Microwave Corn Cheese Grits in a Mug

When in doubt, add cheese. That’s always been my rule, especially for savory breakfasts. Eggs need a little oomph? Add a few slices of melty American. French toast needs to swap salt for sugar? Crust it in Parmesan cheese. Bread pudding? Add a kitchen sink’s worth of veggies and Boursin blobs for pockets of melty, garlicky goodness.

Is it any wonder, then, that cheese played a central role in my search for a satisfying breakfast when I don't have the time to properly cook? Of course it did, but that's getting ahead of the story.

It begins with quick-cooking microwave grits, introduced to me by one of my best friends, Carson, who ate a packet of them almost every day with a little bit of butter and sugar. He uses instant grits that can be made with ½ cup boiling water or just a minute or so in the microwave, but I traded up to quick grits, which take a few minutes and have a more toothsome bite from coarser-grind grits.

And a quick-grits fanatic I became: My go-to combination has always been a little butter and salt, and a handful of shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, scallions, and cooked bacon if I have my act together. But one day, while eating a big pile of melty, creamy, Korean Corn Cheese, I realized there could be a double corn situation here. And Corn Cheese Grits was born: a killer combination of salty-and-a-little-sweet cheesy corn and tender grits.

This single-serving dish is made in a mug for extra ease and cooked in two stages. The first stage cooks the grits properly without overflowing, but I do recommend putting a plate underneath your mug as a fail-safe for powerful microwaves. The second stage melts the cheesy corn mixture. Even though there are only two tablespoons of cheese here, it stretches ? literally! ? into a satisfying cheese pull akin to aligot (super cheesy French mashed potatoes).

Having a can or bag of frozen corn and some shredded mozzarella on hand at all times will ensure you can make this at any time. This little bit of cheesy decadence goes a long way to start your day off right, and it comes together in less time than it does to brew a pot of coffee. I only ask one thing of you: Don't skip the sugar! It is essential to Korean Corn Cheese and balances the savoriness while complementing the undertone of sweetness in Kewpie mayonnaise, another essential ingredient. Now go forth and make Corn Cheese Grits — and don't forget your mugshot. There's a killer cheese pull.