Grits rock. In fact, we think they should be the next carby starchy new hipster trend to replace donuts, bagels, and boring mashed potatoes. Served in the south for breakfast and brunch, from all things a to z or eggs to shrimp, they basically work well with any dish aching for a starch.

This recipe comes to us via chef Chris Revercomb from Zing Restaurant in Indiana:

Smoked Cheddar Grits from Zing
Chef Chris Revercomb

Ingredients:
1 Cup Heavy Cream
¼ lb Bacon
4 Cups of Chicken Stock
¼ lb Smoked Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Corn Meal
2 oz Butter
To Taste Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Start by chopping one pound of bacon into 1/4 inch pieces. Brown the bacon in a sauté pan slowly until crispy. Set aside and drain away all grease. Next in a large pot bring to a boil heavy cream, chicken stock, butter. When boiling, quickly whisk in corn meal and lower flame to lowest setting. Cook the cornmeal on low for approx ten minutes or until thick. Add the bacon and smoked cheddar and continue cooking for five minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Remove from the hot pan immediately into a third pan and let cool to room temperature.

About to paint the town red? Take this advice from a ski town chef and make this before you go out, you’ll thank us in the morning!

It was previously a secret recipe from a chef in the now sadly closed Bear Creek Bed and Breakfast Inn in Telluride, a delicious french toast casserole with a decadent fluffy maple butter sauce. Although the B&B is over, this amazing recipe needs to live on, spread the word!

Make the bread portion the night before, and whip up the fluffy maple sauce in the morning.

Telluride Night Before French Toast
Bear Creek Inn

Ingredients for the night before:
One loaf of French bread, cut into 1-inch slices
8 large eggs
3 cups milk
4 teaspoons sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In the morning ingredients: Fluffy Maple Sauce
1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 egg yolk
1 egg white, stiffly beaten

Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Arrange bread slices in one layer in pan. Beat the eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To bake: Remove cover. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes or until bread is bubbly and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

Fluffy Maple Sauce: Thoroughly cream together confectioner’s sugar, butter, maple syrup, and egg yolk. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg white. Chill. Makes 2 cups of sauce.

May also be served with syrup, yogurt or sour cream, and fresh fruit.

This is perhaps the most crave inducing breakfast or brunch recipe we’ve ever seen.   A carb lovers heaven, this recipe comes to us courtesy of Executive Chef Zane Holmquist from the Glitretind restaurant in the Stein Eriksen Lodge located in Park City, Utah. Last year the Glitretind won the coveted Santé Restaurant Award thanks to Chef Zane and his team, so this recipe is destined for greatness.  Enjoy!

Norwegian Potato Pancakes with Poached Eggs, Jarlsberg Cheese Sauce and Cranberry Relish

Yield: 6 – 8 Servings
Ingredients:

Norwegian Idaho® Potato Pancakes

* 4 Idaho Potatoes
* ½ Small Yellow Onion
* 4 Bacon Strips
* 1 Egg White
* 1 tsp All-Purpose Flour
* 1 tsp Fresh Chives, chopped
* 1 tsp Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
* 1 tsp Kosher Salt
* ½ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Jarlsberg Cheese Sauce

* 1 C Heavy Cream
* ¼ C Whole Milk
* 2 tsp Cornstarch
* 4 tspCold Water
* 2 C Jarlsberg Cheese, grated
* ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
* ¼ tsp White Pepper
* 1 Pinch Nutmeg, grated

Cranberry Relish

* 1 ½ C Whole Fresh Cranberries
* 1 C Granulated Sugar
* ½ Orange, zested
* 1 Pinch Kosher Salt

Directions:

Norwegian Idaho® Potato Pancake

1. Boil potatoes in salted water for 12 minutes; cool to room temperature, peel and grate.
2. Peel and dice onion.
3. Cook bacon and dice. (Onions and bacon should be diced to equal sizes.)
4. Combine potatoes, onion and bacon.
5. Half whip egg white; fold into potato mixture.
6. Mix flour, chives, parsley, salt and pepper into potato combination.
7. Be sure not to overwork; the potatoes should keep their grated texture.
8. Scoop potato mixture onto lightly oiled pancake griddle with 2 ounce scoop and cook until lightly browned on both sides; approximately 3-4 minutes per side.

Jarlsberg Cheese Sauce

1. Bring cream and milk to a simmer.
2. Mix cornstarch and water together.
3. Add cornstarch slurry to simmering milk and cream (you must bring the cream to a boil to activate the corn starch). Slowly add in grated Jarlsberg cheese, continually whipping until a smooth sauce-like consistency.
4. Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg.
5. Keep sauce warm until ready to serve.

Cranberry Relish

1. Mix cranberries, sugar, orange zest and salt together in a bowl.
2. Place in a thick-bottom saucepan; bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook for 12 minutes, or until the mixture is a jam-like consistency.

To Plate

1. Top potato pancake with 1 poached egg.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cheese sauce over top the egg.
3. Garnish with 1 large tablespoon of cranberry relish.
4. Finish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Photo: Idaho Potato Commission