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Here’s a plug for one of the unsung heroes of the food world.  Yes, I’m talking about grits.  I must admit, they weren’t on my radar until we visited our pals, Zach + Kacey, in Winston-Salem, NC, a couple years ago.

I’d never been served grits in my life.  And their name didn’t make them sound all that appealing, especially if you grew up watching Alice, where every episode Flo, the fiery red-headed waitress would exclaim, “Well [he/she] can KISS my grits!”  Watch a clip of Flo >

I didn’t want to eat what Flo was telling everyone to kiss – probably not an unnatural reaction.  Grits aren’t nearly as sexy as their Italian counterpart, polenta, although they’re essentially the same dish: ground corn porridge.

After one breakfast in W-S, served with a little Texas Pete, I became a fan.  Grits are really versatile.  ‘They’ can be plural or singular.  They work for any meal, despite being known as breakfast food.  You can eat them very simply, or with embellishments.  I really like them with cheddar, black beans, salsa and guacamole.  They’re delightful with sauteed vegetables and feta.  And of course cheesy grits as a side with eggs and bacon are terrific.

And the cooking time is really speedy.  Here’s my favorite preparation:

4 T quick grits
1 c broth (I usually heat up some water and add a tsp of veggie broth paste)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 sm. shallot, minced
dash of hot peppers
S+P

Bring broth to a boil and stir in remaining ingredients.  Reduce heat to med-low and cook 5-7 min, covered, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and serve.

“Ohhhh, he melts my butter.”
-on Daniel Craig as 007

Thai curry is the ultimate fast food. A similar recipe is on the back of most any curry paste container. Best of all – you can add anything and develop any flavor with the varieties. Panang, yellow, red or green. All the colors of the curry rainbow. This is what I had in the fridge.

3 T peanut oil
3-4 T curry paste
1 T chili paste
1 onion, sliced thinly
4 ribs celery, sliced diagonally
1 serrano pepper, sliced
1-2 T ginger, chopped finely
2 c cabbage, sliced thinly
2 T rice wine
1 can coconut milk
2 T fish sauce
1 T lime juice
1.5 T brown sugar
6 T chopped cilantro
brown rice

Make rice in advance.  Saute onions in peanut oil for 1-2 min, then add curry and chili pastes. Saute them for a bit, then add a splash of rice wine to deglaze the pan.  Add coconut milk and make sure paste is evenly distributed.  Bring it to a simmer, reduce heat then add other vegetables. When they’re crisp=cooked, add fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar.  Serve over brown rice with cilantro sprinkled on top.

I watched Laura and her family most afternoons when I got home from elementary school and have wanted to read the books for as long as I can remember.  I purchased the series with some Christmas money and am so glad I did.  First book: Little House in the Big Woods.

Pa, Ma and the girls teach simplicity, the importance of family (miss you, C!) and a good day’s work.  They made everything – cheese, the smokehouse for their hams, clothes and toys like the girls’ rag dolls and a ball made of a blown-up pig’s bladder.

Ma had ONE frivolous prized possession – her china doll.

Pa played his fiddle each night for the family’s entertainment.  They bathed once a week and lived in a couple rooms.  The attic was used to store food in the winter.  One piece of peppermint candy was a special treat.  Moderation was key.  Their lives depended on it.

We can easily incorporate these lessons in our daily lives, with a slightly different twist.  I’ll still bathe far more often than they, and am damn glad I don’t need to worry about panther attacks while I’m fetching water!

Up next: Farmer Boy, the story of Almanzo Wilder’s childhood on a farm in upstate New York.

Hoppin’ John is a traditional new year’s meal in the Southern U.S., thought to bring good luck and prosperity.  I was mostly concerned with the good luck – so far, so good.  It features black-eyed peas (legume, not band) and the frugal favorite, ham.

7-8 c cooked black-eyed peas*
5-6 c broth (veg or chicken)
1 c ham, chopped (or a ham hock if your butcher has them)
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1.5 c cooked rice (wild rice is excellent)
1 lg can diced tomatoes
3 ribs celery, chopped
3 jalapenos, chopped (remove the seeds from 1 or 2, depending on how hot you want it)
1 t paprika
1 t thyme leaves
1 t cumin
.5 t chili powder
1 T Worchestire sauce

After beans are cooked, or drained from the can as the case may be, set them aside.  Saute onions in 1-2 T of oil for 5-6 min, then add celery, peppers, garlic and saute for another few minutes.  Add tomatoes slowly as mixture starts to stick to pan.  Add remaining ingredients (except black-eyed peas and broth) and saute for another couple minutes.  Add beans and broth.  Simmer for a few hours for best flavor.

Delicious add-ons: chopped green onions, cheddar and hot sauce.

*Use dried beans to reduce sodium, save cash and reduce the use of tin cans.  Soak them overnight, rinse, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. If using a ham hock, boil it with the beans to create your broth.