"A Man Full of Grits is A Man of Peace"

What's a Grit? I will never forget the first time time that someone asked me that question. (yes, it has happened more than once) My first thought was "Bless his heart, didn't his momma ever cook breakfast for him?"

Grits are as common on a Southern table as fleas on a dog's back. Growing up, it never occurred to me that grits weren't available everywhere. Then as a young bride I left the South...and eventually went to a restaurant...and asked for grits...and got a weird look from a waitress. I should have known better when I didn't see any Waffle Houses around.

Speaking of restaurants, the other day my sister in law (in South Carolina) went to McDonalds to order the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal that I've been raving about. This was before we were aware that my area is a test-market for the stuff. When she ordered oatmeal, the lady behind the counter said, "Oatmeal? Honey, we don't even carry grits!" ~GRIN~

So, let us first ask the right question, Grasshopper. It is not, "What is a grit?" The proper question is, "What are grits?"

Grits are made from milled corn, which is boiled to soften and then traditionally seasoned with salt and butter. This dish is based on a Native American preparation of corn, making it truly American fare. But, similar dishes such as Polenta (Italy) and Fungee (Caribbean) exist around the world.

Grits have had such a deep cultural impact in my home state that the South Carolina Legislature passed a bill in 2000 to name them the official food of the state.

Whereas, throughout its history, the South has "relished its grits", making them "a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality"; and

Whereas, every community in the State of South Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its products; and

Whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and

Whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world, if, as The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: "An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace". Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 1-1-703. The official state food is grits."

I told you grits were a big deal!

Do you remember "My Cousin Vinny"? I love Marissa Tomei in that movie! (The edited for TV version, thank you.) I can just see her in the witness stand explaining positraction and limited slip differentials. During the trial, one of the witnesses (who is identified in the screen play as "grits cook") says, "No self-respectin' Southerner uses instant grits, I take pride in my grits."

I have to disagree, sort of. Although I'm not a huge fan of the instant variety, quick grits are perfectly acceptable. And, they cook in five minutes instead of twenty. You won't find the long cooking version outside of grits country anyway.

If you have never tried grits, give them a chance. Cheese Grits are fun too, after your grits have cooked to package directions, just throw in some Velveeta and stir to melt. But, if you really want to go all out, try my Cheese Grits Casserole recipe below. I always make it for the team that we take to Mississippi every Summer to help with continued Katrina relief.

Cheese Grits Casserole

4c. Water
1c. Quick Grits
Salt to taste
1 Stick Butter
6-8 oz. Velveeta
2 eggs
Milk

Place water, grits and salt in a large saucepan and whisk (no one likes lumpy grits). Heat just to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add margarine and cheese, stir until melted. Set aside. Beat eggs with enough milk to make 1 cup. Add egg mixture to grits and combine. Pour into an 8x8 casserole and bake at 325° for 1 hour.

Remember...eating grits will contribute to world peace. Wouldn't you love to be a part of that solution?

I Think My Howdy Was Busted

It appears that I have been going through a bit of an identity crisis for the past, oohh...13 years. Yep, it took me that long to figure it out. Let me explain.

There are several ways to know when you have officially reached the South. One is the appearance of Sweet Tea, Grits, or Fried Green Tomatoes on a menu. Another (in my humble opinion) is the appearance of palm trees on the coast. (I cannot tell you how disturbing it was to me to visit a beach with no palm trees...I'm still not over it!) However, the most noticeable difference when you reach the South is the strangers who "speak" to you.

Now, in Southernese "speaking" to someone may not involve the use of the voice. But, it always involves eye contact, a nod and a smile. You "speak" to every person that you make eye contact with...it's just good manners.

Some years ago a friend of ours moved south from New York. He looked at me one day and asked, "Why is it that people I don't know keep coming up and saying hello to me?" **snicker** If only I could type in a New York accent.

Southerners who run into each other may "speak" as described above, or they may actually strike up a conversation including questions like, "How's your momma?" The Southerner asking the question may or may not know the other person's momma, it's just polite to ask.

Okay, back to my identity crisis. I have moved out of, then into, then back out of the South. The first time that I went to the mall in a non-Southern location I got lots of weird looks...because I was "speaking" to everyone I met. They had no inclination to "speak" back, and obviously thought I was off kilter a bit. I went home thinking that I had just encountered the rudest lot of people on the planet. It took me a while (I was young and not well-traveled) to realize that this was their culture. One day I decided, "Okay, when in Rome..." I taught myself to be in public without making eye contact or "speaking" unless necessary.

Then, I moved back South. I went to the grocery store for the first time, and looked at people funny because they were "speaking" to me...I had crossed over to the dark side. It didn't take long to get back in the groove again. Life is much more fun when you're sharing smiles with strangers!

Then, 5 years ago, I moved North again. I confess, I am a few miles south of the Mason-Dixon (hence my name), but trust me, this ain't the South. I told you a little more about where I live in my very first post.

I decided, once I got a feel for the culture here, that I would once again start actin' like a Roman and shrink into my cocoon. You know what I've discovered? I don't like it. It isn't who I am. Now, I am a self-declared, non-official student of culture. I love to learn about people all over the world and why they do what they do. But, I discovered that in my quest to be culturally relevant in this place, I had lost an important piece of myself.

So, one day last week I conducted my own little Sociological Experiment (paid a quarter for that word, yes ma'am.) I went on my weekly bargain run and made it a point to "speak" to every single person I encountered. You know what I learned? A few of them obviously thought I was one french fry short of a Happy Meal. And, a few were kind of startled. But, I got a grin out of more than half of them. I'm starting a revolution, baby!

Hello, my name is Amy. I am a Southerner...and I say "Hey, There" to people that I don't know!

A Little Structure...

I've had some ideas brewing over the past few weeks. I know, scary isn't it? I'm thinking over some regular weekly posts. My goal is to blog with a little more intentionality. I tend to write in spurts, based on inspiration. That kind of blogging is fun, and I enjoy randomness enough to keep doing it. But, I also think it would be good to put a bit of a framework into place. Something upon which to hang my randomness, so to speak :)

So, beginning tomorrow, I will be posting "Freebie Friday" on a weekly basis. I made a little game with myself to see just how much free stuff I could score in one week. I have never tracked my savings in the past. And, I must say I am surprised at all the goodies I have. I will be posting photos and descriptions of my loot. There will also be links to my favorite online freebies for the week.

Another posting series on Southernness (I just made that up.) will likely be making an appearance before too long. I'm still piddling with the details on that one. But, let's take this one step at a time, shall we?

I hope you enjoy the new posts. Let me know if you have any ideas!



(Photo courtesy of Bing image search.)

"Good For You" Southern Style Green Beans

A few months ago we had some friends over for dinner. While going back for seconds "Tom" said, "These green beans are fantastic, I cannot stand the ones that come out of a can." I laughed and confessed that those green beans had indeed come out of a can.

This recipe is a result of my efforts over the years to make Southern-style food that doesn't clog your arteries. I promise, you'll love them! I am pretty faithful to Hanover's Blue Lake Green Beans. Allen Green Beans are good as well. But, use whatever is in your stockpile.

Canned green beans (amount appropriate for you)
Olive Oil
Cavendar's Greek Seasoning

Empty beans, liquid and all, into appropriately sized pot on medium heat. Add olive oil, I never measure but I would say 1 Tablespoon for every pound of beans. Then add Cavendar's. Again, I don't measure, but start with 1/2 teaspoon per pound and add more if you like later in cooking. I'm sure I use more than that. Now, stir well and let them simmer for a couple of hours on the stove, but make sure to not let them cook dry. I stir often. This disturbs some folks because the beans start to cook down and fall apart instead of keeping their "cut bean shape"...but that's the way we Southerners like them!

Life As Mom is having a Thanksgiving recipe swap today...go over and check it out!

Hostess Gifts 101

A Southern Girl would never, ever go to a someone's home empty-handed! Hostess gifts are a small way to show appreciation to a family who has opened their home and their lives to you. An invitation into someone's home is a great gift, one that is shared too infrequently in this age of hustle, bustle busyness.

As mentioned in an earlier post, I keep a gift closet from which to draw hostess gifts on-demand. I save money this way because I stock my gift closet with bargains. Some of these come from stores like TJ MAXX and HOMEGOODS. Others are deep discounts that I find througout the year. The day after Christmas is one of my favorite days to stock up. I often skip Black Friday, but never miss the sales on December 26th. For example, I always visit Bath and Body Works on that day. Many items go for $2 to $5 and gift sets are usually 75% off. I often get coupons from this chain for "$10 off of a $30 purchase". For about $20 I can usually pick up 6 to 8 hostess or "just because" gifts.

An assortment of gift bags (many recycled from gifts we've received) and different colors of tissue are also on hand. I do not like to pay retail price for wrappings. The prices are INSANE!

I know it might seem like all I do is shop. Not really, I just keep my bargain radar up when I'm out and about. It is amazing what I can find if I just pay attention! For example, yesterday I went to the mall to exchange some jeans for one of the kiddos. Lo and behold, Yankee Candle had their Fall scented candles (my favorites) on sale, buy 2 jars and get 1 free. Because I had my handy-dandy coupon binder in the car (to be explained in a later post), I had the "$10 off of a $25 purchase" coupon that came in the mail earlier this week. I purchased 3 candles that retail for $14.99. I paid $21.18, a savings of $25. They are snug in my gift closet until I need them.

To be completely honest, stocking up on bargains allows me to give nicer gifts.

Hostess Gift Ideas:
-Candles and/or Candleholders
-Picture Frames
-Quality Liquid Hand Soaps for Bath or Kitchen
-Cookbooks
-Nice Kitchen Linens
-Food Gifts From Your Kitchen
-Plants (if you need last-minute gift)
-Gourmet Oil, Honey or Preserves
-Specialty Coffees or Teas
-Fun Board Games

Don't forget your hosts during the holidays or any other time of year!

Southern Roots Run Deep

I was born and raised in South Carolina. So was my dad, and his dad, and his dad, and his dad. My Great-Great Grandfather is buried about 5 miles from my parent's home. I am the first in my family in several generations to live outside of that small town. My Southern roots run deep. I love my heritage. I have lived away from the South for 10 of the 15 years that I have been married...but I will always be a Southern girl.

My husband and I have been living in Maryland for almost 5 years now. We love this area! Despite being a few miles south of the Mason-Dixon line, it is not the South (I don't care what the natives say!) But, this is our home. The Maryland countryside is some of the most lovely I've seen. There is an unbelievably eclectic mix of people here. The number of heart languages spoken within a 25 mile radius of my home is astounding. There are people from all walks of life. My neighbors are farmers, teachers, doctors, politicians, surveyors, contractors, and governments employees. It is an easy drive to more landmarks of historical significance than I can count. We love to visit Gettysburg and Harper's Ferry for a family day out.

We have two precious boys. The oldest is a fourth grader, the youngest is in preschool. We are also on the journey to adopt a daughter from China, who is already in our hearts although we have not yet seen her face. I am learning more and more each day what a joy it is to be a mom. I am learning about the things that really are important. I am finding out more about myself, some things that are good and many that need improvement.

Faith is a huge part of our lives. God has blessed our family immeasurably. The greatest gift that He has given us is the sacrifice of His Son. Our purpose is to bring glory to Him in all things. I get off track often, but He is patient to correct me and bring me back to focus. I do not believe in religion, that will get you nowhere. But, being in a relationship? Now there is something that matters!

I am also learning new ways to be frugal. Many years ago a friend informed me that her husband had said that I could pinch a penny until Abe Lincoln screamed. If he could only see me now! I actually get a charge when I use so many coupons at the grocery store that the manager has to come out and approve my purchase. Who needs drugs when you can get a rush like that for free?

I like to cook, read and run. I am a novice cake decorator. I enjoy infusing bits of Southern tradition and hospitality into my life here. And honestly, I just love sharing new ideas that I've come across. So, this blog will be a conglomeration of things that I just want to share: recipes, bargains, thoughts on adoption, matters of faith, tips on how to save a buck...

So, join me on the journey. And please, share with me what you have learned as well. Most of my posts are not likely to be earth-shattering. But, life is rarely dull just south of the Mason-Dixon ;)