Looking for something special to serve for a holiday brunch? This Redneck Quiche is delicious. Actually, it isn’t anything like that wonderful, delicate French egg pie that real men don’t eat; it has some of the same ingredients – eggs, cream, and cheese - but the end result is a creamy grits-based casserole full of sausage, spinach, and lots of cheese (Rednecks won’t know the difference, and the rest of us won’t care). Once baked, this yummy casserole can be wrapped tightly and frozen for a week or so, which makes it nice for those who are busy during the holidays (who isn’t?). Another bonus: this casserole is big enough to serve 18-24 hungry guests, so if you’re having a big crowd, you won’t run out. If you don’t need to serve that many people, prepare it in two or three smaller casserole dishes and freeze them for later use.

Although I always cook regular grits in the slow cooker, you could use quick grits instead, to save time (remember, though, quick grits are a travesty in the south and they are never as creamy and good). You can also vary the meat in this dish – substitute hot sausage, ham, or bacon. If you want it a little spicy, use pepper jack cheese, or you can use sharp cheddar, Asiago, or other favorite cheeses. Hands-on time is minimal; and this dish goes together quickly. Serve fresh seasonal fruit, biscuits, muffins or scones, and a fancy holiday breakfast drink to complete the menu.

24 Servings

1 cup regular uncooked grits
3 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
3 eggs

1 pound breakfast sausages
1 10 oz. package spinach
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1. Measure the uncooked grits, water, chicken broth, and salt into a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
2. Stir well, cover, and set the slow cooker to high; let cook one hour.
3. Stir, then turn the slow cooker to low and let cook at least four hours, stirring once or twice during cooking.
4. Meanwhile, brown and drain the sausage; set aside.
5. When the grits are cooked, stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese (reserve the other two cups for the top).
6. Whisk together the eggs in a bowl, and add dribbles of the grits mixture, whisking so that the eggs don't cook.
7. Once the eggs are incorporated into a cup or so of the grits, whisk the egg mixture back into the grits in the slow cooker.
8. Stir in the sausage, spinach, and black pepper.
9. Preheat the oven to 350°.
10. Spray a 9" x 13" casserole dish with non-stick spray and dust it with a light sprinkling of cornmeal
11. Pour the grits mixture into the dish and spread evenly; top with the reserved 2 cups of cheddar cheese.
12. Bake 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is golden.
13. Remove from the oven and let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.
14. If freezing, let cool thoroughly, wrap tightly and freeze. Remove from the freezer several hours before reheating for about 30 minutes at 350°.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 192 Calories from Fat 127
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 66% Protein 20% Carb. 14%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 14 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 68 mg
Sodium 509 mg
Total Carbohydrate 7 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 10 g

Vitamin A 23% Vitamin C 6% Calcium 0% Iron 4%