Help, I’m drowning in squashes!  It’s the time of year when gardens seem to be overflowing with summer squash and zucchini. Co-workers leave extras in the break room, every booth in the farmer’s market has them, and they’re in your CSA box. Unless you like eating the same thing all day every day, you have to get a little creative! We’ve tried sauteeing them, roasting them, even baking zucchini bread with them, but this recipe has been the standout that has become a regular in our weekday dinner (or brinner) rotation.

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Grit bowls have been popular in my household ever since my husband and I were in grad school and on a very tight budget, because grits are delicious, cheap, and can help stretch just about anything into a filling meal. If you make a bowl of grits, all you have to do is add vegetables, eggs, and maybe some cheese to have a satisfying, filling, generally healthy breakfast-for-dinner. For this version, I add goat cheese to the grits to give them a tangy flavor and smooth texture, and sautee the squash with onions, garlic, and paprika before serving them in a bowl with eggs. It does take a few extra pans to make, but it is a quick and easy meal that can be made almost entirely with ingredients you have laying around the kitchen.

 

photo 2Goat Cheese and Summer Squashes Grit Bowl

(serves 2)

2 cups water

1/2 cup stone ground grits (I use the Crook’s Corner grits)

approximately ¼ of a log of Celebrity Dairy pure goat cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

about ¼ lb of summer squashes, chopped (zucchini, yellow squash, and pattypan all work well)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small yellow onion, diced

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp smoked sweet paprika

4 eggs, cooked however you like (we prepare ours over easy)

 

photo 31. Bring the water to a boil. Whisk in the grits and reduce the heat.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

2. While the grits cook, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic, and cook until translucent.  Add the squashes, salt, pepper, and paprika, and sauté for another 10-15 minutes.

3. Serve the grits in bowls, topped with the squash mixture and eggs.  Consume immediately.

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