Spicy Bacon-Cheese Grits Casserole

This hearty casserole is great for brunch on a cold winter morning.  It's quite filling and the jalapeno peppers will help warm you up.  If you're serving it for people who don't care for hot & spicy food, simply substitute half of a bell pepper or a couple of small sweet peppers.  For vegetarians, you can omit the bacon altogether or substitute soy "bacon" or crisp-fried, crumbled tempeh.  I like to splash a little hot sauce on my grits for a bit of tang as well as added heat.  For less fat, you can use butter-olive oil blend (the kind that comes in sticks like butter), reduced fat cheddar cheese (but NOT fat-free), skim or low-fat milk and Egg Beaters® or other similar egg substitute.  Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

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3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup regular grits (not instant)
1 cup milk (whole, low fat or skim)
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, fried crisp & crumbled
4 eggs
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded & diced

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Combine water and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir in the grits and cook until thickened and the water has been absorbed.  Add remaining ingredients, stir to thoroughly combine, then pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish (you can also pour into 4 oven-safe bowls for individually-baked servings).  Bake at 350°F for half an hour or until lightly browned.  Serve hot.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  I have a sneaky suspicion that you could substitute a slice (chopped) of cooked country ham for the bacon, but haven't tried that yet.  If you make this casserole using country ham instead of bacon--or if you make any other substitutions or additions--please leave a comment to let us know how it came out!