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So if there was ever a Monday meal you needed to make, this is it.

Typically I think a lot of people feel like salads and lighter foods need to be Monday food, but I am just SO not one of those people. I love salad, but honestly today is not a lettuce in a bowl with some cheese kind of day. Nope, today is a grits with some butter and a quick, veggie packed, gumbo kind of day.

It’s total health food and you know it.

Hello, don’t you see all those pretty red peppers in there? And I mean fresh sweet corn mixed into the whole grainy (buttery) grits? See, healthiness in a bowl. And I am being serious here.

On a different note, again in all seriousness, I think I have convinced my dad to turn his land into a smaller farm. Complete with horses, cows, goats and chickens. I can see it in his face, he SO wants to quit the day job and be a full on farmer. I am right there with him….

It’s ok if you think I am crazy, re-reading this myself I am thinking the same thing, but with our chickens now laying eggs, I have this huge desire to add onto our little family of farm animals. I am telling you, I was totally meant for this whole farm life thing. Of course, just don’t ask me to clean the poop. That’s a job for the people who do not handle everyone’s food.

For now, I will have to be happy with our chickens. Which I totally am. I head down every morning before I hike to feed them and check for eggs. Their eggs are still pretty small right now, but their yolks are the prettiest shade of yellow. Honestly, I have not seen prettier yolks. They may be small, but they sure are cute. Over time the eggs should become larger and actually, only two of the chickens have started laying so hopefully we’ll be getting more than two eggs a day here pretty soon.

Thus far, I have only fried them. I am leaving the yolks extra runny because if you ask me, there is nothing better than a perfectly runny yolk. Especially when the eggs are fresh from your back yard and not even an hour old. I love the fact that we raised those chicken from day two of their lives and have gotten to watch them grow. It’s a pretty cool thing.

If I would have thought of it, I so would have put a fried egg on top of this gumbo. Next time I am totally doing that. Although, I am currently putting fried eggs on everything right now.

Egg or no egg though, this quick gumbo is DELICIOUS. It’s everything you crave and then some. Now, I have a gumbo recipe that I love and it will, hands down, always be my very favorite gumbo recipe, BUT that recipe requires me to sit in front of the stove for at least thirty minutes and just whisk. Just whisk and whisk without taking an eye off the pot. It sounds worse than it actually is, but on most given days I just do not have the time to do this.

So, I made a quick version. It’s still completely delicious, but in its own way. It’s unique, which I think is a good thing. Since the gumbo was a little different, I figured it needed a different side, and since gumbo is oh so southern, grits immediately came to mind.

Oh how I love grits you guys.

I am totally an old soul, and grits are entirely my thing. Now I don’t really know the difference between grits and polenta, to me they honestly are one and the same (is it texture or types of corn used? Does anyone know? I would really love to find out). Today I made real grits though. I cook polenta all the time (and have some more coming your way soon), so grits was a nice switch-up. But um, they really do taste like polenta.

And they also totally transform this dinner into something so special – as does the butter.

Once you have the gumbo started, start in on the grits. The whole meal only takes about forty minutes, but you have to be cooking the gumbo while making the grits.

Ok, so now you’ve got those creamy grits, that you top um with the gumbo. That is a good meal, but… it could be better. How?

Smoky chilied brown butter. Oh yes, I went there… and on a Monday too. You are either loving me or hating me right now, but I am hoping the majority is leaning towards the nicer side of things. It’s browned butter done savory and it’s the perfect final touch to this meal.

Quick Gumbo with Grilled Corn Grits – trust me, you need to make this tonight.