I love Southern food.

One of the most common breakfast/brunch items on a Southern menu is grits. Grits are just cornmeal cooked in water, similar to polenta. I love the creamy texture of grits, and they also happen to be naturally gluten free! With a poached egg and some seasoning they make an awesome, stick-to-your-ribs brunch.

Grits are commonly cooked with cheese to make them even more creamy and comfort-food-y. And you can add any number of spices or herbs to the pot to give them a unique and interesting spin. This is one of my favorite ways to make them.

Here’s what you’ll need to make a brunch to feed 4 people:

• 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal or grits
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 small bunch green onions
• 1/2 a red onion, diced
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp thyme
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt to taste

To make this awesome brunch, begin by boiling the grits in 4 cups of water. Add the thyme and salt and let boil for 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Right at the last minute add the cheese and stir it in thoroughly. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper to taste. Ladle one fourth of the grits into each persons bowl.

For the topping, dice the red onion and chop the green onions finely. Set them aside and let each person add however much they like to their bowls. The last step is to poach the eggs, one per person.

Poaching eggs can be tricky. But here are some tips to help you get the best results. Adding a dash of vinegar to the water can help the eggs hold together. Also, make sure the water is not boiling too violently. It should be simmering just hot enough so that you can see movement in the water, but not boiling so much that it bubbles and pops. Crack the egg into the bowl of a ladle and slowly tip it in to the water. Leave it for about 3 minutes to cook. Then remove with the ladle and make sure you drain the water out before adding it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

Once each bowl is topped with a nice poached egg, they’re ready to eat! Enjoy!

Author: Kathryn Muyskens

Editor: Emily Bartran

Photo: Northamerica1000/Wikimedia Commons