Baked Cheese Grits (with Muscovado-Glazed Bacon) [club:BAKED]

This week's club:BAKED recipe was Baked Cheese Grits. I skipped the last step where you top the grits with more cheese and broil it until it browns, so I guess my grits would just be called Cheese Grits since they didn't actually see the oven... but what they lack in Baked-ness (?) they make up for with BACON.

I made the bacon thinking it would compliment the cheese in the grits, but it ended up totally stealing the show! I enjoyed the grits, but I prefer them with just salt, pepper and butter. It was a little too cheesy in my opinion. I know a lot of people won't eat grits without the cheese, so to each his own I guess. Serve this with eggs over easy and toast for the perfect weekend breakfast.

Muscovado-Glazed Bacon

adapted from 80 Breakfasts

4 strips of bacon

2 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar

Freshly cracked black pepper

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Lay the bacon strips flat on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the muscovado sugar evenly over the strips and crack some black pepper over them.
3. Bake for 12-16 minutes, until the sugar has caramelized and the bacon has browned. Keep an eye on the bacon after 12 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn.

The recipe for the Cheese Grits can be found on this week's host's blog, as well as in the Baked Explorations book.

*note - if you're having trouble finding stone ground grits in your area (they're extremely expensive online) try looking at Trader Joe's. I found a big bag there for only $4!