Today, at work, I was doing some video editing work for a legal seminar. The video I was working with was from the movie "My Cousin Vinny" (Side note...WOW! I just noticed a flaw. Everyone knows a true Italian would spell Vinnie, V I N N I E not V I N N Y.)
Moving on...I was given free reign to choose whatever material I felt relative for the presentation and of course because I'm Italian, and a huge grits fan, I knew I had to start with the hysterical scene where Joe Pechi, classic Italian, asks: "regular, creamy, or al dente?"
Gambini: Eggs and grits. I like grits too. How do you cook your grits? You like 'em regular, creamy, or al dente?
Tipton: Just regular, I guess.
Followed by the response:
Tipton: No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.
My father, who was 100% Italian, and born in San Francisco, ate grits every day for breakfast as an adult. Who'd figure? They were instant grits, but that's not my point...
This is a man who would place syrup (still in it's plastic container) in boiling water every day, just so he could have warm syrup with his frozen Eggo Waffles. Obviously he had standards.
In regards to my father, he ate them "regular". That is provided we assume "regular" means butter, salt, pepper.
I reference Paula Deen quite a bit...I'm sure you have not noticed...ha ha. The simple fact is that Paula Deen and the Barefoot Contessa taught me how to cook. There is an episode of Paula's home cooking where she literally lines a metal disposable pan with store bought ice cream sandwiches. C L A S S I C.
With that said, I love grits, but I didn't do them justice until I saw Paula Deen make them for her recipe Breakfast in a Cup.
Butter, heavy cream, more butter...omg, I had no idea what I was missing.
So, once I used heavy cream in grits, I could not go back, which is regrettable, because, the simple fact is that fundamentally, regular grits, indeed are a very simple, low calorie, healthy, go to, instant breakfast and perfect for me at work. Thus, it was time to improvise with the staples found in most offices. Twenty minutes at home, not an issue, twenty minutes in the office, ha! I don't even have time to boil water.
With that said, here is my on the fly recipe I affectionately call:
Grits (that would make any self respecting southerner cringe...but boy are they good!)
Ingredients
1 package Quaker Instant Grits - Butter Flavor
1/2 cup hot water (preferably from the hot water dispenser on the office coffee pot)
Salt
Pepper
and...wait for it...
1 single serving of liquid half and half (the little 1 oz containers found everywhere)
Pour water into a coffee mug with salt, pepper and package of instant grits. Stir. Once at desired consistency, add half and half.
Just trust me. Honest.
Ciao
Ref:
The infamous dialog: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechmycousinvinny3.html
Breakfast in a cup: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/breakfast-in-a-cup-recipe/index.html
Frozen Banana Splits: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/frozen-banana-split-recipe/index.html
Gambini: Regular. Instant grits?
Followed by the response:
Tipton: No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.
My father, who was 100% Italian, and born in San Francisco, ate grits every day for breakfast as an adult. Who'd figure? They were instant grits, but that's not my point...
This is a man who would place syrup (still in it's plastic container) in boiling water every day, just so he could have warm syrup with his frozen Eggo Waffles. Obviously he had standards.
In regards to my father, he ate them "regular". That is provided we assume "regular" means butter, salt, pepper.
I reference Paula Deen quite a bit...I'm sure you have not noticed...ha ha. The simple fact is that Paula Deen and the Barefoot Contessa taught me how to cook. There is an episode of Paula's home cooking where she literally lines a metal disposable pan with store bought ice cream sandwiches. C L A S S I C.
With that said, I love grits, but I didn't do them justice until I saw Paula Deen make them for her recipe Breakfast in a Cup.
Butter, heavy cream, more butter...omg, I had no idea what I was missing.
So, once I used heavy cream in grits, I could not go back, which is regrettable, because, the simple fact is that fundamentally, regular grits, indeed are a very simple, low calorie, healthy, go to, instant breakfast and perfect for me at work. Thus, it was time to improvise with the staples found in most offices. Twenty minutes at home, not an issue, twenty minutes in the office, ha! I don't even have time to boil water.
With that said, here is my on the fly recipe I affectionately call:
Grits (that would make any self respecting southerner cringe...but boy are they good!)
Ingredients
1 package Quaker Instant Grits - Butter Flavor
1/2 cup hot water (preferably from the hot water dispenser on the office coffee pot)
Salt
Pepper
and...wait for it...
1 single serving of liquid half and half (the little 1 oz containers found everywhere)
Pour water into a coffee mug with salt, pepper and package of instant grits. Stir. Once at desired consistency, add half and half.
Just trust me. Honest.
Ciao
Ref:
The infamous dialog: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechmycousinvinny3.html
Breakfast in a cup: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/breakfast-in-a-cup-recipe/index.html
Frozen Banana Splits: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/frozen-banana-split-recipe/index.html
