LAILA'S STEWED BEEF WITH CREAMY CHEESE GRITS

Steps:

• For the stewed beef: Sprinkle the meat with the salt. In a Dutch oven, brown the stew meat in the olive oil over high heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce to medium heat and add the garlic, celery, green onions, yellow onions, poblano peppers and bell peppers; saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper and beef broth, Stir, and then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Let simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Keep an eye on the pot as you may need to add more broth or water if it cooks down too much before meat is tender. It's ready when the meat is fork tender and the liquid has thickened into a stew.
• For the creamy cheese grits: Start preparing the grits during the last hour of cooking time. Heat the olive oil and saute the onions over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water, grits and salt and pepper; stir and bring to a boil. Next, add the butter. Reduce the heat and cook on low, about 20 minutes. Be sure to stir often to prevent clumping. Add the half-and-half and continue cooking until the grits are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the stove, add the cheeses and stir until smooth and creamy. Add more half-and-half as needed.
• Serve the stewed beef with the grits.