old Fashioned Creamy Grits & A Grits Bar

Last Saturday I was thrilled to be part of a fun event that kicked off the Carolina Blues Festival.  My friend Lee Mortenson, director of the Greensboro Farmers Market called me several weeks ago and asked me if I had any ideas on what kind of food we could serve during this event.  After a few minutes of sharing ideas, we had a plan ~ A Grits Bar!  With our friend Mary Lacklen joining the party, we were almost ready… we gathered our supplies, lots of fresh local produce from the market and prayed for a beautiful morning.

Our plan came together and it was amazing! We are so fortunate to have a fabulous resource for real stone ground grits right in our own back yard - 
The Old Mill of Guilford. 

 We also had a great source for fresh shrimp from the Carolina Coast.  A slight sauté with a little butter and a little olive oil was all that was needed.

Real stone ground grits take about 20 minutes to cook so I had my work cut out for me.  I had 3 pots going at a time and it was well worth the effort!

Creamy Grits

3 cups of water (chicken stock can be used for richer flavor)

3 cups of Half & Half

2 cups of stone ground grits

1/2 stick of butter

2 tablespoons kosher salt

• Bring water and 1/2&1/2 to a low boil.
• Add grits, stirring constantly.
• Cook on medium low heat until thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add salt and butter - stir to incorporate.  Adjust seasoning.
• Serve hot.

 We served up a delicious cup of creamy grits with toppings like shrimp, bacon, sausage, sautéed tomatoes with basil & scallions, cheese, sautéed kale along with fresh tomatoes and parsley.  Folks could choose what they liked and have a seat on the lawn and enjoy some great blues music.

It was a wonderful day shared with old and new friends! There's always something special in volunteering and spending time helping your community.

A big thank you to my friend, Jennifer McCollum for taking these great photos!