Sauteed Mushrooms with Creamy Grits

Pour the water into a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the milk.

When the milk and water just begin to bubble, stir in the grits. Reduce heat to low, just to hold a gentle simmer.

Let the pot bubble away gently for 15-20 minutes. On low heat you shouldn't have to worry about burning, but you may get some clumping so you give the pot a healthy stir every so often.

When the liquid is absorbed and the grits are cooked to a thick porridge, whip in the shredded cheese. I used parmesan here, but you can easily substitute any shredded cheese that will melt easily. Cheddar works great too. Check the seasoning. With a salty cheese, you may not need any salt. You can't go wrong with a few turns of fresh black pepper.

Peel garlic cloves and chop or grate to a fine paste.

Wash the mushrooms. Slice away the tip of the stems where you commonly find some tough or decaying material. Slice into halves or quarters, depending on the size of your mushrooms.

Melt the butter in a sautee pan over medium heat.

When the butter begins to bubble, stir in the crushed garlic.

Add the mushrooms. Reduce the heat a little. Toss the mushrooms to coat with garlic butter. Give them a few minutes on medium-low to begin to release some moisture.

Stir the bouillon into the resulting mushroom juices.

Add a splash of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes to cook the mushrooms through.

Stir in a dusting of corn starch to add a little body to the sauce. Check the seasoning, but you probably won't need to add much if anything. Bouillon tends to provide more than enough salt.

Spoon some grits into a bowl. Form a little well in the top and add a spoonful of gravy.