Sunday Brunch--Grits Baked with Eggs

I've found several recipes for grits baked with eggs floating around the internet and after several experiments developed one that I really like. This is a filling enough meal for a quick lunch or dinner if you are as crazy about breakfast food as we are. We don't eat breakfast 24/7--but we probably could and some weeks come awfully close!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grits (cook according to the directions on your package)
• 1 TB butter
• 4 oz cheddar cheese, 3 oz cubed, 1 oz shredded
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• paprika
• 1 TB fresh thyme
• 4 eggs
• 4 canned tomatoes, diced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• To the cooked grits, stir in butter, 3 oz cubed cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme (all spices, to taste)
• Butter a square pan, and spread grits evenly.
• Make 4 hollows in the grits and break the eggs into the hollows (this is more difficult than it sounds, my grits always flow back into the hollow, so I end up using one hand to "stir" the hollow empty, and the other hand to break the egg into the hollow!)
• Spread the tomatoes on top and shred an oz of cheddar cheese over the tomatoes.
• Bake for 20 minutes.