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SubscribeSeared Cheese Grits with Caramelized Onion*
OMGawd. Don’t these look amazing?! It’s Friday and obviously I haven’t been here as much as I should be lately. I just keep getting sucked into rerun marathons of Big Bang Theory and eating cans and cans of Pringles.
So I called on my girl Ann, from Cooking Healthy For Me, to come fill in for the day. Ann is like this total fireball of energy and I freakin love it. She (and her blog) are all about being ass friendly, all.the.time. I wish I was as committed as she is!
I recently got to meet Ann in person and found out that she lives right down the road from me! Which reminds me, Umm Ann? Why the heck didn’t you bring me some of these amazing cheesy grit caramelized onion babies??!
Anywho, read on to learn more about Ann and how to make these 100 calorie Seared Cheese Grits with Caramelized Onion. I’ll be back next week with something seriously sugar laden…unless my couch swallows me whole.
xoxo, Jess
On Jessica’s “about me” page, she mentions that she believes that sugar, not oxygen fills her blood. I think she’s right. She is one of the sweetest people I know! She’s also has the right mix of crazy & cute that keeps me coming back to her blog again and again!
My name is Ann and I am the Food Nerd over at Cooking Healthy For Me. I like pink sneakers, diet sodas, grocery shopping, my honey bunny …and food!
What I don’t like is “health food”. When my doctor mandated that I HAD to change my ways or suffer immediate and life-threatening consequences, I asked her, “but what about my cooking?”
I decided then and there that I was going to pick up the challenge and make TASTY food that is also good for you! After all, I’m a real girl, with real curves, who likes REAL food! I am not interested in eating cardboard no matter how good it is for you!
I’ve also been in an appetizer mood, so I’ve been making them! Dinner? Appetizers and a salad! Lunch? I just happen to have some appetizers right here! Guest post? Awesome! I’ve got an appetizer on my mind for that one, too!
Thank you Jessica for asking me to guest post for you – I had a BLAST making these! Rock ON, girlfriend!
Seared Cheese Grits with Caramelized Onion
Yield: 18 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup instant grits
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
Cooking spray
2-3 sweet onions, quartered and sliced (enough for about 4-5 cups)
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
roasted red pepper cut into small strips, for garnish
parsley for garnishDirections:
Bring chicken stock to a boil (if you’re not using homemade stock add a flavor enhancer to the canned stock). Once the chicken stock is boiling, add the grits, stirring constantly. Bring it back up to a boil.
Bring the heat down to low and cover, stirring occasionally for five minutes. Add the cheeses and salt, stir till smooth. Pour grits into a 8x11 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and spray the pan for about 3 seconds with non-stick spray. Add the onions and spray the top of the onions with non-stick spray for about 3 seconds as well. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to sauté the onions until they start to caramelize. Once the onions just start to color, add a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Continue to sauté until well caramelized, stirring frequently – around 10-15 minutes. If the onions start to get dry – rather than add any more oil or spray – add a tablespoon of water as needed and continue to cook.
Meanwhile, heat another non-stick pan over medium high heat. Remove the grits from the refrigerator and cut into 18 pieces. When the pan is hot, spray the GRITS on one side and put spray side down on the pan – sauté until golden brown, spray the top side and flip. Continue to sauté the other side until golden brown.
Plate the seared grits square and top with a couple of tablespoons of caramelized onions. Add a small strip of roasted red pepper and a sprig of parsley. Serve immediately.
1 piece: Calories 100, Fat 2.2g, S.Fat, .9g, Cholesterol 3.8mg, Carbs 17g, Fiber 1g
Nutritional information was calculated using SparkRecipes.comCHFM Original
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Alison@Mama Wants This — March 16, 2012 @ 12:16 am
Ann, these look yummy! It’s great to see you here, I’m a big fan of Jessica’s.
Susie — March 16, 2012 @ 12:29 am
These look fantastic… love love love grits. They sound delicious and I’m glad I got to pop over and check out this fantastic blog.
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious — March 16, 2012 @ 2:34 am
Isn’t it the best when you make healthy food that actually tastes AH-MAZING?
Vicki Bensinger — March 16, 2012 @ 4:57 am
Your recipe combination sounds fantastic. Way to go Ann. This sounds like a winner and I’m sure it tastes amazing!
Priyanka — March 16, 2012 @ 5:20 am
Yummy, the recipe sound fantastic and very tempting. Beautiful photos
Liz — March 16, 2012 @ 6:37 am
So wonderful to find Ann on your lovely blog! This appetizer isn’t only beautiful, I bet it’s delicious~
Erika - The Teenage Taste — March 16, 2012 @ 7:22 am
I love making homemade grits and they taste pretty good, but usually they aren’t as visually appealing as these! I’ll have to try searing the grits sometime!
Gen — March 16, 2012 @ 7:55 am
cheese grits? caramelized onion? sounds perfect!
Charlene — March 16, 2012 @ 8:56 am
Grits, grits, how many ways can you make grits? Being a Girl Raised In The South (GRITS), I grew up eating them about once a day, breakfast or supper, in some shape or form. Lovely recipe and pictures and you can bring them over any old time you want!!
Millivers Travels — March 16, 2012 @ 11:41 am
When I saw these in the photo, I thought of one of my favorite foods – polenta – and assumed that’s what it was. I’ve only tried grits once (gourmet grits in a fancy restaurant) and have never cooked with them. But this recipe sounds doable. If it tastes anything like polenta, I know I’ll love it. (And the caramelized onions are a genius touch.)
I’m impressed that you MADE UP this recipe. Looks like it belongs in a magazine!
The Novice Chef is a really fun site and Jessica’s a blast. I’m glad I got exposed to it by following Ann over here.
Lacy @ NYCityEats — March 16, 2012 @ 12:09 pm
Mmm look at all that cheesy goodness going into these grits! You did an awesome job Ann! I wish I lived close to you guys – you’d totally have the biggest food moocher around!
You both have amazing blogs!! Holy yum!
Eva kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com — March 16, 2012 @ 2:06 pm
What a gorgeous appi and perfect because it’s warming up to a balmy 20°C in Toronto this weekend. You can bet we’ll be having a few cocktails and snacks on the back deck. Have a great weekend.
Alida — March 16, 2012 @ 2:36 pm
Ann makes the most amazing things – these grits look fantastic!
Laura — March 16, 2012 @ 2:43 pm
No ya’ll didn’t. Cheesy grits? That are ass-friendly? Holy Macaroni! Sold.
Cassie — March 17, 2012 @ 1:03 am
100 calories? I’m all over this. LOVE it!
Nami | Just One Cookbook — March 17, 2012 @ 4:22 am
Hi Jessica! I came from Ann’s blog. You guys live close to each other? How awesome! Ann, what a great appetizer dish with caramelized onion. Yum! I really like your way of healthy eating and learned so much already!
Nice to meet you Jessica!
CJ @ Morsels of Life — March 17, 2012 @ 1:38 pm
Cheese grits with caramelized onions? How can I resist?!?
Magic of Spice — March 17, 2012 @ 7:19 pm
Hi Jessica, great guest post
These are just delightful Ann! I have not had grits in years, my dad loves them and I had them growing up. This is a beautiful way to enjoy them!
Megan {Country Cleaver} — March 18, 2012 @ 11:47 am
Ass friendly indeed!! I’m ashamed to say I’ve never had grits before with cheese and caramelized onions on top – I’m so there. Bam.
JulieD — March 20, 2012 @ 12:40 pm
Ann, these look amazing!! Wow! I love cheese grits and if they are ass friendly…yay!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious — March 20, 2012 @ 12:53 pm
Yummza, these would be awesome with some BBQ, but then its adios
to the 100 calories:)
Jen at The Three Little Piglets — March 21, 2012 @ 8:25 pm
Aw! So happy to see you two working together!!
Gerardo — March 25, 2012 @ 7:24 pm
you are gorgeous!! Great recipe also!
Bharati Naik — October 27, 2012 @ 7:30 am
Yummmy…..!!!!!!!I love making homemade grits and they taste pretty good… I will try to make today itself…