These mini grits casseroles make use of your inexpensive, leftover grits and are real comfort food. The casseroles also are reasonably nutritious with lots of protein and a little fiber. The recipe makes two small casserole dishes--one for now and one for later. You can enjoy the casseroles for dinner or a special breakfast. They are soft, cheesy, and full of bits of smokey/salty ham. I usually use cheddar cheese in my grits casseroles, but sometimes opt for Swiss/Gruyere as a change. The pictures below show the casseroles with the Swiss/Gruyere, which tends to brown more than cheddar. Use whichever cheese you like and have on hand. You also can add chopped green onions to the casseroles if you'd like more color and taste. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Grits Casseroles -- Makes 2 Small Casseroles
2 cups of cooked grits (it's okay if they've hardened up into a mass in the fridge)
1 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
3 large eggs
1/2 cup of chopped ham (chopped to bite-sized pieces)
1/2 cup of shredded Swiss/Gruyere or cheddar cheese, plus 2 tablespoons to top
Spritz 2 small casserole dishes with non-stick cooking spray. I use 5-inch square dishes, but 6-inch cake pans work well, too. In a large bowl whisk together the grits, milk, onion powder, pepper, salt, and garlic powder until the grits soften, break up, and mix with the milk. Whisk in the eggs well. Stir in the ham and 1/2 cup of the cheese until combined. Divide the mixture between the two dishes and sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese on top of the mixture in each dish. Put one filled dish in your air fryer basket, put the basket in the air fryer, and air fry the casserole at 300 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the top is a deep, spotty brown. Remove the casserole from the basket to cool a little before serving and repeat the cooking process with the remaining unbaked casserole. The casseroles will puff up a little as they bake but will deflate quickly once you remove them from the air fryer.
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