Grits-and-Greens Breakfast Bake

Recipe Author: Conne Ward Cameron

A great make-ahead dish from the pages of Southern Living. Use your collards, or your kale, or your beet greens, or a combination of all three. Make up a big batch of greens and then reserve some for this dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium-size sweet onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound fresh collard greens, washed, trimmed, and chopped 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 1 1/2 cups grits 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded white Cheddar cheese 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup half-and-half 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 10 large eggs, divided (not separated) Hot sauce (optional)

Preparation:

Cook onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until tender. Add collard greens, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Can be made several days ahead of time.

While collards are cooking, bring remaining teaspoon salt and 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking often, until grits are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese and butter.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Whisk together half-and-half, black pepper, red pepper and 2 eggs in a medium bowl. Stir half-and-half mixture into grits mixture. Stir in 3 cups cooked greens. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven.

Make 8 indentations in grits mixture with back of a large spoon. Break remaining 8 eggs, 1 at a time, and slip 1 egg into each indentation. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until eggs are cooked to desired degree of doneness. Cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.