I’ve been playing stay-at-home-mom this week. School starts next Monday, so I took this week off to spend with my kids before the fall chaos begins again. My week has been filled with sticker art, the new Winnie-the-Pooh movie, moving Oliver into his first real bed (a bunk bed!), thoughts of Jennie and her girls, breaking up arguments, donating to the Goodwill, lots of snack time, a little bit of pool time, many time outs, building forts out of cardboard boxes, making pancakes, listening to whining and bickering, organizing and cleaning, lots of cleaning.
These are the little ones who have kept me on my toes all week:
And this little girl has gotten into her fair share of mischief, too. But she’s so cute, it’s hard to get mad at her.
Though the new school year will bring homework, probably more than last year, it will also bring some semblance of routine back into our lives. I’m looking ahead to some busy weeks for all of us in this house but I think we can handle it all. Besides the homework issue, swimming lessons for both kids will resume. I’m headed out of town at the end of next week for a few nights (I’m speaking at a conference), and then I’ll start a busy 2-week stretch of call in the hospital on September 1st.
I wasn’t ready for fall when I posted this a couple of weeks ago, but I think I’m ready now. The summer’s stifling heat and humidity have chased me off my front porch, and I’m ready to get back to my early evening habit of sitting in my rocker with my iPad and a glass of something cool and refreshing, listening to the neighborhood noises.
Though autumn doesn’t technically begin until late in September, I consider this the last week of summer. And to celebrate the arrival of fall – or perhaps to mourn the end of summer – I made a dish combining my favorite comfort food – grits – with fresh tomatoes and corn. A bowl of this is all I need for a complete meal, but it could just as easily be a savory side dish.
What matters most is that there are grits, and grits always make me happy, regardless of season.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.
These grits make a great savory side dish or a simple and comforting main dish.
3 cups water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup white stone ground grits
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels (approximately 1 ear of corn)
2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
2 slices crisp-cooked bacon, chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Kosher salt
Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Bring water and milk just to a simmer in a heavy saucepan. Meanwhile, cover grits with water in a large bowl and whisk vigorously. Let stand for 30 seconds, then, using a fine-mesh sieve, skim off any chaff that has floated to the surface. Drain grits well in the fine-mesh sieve and whisk into the simmering milk.
Reduce heat to low and simmer grits, partially covered, stirring often with a heatproof rubber spatula, about 1 hour, until grits are tender and thickened to loose-oatmeal consistency. Stir more toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching.
While the grits are simmering, heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add corn, tomato, bacon, shallot, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of kosher salt. Stirring occasionally, cook until the shallot is translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
When the grits are tender and done simmering, stir in cream, butter, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir the corn and tomato mixture into the grits, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.