Toaster Oven Recipe – Chili Casserole with Cheddar and Grits

You need to try this easy casserole; it is just so tasty that it is hard to describe. The creamy grits and the gooey cheddar cheese are so good with the chili. The amounts listed below are for one Cheesy Chili And Grits Casserole; just multiply the amounts by the number of casseroles you need if you want to make extra casseroles for freezing. This way you will have dinner ready to pop in the toaster oven.

Ingredients for one Chili Grits and Cheddar Casserole

1/4 cup of dry grits or polenta

1 cup of whole milk (you can use water, chicken stock or skim milk if you want to decrease the calories, but it won’t be as creamy and delicious)

1 teaspoon of sea salt

Enough extra virgin olive oil to lightly grease an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish

1 15 ounce can of your favorite pre-made chili

1/2 cup of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

4 scallions, both the white and green parts

Directions

The most time intensive part of this casserole recipe is cooking the grits. You can substitute instant grits if you are in a hurry; just follow the directions on the package of instant grits. Otherwise, put the whole milk and sea salt in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and heat over a low flame. Once the milk is hot, but not yet simmering, slowly whisk in the dry grits. Cook over a very low flame until it thickens; this should take about 20 to 25 minutes. There is nothing quite like real grits, so I do suggest making them the traditional way if you can spare the time.

Lightly grease an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish with the extra virgin olive oil. Pour the prepared grits into the dish and evenly spread out the grits with a spatula. Pour the can of prepared chili over the grits. Evenly spread out the chili with the spatula. Sprinkle the shredded Cheddar cheese all over the top of the chili and grits. Tightly cover the baking dish, with either a lid or aluminum foil. You can either cook the casserole immediately or move it to either the freezer or refrigerator for later use.

Heat your favorite toaster oven to 350 degrees F. This casserole cooked from room temperature will need to bake for about 30 minutes. One that starts at refrigerator temperature will take about 50 minutes, and a casserole that is 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 be sure it is safe to eat. Let it cool slightly before serving.

Slice the scallions thinly and sprinkle them over the cooked casserole just before serving.

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