I confess. Sometimes I want breakfast for dinner. Today I wanted something a bit different. Judith Jones has a recipe in her book, The Pleasures of Cooking for One, for baked eggs that sounded interesting. Her recipe calls for shredding and salting and squeezing zucchini and the eggs are baked with the vegies. I decided to try something on my own that might be a bit more filling. Polenta (grits) cooks up very quickly in single serving amounts. I may have mentioned that I freeze bacon in folded strips so I can actually shave off the amount I want and not have a bacon frenzy as I am quite capable of doing. So let me just say that this dish would be just as delicious with ham or no meat at all. However, these little bits of added bacon help me get my fix without going overboard.
Eggs Baked with Polenta and Spinach
- 1/4 Cup Polenta
- 3/4 Cup Water
- 1/2 Cup frozen,chopped, spinach (if you use fresh, wilt in the bacon fat first.)
- 1 oz sharp cheddar, grated, divided
- 2 eggs
- 1 slice bacon
- 2 T half and half or cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- baking dish, oiled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the polenta by stirring into boiling water. When thickened , add the spinach and stir until moisture is absorbed.
Meanwhile, saute the bacon until crisp. Add to the polenta along with 1/2 the cheese.
Spoon the mixture into your chosen baking dish. I used a 500 ml ramekin which holds slightly over 2 cups. Make a small well in the polenta.
Break 2 eggs into the well. Don’t worry if the whites go over the well a bit.
Top with the remaining cheese and half and half or cream. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until eggs are set and yolks are still liquid. It will be slightly jiggly in the middle.
I usually place my dish inside a round cake pan to make it easier to move to and from the oven.
This is a decadent dish and tastes very rich. I placed a folded napkin on a plate and set the ramekin in the middle. The napkin prevents the dish from sliding around and also keeps me from torching my fingers on a hot dish.
I’ll be making this one again with lots of variations.
eatinginanemptynest 
Yum! I want to add shrimp, since my new passion is shrimp and grits after having a transcendent version at The Screen Door in Portland.
Oh great idea Jen!
**********Always remember you are unique, just like everyone else**
“If you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten”, George Carlin
DOESN’T LOOK SO APPEALING WITH RUNNY EGGS, BUT I AM GOING TO TRY IT. DESPERATELY NEEDED A RECIPE FOR EGGS. KEEP IMPROVISING. NICE TO HAVE RECIPES THAT CAN BE ALTERED. YOU GO GIRL.
Of course you can cook it until the egg yolks are firm if that is the way you prefer Shirlee. I like my eggs whites done and the yolks runny.
**********Always remember you are unique, just like everyone else**
“If you can’t beat them, arrange to have them beaten”, George Carlin
i”m such a fan of grits! And I love this idea so will be trying it. It would also be a nice thing to do for more than one person. Like, for Sunday breakfast. Love it, Pam!