Garlic Cheese Grits with Drunken Peppers and Sausage

Super quick weeknight meal with only a little prep - my kinda deal!   Two things that make this one cook up in a flash:  quick cooking grits and hot Italian sausage links.  Get out one large fry pan with a lid for the peppers and sausage and a sauce pot for the grits.  You'll be eating in 10 minutes flat!

Garlic Cheese Grits with Drunken Peppers and Sausage
Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 large green pepper, thinly sliced
1 lb hot Italian sausage
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 tsp fresh oregano

Grits
3 cups water
3/4 cup quick cooking grits
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 tsp garlic paste
salt
fresh cracked black pepper

Green onion for garnish

Start by coating the bottom of a non-stick fry pan with the olive oil and let it warm up over medium-hi heat.  In the meantime, get the water boiling in the sauce pan for the grits.  Add the sausage links to the center of the pan with oil and spread the sliced peppers and onions around the outside of the pan with a little bit of salt and pepper over the veggies.  Brown the sausages on both sides, taking about 3 minutes per to really develop good color and flavor. Once browned, hit the pan with the red wine and toss the vegetables around until equally coated.  Cover the pan and reduce the heat to let the veggies and sausage finish cooking in the liquid and steam. Stir in the chopped oregano at the end of the cooking process for a burst of flavor.

Onto the grits - once the water comes up to a boil, whisk in the grits, butter and salt.  Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 5-7 minutes (stirring occasionally).  Unlid, stir in the cheese, garlic paste, salt and pepper. 

Plate the grits first in a low bowl, slice 2 sausages in half, at an angle and place on top of the grits.  Spoon the veggies and sauce over everything and garnish with some fresh green onion.  Bon appetit!