Breakfast or supper?
By Millie, The Accidental Cook 
We were just finishing up our evening meal on a Friday. A day, when, through the years, there is an inside joke in our family about whether or not we’re going to have breakfast for supper.
A habit of mine, almost weekly, is to finish off the work week with a good “breakfast supper.” There is just something about those grits, eggs and (usually) sausage – sometimes fried wieners, bologna or any other meat – that just seems to calm the soul with comfort. And another plus: it is hard to mess this meal up, which is very important to me.
On this Friday evening, as my Mister and I sat enjoying the delicious meal, it dawned on me that the meal we were eating was given to us by several different members of our family and friends.
It had been years since we had eaten yellow grits, and the Stone Ground Yellow Grits that we had on this night were so smooth and creamy. You wanted to savor every spoonful – and we did. The grits were part of a gift from some of the best neighbors possible, Bucky & Kathy. The package read, “We grow it, we grind it – Blizzard Branch Milling Company, Middendorf, South Carolina.”
The sausage patties, part of a gift from family, came from the Cheraw Packing Plant, which is well-known, and rightly so, for their sausage. As I was cooking the patties on my stove grill, my mind wandered to a past summer – pre-pandemic – when, after so many times trying to put my oven door back on my stove, it was no longer possible. On that day, just before serving my Sunday meal, I was trying to take my dishes out of the oven, when, alas, it was not to be. The oven was very hot and the door had to be opened manually, which means we needed a new stove. But, since this was the very summer all of our kitchen appliances and the washer and dryer had to be replaced, I found it hard to tell my Mister.
As always, John Paul and Charles with Jones Furniture came to the rescue. My choice in any appliance is usually to get the simplest, no-frills option. When our new gas range arrived, it had four eyes and a grill in the middle. Though I didn’t say so at that time, I thought I probably wouldn’t use that grill much. I was so wrong. From sausage patties to toast, hamburgers and everything in between, it is well-used. How I do thank John Paul!
Maybe you are wondering why I have pointed out these acts of kindness and some of the people that did them. In the weeks before Christmas, my Mister and I were on quarantine … again. It seemed wise to call off our family get-together, so we did. It also seemed to be the time to count our blessings.
And that, precious family and friends, is my reason for sharing with each of you some of those blessings. In addition to food and cooking-related gifts, there are the scarves from Phyllis and Beverly, the Pepsi bag treats from Freddie, the beautiful red cape from Kaye, the pretty cards and gifts from our family, who also decorated our tree and home, and oh so many prayers. Another blessing is that, thus far, we have been spared from Covid.
An older minister relayed to us many years ago how he realized that God was calling him to preach the gospel. As a young father, he had done really well financially and was “climbing the corporate ladder” rather rapidly. As the promotions increased, however, his time with the Lord and His house decreased, until, one day, he was struck with a medical emergency that would lead to a six-week stay in the hospital. As he told his story, his eyes began to mist up.
“Sometimes,” he said, “God has to put you on your back so you have to look up to Him.” He dedicated his life to the Lord that day and is still serving Him, 40-plus years later.
Wonder if that is what is happening in our lives today – ours and yours. During this pandemic, we have been placed back into our own homes … with masks. We may not be confined to a hospital bed, as the minister was, but I still think there is a lesson to be learned. Counting our blessings sure wins out over fear. Remember the story of the little boy who placed his hand into his father’s hand? The big, ferocious dog still barked, but, not to worry, the father covered his hand.
You know, it takes those yellow grits a lot longer to cook than those white instant grits. That must be why they taste so good. I am going to share with you Blizzard Branch Milling Company’s recipe; after all, they know what they are doing:
Blizzard Branch Milling Co’s Recipe for Southern Boiled Grits
5 cups water
2 tsp. salt
1 cup yellow Blizzard Branch Stone Ground Grits
Add salt to water in medium sauce pan. Heat water over high heat to dissolve salt. Stir in grits, skimming off bran that floats to the top. Reduce heat to low. Boil for 25-30 minutes, stirring often. (Add water to achieve consistency)
’Til next time,
Millie, the Accidental Cook
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