Optional garnish: sliced green onions; chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the salt, and then gradually stir in the grits. Lower the heat to medium-low or low, and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the butter, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, diced pimentos, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Let cool for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the eggs and milk to the grits; whisk well to combine.
Pour the grits mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top.
Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes – 1 hour, until just set. Garnish with sliced green onion or chopped fresh parsley and serve!
Notes
Add salt to the liquid right before you add the grits so that the grits absorb the seasoning as they cook.
Cook the grits over low or medium-low heat, whisking constantly so that your grits don’t clump together or stick to the bottom of the pot.
Use a block of cheddar that you grate by hand (rather than a package of pre-shredded cheese). The block-style cheese will melt smoother into the grits, and will have a better flavor.
Bake the casserole until it's just set. Baking it for too long can cause it to dry out. Metal pans cook the casserole faster (and will likely be done by the 45-minute mark), while glass and ceramic pans require a bit longer in the oven.