Easter Brunch: Roasted Asparagus + Cheddar Grits

So I moved to Morgantown, WV and when I look at a map I’m like, “This isn’t really THAT far South, is it?” Well, even if you don’t consider it super south, I like to say it is. And now I like to eat grits!

It sounds like a flippant comment, but I assure you that I am always very serious when it comes to food. I tried grits at a couple restaurants and decided that I enjoy them. When they come plain at breakfast, I like butter, salt and pepper. But at home, I like to load them up with tons of cheese! This recipe is absolutely delicious and I think it would make a perfect addition to Easter Brunch this year.

Roasted Asparagus and Cheddar Grits Recipe:

*makes 2 servings
1/2 bundle of asparagus – ends removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
5 slices of bacon – cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cups grits
1 cup water
1/2 cup cream (or milk)
4 oz. sharp cheddar – shredded
2 eggs
Smoked paprika

Preheat your oven to 450-degrees.

Chop the ends off your asparagus.

Place your asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bake for 25 minutes.

While your asparagus is baking, you can get started on your grits. I used Quaker grits that I found at my local grocery store and cooked them according to the package. EXCEPT, I substituted a quarter to nearly half of the water for cream (oopsies!) and added 4 oz. of shredded sharp cheddar after they were fully cooked. If they dry out a little while they’re cooking, just add some more cream.

While your grits are cooking (this is a multi-tasking recipe), you can chop your bacon into bite size pieces.

Then get that sizzling up in a pan. Once it’s brown, I transfer to a paper towel to lose some of the grease.

Once everything is cooked, keep it warm while you poach your egg. This was the scariest part for me because I had never poached an egg before. My friend Liz showed me this awesome tutorial from Alton Brown. I skipped the vinegar part and just went with plain water, but definitely had fun creating a water tornado!

If you don’t feel like clicking the link, the steps are as follows:

1. Heat 3 cups of water in a 2-quart saucepan until simmering over medium heat.
2. Once you’ve got a nice simmer, swirl your water in one direction creating a water tornado.
3. Crack your cold egg into a small dish or measuring cup and pour it directly in the center of your tornado.
4. Turn the heat off and let it cook for 2 and 1/2 minutes. This will vary. I tried 5 minutes per Alton and it was way too long, 2.5 was perfect for mine!
5. Remove egg with a slotted spoon and place directly on your food.

Note: If your egg is done too early, you can remove it from the water and put it in a dish and keep the water warm. Drop it back in the warm water for a minute before serving to warm it back up.

Now take a heaping pile of grits, top with some of your roasted asparagus, sprinkle with bacon and then put your poached egg on top. I put a little smoked paprika on mine because I just love the stuff.

Then you break your egg, make a mess and eat the whole plate!

What is your go-to Easter Brunch recipe?