Instant grits are a joke, ( and a bad one ) but quick grits are fine IMO. Now you need to try and learn if you prefer hominy or meal grits. Both work for me. The real secret to making grits IMO either long or quick, is to boil the hound out of them. I start 6 parts water to 1 part grits and without regards to what the label directions say, I boil them for 10 minutes at a full rolling boil. This means either constant stirring or use of a tall pot such as a stock pot. (no lid) They come out nice and creamy and well worth the effort for me. I think you will find that the problem with any non stir method is that your grits will become a pasty cake with the water floating on top. Try the quick grits at a full boil for 10 minutes and see if they don't suit you.

Yep - those are the ones I use. My stomach has become a hot pepper wuss so I only use 2 though :-) When I don't use the whole can, I freeze each pepper with a dollop of adobo sauce on it (plop them on a tray lined with plastic wrap), pre-freeze and put them in a storage container. Handy for the next time you need a small amount of chipotles for a recipe. They keep forever in the freezer.

Here are the recipes I have under Habanero Gold: Hot 'N Sweet Confetti Jelly Double recipe of Annies Habanero Gold 1 cup minced dried apricots (1/8" dice) Note: Could use dried peaches or pears instead. 1 1/4 total cups minced red sweet pepper and minced red onion (1/8" dice), approximately half-and-half. 1/4 cup Habanero peppers Note: For extra-hot, increase Habaneros to 1/2 cup and reduce red sweet pepper/red onion combination to 1 cup total. 1 1/2 cups white vinegar 6 cups sugar 1 3-oz. pouch liquid pectin (I used Ball, which I've decided I like better than Certo.) Prep apricots, peppers and onion. Place in a large, stainless or other non-reactive pot. Add sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil and cook 5 minutes. Pull off the burner; allow to cool, cover and let sit overnight. Stir occasionally if convenient. Note: 4-6 hours would be plenty, so the time doesn't need to be any greater than the soaking time for apricots in the original recipe. Next day, bring the mixture back to the boil. Stir in liquid pectin. Boil hard 1 minute. Pull off the heat. If necessary, skim foam. (I did need to skim a bit.) Let cool 2 minutes, stirring to distribute solids. Pour into jars. Stir to distribute and remove air bubbles. Do the usual with the jars and lids, BWB 10 minutes. When jars are sealed, "agitate" to distribute solids throughout the jelly. Yield: 6 8-oz. jars. If you read the recipe, there's also an option to add more habaneros and less sweet peppers or onions, if you want more heat than then seeds and membranes give you. Habanero Gold Jelly from Annie Moore 1/3 cup finely sliced dried apricots 3/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup finely diced red onion 1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper 1/4 cup finely diced habanero peppers, including seeds OR 1/4 cup diced, combined jalapeno and Scotch Bonnet peppers 3 cups granulated sugar 1 pouch Bernardin liquid pectin or Certo Cut apricots into 1/8 inch slices. Measure into a large deep stainless steel saucepan with vinegar; let stand 4 hours. Individually, cut onion and seeded peppers into 1/8 inch slices; cut slices into 1/4 inch dice. Measure each ingredient; add to apricots. Stir in sugar. Over high heat, bring to a full roiling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pectin, mixing well. Pour jelly into hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim. Wipe rims. Apply lids. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Cool upright, until lids pop down, about 30 minutes. When lids are concave but the jelly is still hot, carefully grasp jar without disturbing lid and invert, twist, or rotate each jar to distribute solids throughout jelly. The jar can be inverted temporarily but do not allow it to stand upside-down for prolonged periods. Repeat as necessary during the cooling/setting time, until solids remain suspended in the jelly. Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly Serve this jelly with cream cheese on crackers or use as a condiment with meat or poultry. 3 cups cranberry juice -- (or cran-raspberry juice) 1 cup jalapeno peppers -- chopped and seeded 7 cups sugar 1 cup vinegar 2 pouches liquid fruit pectin (Certo) -- 3 ounces each 10 drops red food coloring -- optional Prepare your jars and get all canning supplies ready (you'll need 8 half pint jars). Place cranberry juice and peppers in a blender; cover and process until peppers are fully chopped. Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth. Pour the strained juice into a large kettle; add sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar and pectin; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; skim foam. Add food coloring, if desired. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.

My Aunt Lil was famous for her elegant cooking. She died of cancer when I was a little girl. Here, in her memory, is one of our favorites of her recipes, very 1950s but still delicious. My mom gave me the recipe card in Aunt Lil's handwriting. She had written "EXCELLENT" at the top, and we agree. Good luck with your cookbook! Susan in Columbus (Ohio) Aunt LilÂs Chicken Cantonese 1 fryer-broiler chicken  disjointed, slightly salted 1/3 cup cornstarch 1 ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons paprika ¼ cup cooking oil 1 #2 can [20 oz.] pineapple chunks (drained - reserve sirup) 1 cup sliced diagonally celery 1 medium-size green pepper (cleaned & white membrane removed) cut into thin strips 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 2 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce 3 cups hot cooked rice 1. Coat chicken pieces with a mixture of the cornstarch, salt & paprika. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the cornstarch mixture. 2. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken, skin side down, in skillet. Turn pieces as necessary. When lightly browned remove & place in roaster. Bake, uncovered, at 325° until almost fork Âtender. [40-45 min.] 3. Add pineapple, celery, and green pepper, slipping them under the chicken. Cover and put back in oven for 15 minutes. 4. Mix together the reserved 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch mixture, ¼ cup reserved pineapple sirup, the brown sugar, and soy sauce. Pour over chicken & cover; continue baking another 20 minutes. 5. *Lightly toss the hot cooked rice with 1/3 cup dark seedless raisins & ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts. Serve with rice on bottom of platter, then chicken. *Raisins and nuts optional