Sometimes a new combination of ingredients is born from a comedy of errors. Last time I ordered groceries online, they were out of corn tortillas. I had requested green enchilada sauce, but ended up receiving red instead. So I considered making my own flour tortillas because I didn’t have any corn flour…but then I decided to simplify by improvising with another corn product. Why not use grits? Cheesy polenta would do nicely with some chicken and enchilada sauce.
I love making grits in the slow cooker. I start by boiling 4 parts chicken broth and whisking in one part corn grits in a saucepan. After cooking for a minute or two, I put that into the slow cooker on high for about an hour and 20 minutes. I whisk the mixture once or twice while cooking, but otherwise it doesn’t require any attention.
Well, on this occasion I had inadvertently used far too much liquid for the amount of grits. When I went to stir the grits after about 40 minutes, I realized my absent minded mistake. Oops! It happens, folks. Don’t panic. No need to start over. I just dumped it back into a saucepan and added more grits. It simply meant I needed to continue to whisk it on the stovetop for another 30 minutes before adding some grated cheese. No big deal. That being said, I ended up with a lot more grits than I had originally intended, so guess what we had for lunch the next day?
Leftovers are made for casseroles! Starting with a layer of polenta in a greased baking dish, I topped with chicken and sauce, followed by another layer of polenta. More sauce and cheese finished it off and then I put it in the oven for 30 minutes.
Of course there are numerous ways to reinvent leftover grits. Read No Waste Begets Big Taste for another idea.
Got an improv meal to share?
Your a creative food artist.
Thank you. Anyone can learn.