Creamed Chipped Beef and Grits

I don't know why more people haven't done this, but creamed chipped beef and grits has to be my fave breakfast.

I have eaten creamed chipped beef my whole life. I just thought it was big everywhere, but no, outside of the military. And I've never been in the military so I don't know (they wouldn't want me anyway). Apart from the Stouffer's frozen creamed chipped beef (which tastes pretty good), I rarely have seen it outside of Bawlmer. In fact, I don't think I've seen it outside of Bawlmer. They certainly hadn't heard of it in California when I lived there. Whenever I asked if they'd heard of it, most people were like "What the hell is that?" Maybe if I called it "shit on a shingle" people would know what I was talking about.

My mother makes it with the local brand, Esskay.* She cooks it in butter, or a reasonable facsimile, adding milk and flour, until the edges curl. Other than salt, that's it. The recipe behind this link at About.com's Southern food website calls for onions, mushrooms, Cheddar cheese and sour cream, but I prefer mine much less fancy. Again, that's the only way I know it. Not that I wouldn't try it with the other stuff at some point.

Said recipe also calls for toast or rice. I have always eaten it on bread or toast if anything; my father prefers it on mashed potatoes. But only recently, thanks to my slightly unhealthy obsession with Paula's Home Cookin', have I thought to put it over grits. I love grits, but I admit I hadn't eaten much of them, er, it - I'm surprised I haven't seen it much around here, or maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. That is, I hadn't eaten much until I visited my cousin and his wife in Augusta a few years ago. She made cheese and grits for the girls and I had some. Yum! So I love the stuff. But I have little patience to do anything in the morning, so the quick grits is the only type you'll find in my kitchen cabinet. And it's so easy to make in the microwave! Merely put 3 T of quick grits to 3/4 cup of water or milk (I prefer milk - hey I wonder how cream woul make it taste?), stir and microwave for 4 minutes. Yes, I then mix in butter or a reasonable facsimile. And I do like mine thicker than not.

So there you have it: my favorite morning meal. I can't get enough of this stuff.

* Tried to put a link but their page is down right now. See if it's up yet at http://www.esskaymeat.com.