Sunday Brunch by Betty Rosbottom Page A

golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.
3. Remove all but 2 tbsp of the drippings from the pan. (If you don’t have 2 tbsp, add olive oil to make this amount.) When hot, add the potatoes and sauté, stirring, until they start to take on a little color, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and place the frying pan in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the frying pan from the oven and add the mushrooms, garlic, and the 3 tbsp olive oil. Add the dried thyme and season with more salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.
5. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the potatoes are golden brown and tender and the mushrooms are softened, 15 minutes more. Remove the frying pan from the oven and stir in the reserved pancetta. If desired, garnish the center of the pan with fresh thyme sprigs. Serve warm.

Southern Cheese Grits
    Grits, that staple of Southern cooking, were a frequent side dish at morning meals when I was growing up in Memphis. On weekdays, my mother cooked grits in simmering water until they thickened into a creamy porridge, and served them with pats of butter. For special occasions she embellished them with cheeses and seasonings, and spooned them into a casserole to bake, as in this recipe. Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses enrich these grits and add to their smoothness, while cayenne and black pepper provide a bit of heat. Easy to prepare ahead, these grits are a stellar accompaniment to scrambled or poached eggs.
    Serves 4 to 6
    PREP TIME:
    10 minutes
    START-TO-FINISH TIME:
    55 minutes
    MAKE AHEAD:
    Partially
Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
4 cups/960 ml water
1 cup/170 g old-fashioned (not instant or quick) grits (see cooking tip )
Salt
¾ cup/60 g grated sharp white cheddar cheese
½ cup/60 g grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
⅓ tsp cayenne pepper
    COOKING TIP:
    If using stone-ground grits, be sure to follow the package directions as they may call for a different amount of water and a longer cooking time.
1. Butter a shallow, 2-qt/2-L oven-to-table baking dish.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan (with a lid) set over medium-high heat. Pour the grits in slowly. Add ¾ tsp salt and whisk well.
3. When the mixture comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook the grits at a gentle simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, so they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the grits have thickened, about 15 minutes or according to package directions.
4. Remove the grits from the heat and stir in ½ cup/40 g of the cheddar and all of the Parmesan. Add the black pepper and cayenne and season with more salt, if needed. Spread the grits in an even layer in the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup/20 g cheddar over the top. (The grits can be prepared 1 day ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
5. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C/gas 4. Bake the grits until they are hot and the cheese has melted on top, 25 minutes. If you would like to brown the cheese, arrange an oven rack 4 to 5 in/10 to 12 cm from the broiler and broil until the cheese starts to brown lightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bacon with a Brown Sugar-Mustard Glaze
    The combination of salty, sweet, and tart provided respectively by the bacon, brown sugar, and mustard is what makes this dish so tempting. Baking the strips is another bonus since it requires less attention than pan-frying and eliminates splattering. A simple paste of sugar and mustard is brushed on the strips once they are browned. This recipe can easily be doubled (see cooking tip ).
    Serves 4
    PREP TIME:
    5 minutes
    START-TO-FINISH TIME:
    25 minutes
    MAKE AHEAD:
    No
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp country-style Dijon mustard
8 thick slices bacon (10 OZ /290 g)
    COOKING TIP:
    If you want to double this recipe, use two baking sheets and two racks, placing one