Sausage and Grits Breakfast Casserole

A few weeks ago I had to bring a breakfast dish to my monthly MOPS meeting. I usually take this opportunity to make new things and try them out on others. I know, I am totally the opposite of most people. I enjoy making new things when I have company. Anyway, the previous month we someone had brought a breakfast casserole with grits and sausage in it, and I wanted to make something like that. My friend Nancy at Casual Cuisine reminded me that she had a great recipe posted on her blog. I decided to use it. It called for a garlic cheese roll, which I have been told is nonexistent these days. So I changed the recipe to use a little garlic and some cream cheese. I also used Jiffy Cornbread mix instead of regular mix. This of course made it sweet. I honestly didn't love the sweetness, and next time I make this I will use a regular, non-sweet cornbread mix. But, having said that, I had multiple people seek me out for the recipe because they loved it so much. They loved the sweetness of the cornbread and saltiness of the sausage. So, I guess it was a hit the way I made it. Either way, you can't really go wrong with grits, sausage, and cheese, can you?

Sausage and Grits Casserole

adapted from Casual Cuisine originally from Tables of Content, a Junior League of Birmingham cookbook

Ingredients:

1 pound hot bulk sausage

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

2 cups cooked grits

1 3/4 cups milk, heated

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 (8-ounce) package corn bread mix (I used Jiffy, next time I will use regular.)

6-ounces cream cheese

1 TBSP minced garlic

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Directions:

Brown the sausage in a large skillet, stirring until crumbly; drain. Spread the sausage over the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese.

Combine the grits, warm milk, butter, corn bread mix, garlic, cream cheese, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce in a bowl and mix well. Pour the grits mixture over the prepared layers and chill, covered, for 8-10 hours. (I made mine the night before and placed it in the fridge overnight.)

Let the casserole stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the casserole for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10