Nothing Says "Southern" Like Grits

Nothing says “southern” quite like grits.  Whether served simply with butter and salt or prepared with brie for an elegant dish, they are the king of southern comfort foods.   This easy recipe calls for just a touch of bacon and pairs easily with a variety of entrees.

Recipe By: Gary Lang

Serving Size: 6
Yield: 5 cups

Bacon and Brie Grits
4 strips Bacon
1 cup Grits, Stone Ground White or Yellow
4 ½  cups Water
2 tsp Salt
1 each Black Pepper, to taste
8 ounces Brie, rine cut off
3 tablespoons Butter, unsalted

Directions:

1. Cut Bacon into thin Strips
2. In the bottom of a medium size sauce pan cook the bacon until just crispy.
3. Drain the bacon on a paper towel and reserve the bacon fat.
4. In the same pot used for the bacon add two tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat, the grits, water and salt.
5. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat and then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir often as grits will stick.  At about 20 minutes in check salt seasoning to make sure it’s correct.  Grits should be just slightly under seasoned to allow for the salt in the bacon and cheese added at the end of the recipe.
6.  After 45 minutes grits should be soft and no longer gritty.  Add bacon, brie and butter and stir in over medium heat until brie is melted.

Can you think of any other dish that mouth-watering bacon will, without a doubt, boost the flavor? Let us know by posting your favorite bacon added recipe to Facebook. 

Avocado Salad

When the holidays end and gray, rainy weather kicks in; avocados are the perfect ingredient for fighting the winter blahs.  Rich in flavor and texture, they not only call up the tastes of warmer climates, but are loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium and folate. Appreciate the crisp, fresh vegetables and bright colors of this nutritious Avocado Salad crafted by our own Breakwater chefs.

Avocado Salad

• 4 each Avocado
• 1/3 cup Red Onions, finely diced
• 1/2 cup roasted Red Peppers, small dice
• 1/4 cup Cilantro, fresh finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Lime Juice, fresh squeezed
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper 

Mix all Ingredients in mixing bowl. Serving Size: 12. Yield: 3 Cups

Garden-fresh veggies, creamy avocado and a sprinkling of cilantro make this chunky salad a healthy winter standout! Share your salad favorites with us on our Facebook for a chance to be featured in our next blog.

Beaufort Chamber of Commerce Video

Breakwater Restaurant is proud to partner with the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce on the launch of their new video! The well-crafted video showcases everything beautiful and vacation-worthy about Beaufort.

The Chamber reported that in less than a week the video has already received over 4,000 hits. We encourage you to spend a few minutes watching it, whether you've been to Beaufort before, you live here now, or you've never stepped foot in our small town before. Click here or on the image above to view the video.

Remember to book your reservation with us when you visit Beaufort. We cannot wait to share our fresh and local cuisine with you.

See you soon!

Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole

We love bringing friends and family together around a Thanksgiving table filled with autumn harvest foods.  A classic component of these gatherings is usually a sweet potato casserole.  Warm and comforting, with an abundance of fall flavors, it doesn’t have to be an unhealthy addition to your holiday meal.   Using seasonal ingredients, this makeover version with its sweet topping boasts half the fat of traditional recipes.

Makeover Crunchy Sweet Potato Recipe

• 1-3/4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
• 1/4 cup chopped 

Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in a food processor. Add the milk, egg substitute, egg, butter and extracts; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and flour. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture; sprinkle with pecans. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Yield: 6 servings.

Think you have a holiday recipe that has a healthy twist to your old favorites? We want you to share your lighter versions of your favorite family recipes on our Facebook page, as well as cooking techniques to help you prepare delightful holiday foods without all the extra calories!

It's Soup Season!

Nothing makes blustery October cozier than a steaming bowlful of soup.  Fall soups are ideal for what’s in season.  One of our favorites layers the flavors of velvety butternut, tart apples and fresh thyme.  Thick and satisfying, this soup celebrates the color and richness of autumn.  Pair with crusty, whole wheat bread and it’s sure to warm those crisp fall days.

Apple Butternut Soup Recipe

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 6 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream

In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook and stir onion in butter over medium heat until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the squash, broth, apple, water, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool slightly.

In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan; stir in cream and heat through (do not boil). Yield: 6 servings.

This smooth soup really wowed our taste buds with its velvety, rich, and slightly sweet creation! Share your own autumn recipes and pictures with us on Facebook for a chance to be featured on the blog!

September Seasonal Update

While the weather hasn’t completely started to turn on us, some of these cooler mornings have us wondering what foods we should cherish before our summer season slips away.

In South Carolina we’re lucky that during the month of September we have a wide range of local produce available. Here’s a quick selection of some of our favorite:

• Tomatoes
• Snap Peas
• Peaches
• Peppers
• Scallions

Our own chef Beth has created a great Succotash recipe using a couple of these seasonal ingredients:

Sweet Corn Succotash

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons country ham
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
1 cups diced fresh okra, about 1/2-inch thick
2 cup red and yellow cherry tomatoes
2 cups freshly shaved yellow and white corn
2 cups cooked snap peas

3/4 cup cooking liquid from snap peas or vegetable broth
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chiffonade of sweet basil

Heat the peanut oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the country ham and cook until brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Do not allow the onions to brown. Increase the heat to high, add the okra and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and corn and cook an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the snap peas and snap pea liquid and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the peas are heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper and add the chiffonade of basil. Serve warm within 30 minutes preparing, for best results. Makes about 5 cups. 

Hope you enjoy the recipe, share your own recipes and pictures with us on Facebook for a chance to be featured on the blog!