This is one of those casseroles that I like to make ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate for an easy to make dinner. I pop it into my toaster oven and dinner is ready without much effort on my part. The amounts listed below are for one chili cheese casserole with grits; simply multiply the quantities by the number of trays you need if you want to make more to freeze.
Ingredients
1/4 cup dry grits or polenta
1 cup whole milk (you can use water or skim milk if you want to cut calories, but it won’t be as creamy and delicious)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Enough olive oil to lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish
1 15-ounce can of your favorite prepared chili
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 green onions, both white and green parts
Addresses
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is cooking the grits. You can substitute instant grits if you’re in a hurry; just follow the directions on the instant grits package. Otherwise, put the milk and sea salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over low heat. Once the milk is hot, but not yet simmering, slowly mix in the dry grits. Cook over very low heat until thickened; this should take about 20-25 minutes.
Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Pour the prepared semolina into the dish and spread it evenly with a spatula. For the can of chilies prepared on the semolina. Evenly distribute the chili. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese all over the top. Cover the baking dish well, either with a lid or aluminum foil. You can cook the casserole immediately or move it to the freezer or refrigerator for later use.
Heat your toaster oven to 350 degrees F. A room temperature casserole should bake for about 30 minutes. One at refrigerator temperature will take about 50 minutes, and one frozen will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes. You should always check the internal temperature of any casserole and make sure it reaches 165 degrees F to make sure it’s safe to eat. Let cool slightly before serving.
Thinly slice green onions and sprinkle over cooked casserole just before serving.