- Layer 1 – 1/4 cup Jim Dandy Quick Grits seasoned with ground pepper, ground Himalayan pink salt and Tajin, cooked in 140 ml water plus 10 ml FU All the Time Bourbon for 2.5 minutes in microwave.
- Layer 2 – 3 Tbls crumbled Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage, cooked ahead of time
- Layer 3 – sprinkling of grated Carolina Reaper cheese
- Layer 4 – 3 Tbls Homemade Hoppin’ John, made from Publix brand black-eyed peas and Publix brand petite diced tomatoes with green chilis.
- Layer 5 – grated Colby Jack cheese
- Layers 2-5 added to cooked grits, then microwaved additional 1.5 minutes.
- Layer 6 – cherry tomatoes from the Pickens Flea Market, halved, and added at the end after everything else is cooked.
Lots of heat, kind of like descending the layers of Dante’s Inferno, but it’s quite tasty. 😊
Notes:
- Layer 1 – I use cheap quick grits. FU All the Time Bourbon is terrible stuff, not fit for sipping, but it’s OK for cooking. I figured this was the best way to get rid of it. Too expensive to just flush.
- Layer 2 – I buy a whole package of Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage and cook it all at once, stirring and crumbling as I go. I drain the sausage, then divide, putting 3 Tbls in small resealable bags and freezing. I pull out a bag and thaw as needed.
- Layer 3 – I’ve seen this at Walmart, but my sister-in-law keeps us supplied from her Winn-Dixie in Florida.
- Layer 4 – I make this from 1 can of Publix brand black-eyed peas, drained, added to one can of their petite diced tomatoes with chilis. I mix the two cans and keep it stored in a plastic container in the refrigerator, using as needed. It also goes well with macaroni cheese casserole. Publix brand peas (or any store brand) are inexpensive, but the Publix brand is kind of mushy, so some other brand might work better.
- I got the idea for black-eyed peas from a grits bowl I had at Tupelo Honey in Greenville. The combination worked.
- Layer 5 – Colby Jack is good, but I’ve also used a mix of mild cheddar and Monterrey Jack. I prefer block cheese that has been grated. The store bought pre-grated has some ingredient that keeps it from sticking together in the bag, so it doesn’t melt as smoothly. We often have leftover grated cheese from pizza or some other recipe, so I just keep it in the refrigerator until needed. In a pinch I’ll use pre-grated Mexican four-cheese blend.
- After I’ve cooked the grits I add the other layers and microwave an additional minute and a half so that the cheese melts and the Hoppin’ John warms up.
- Layer 6 – There are tomatoes in the Hoppin’ John, but I like a fresh pop of the cherry tomatoes added after everything is cooked.
By preparing things ahead I can put this together for breakfast in about five minutes.