Making this dish on the weekend is one of my favorite things to do because it is such a pleasant way to spend the morning. I save time in the morning by making the batter for pancakes, waffles, or omelets the night before. Put it in the oven and I can relax with a cup of coffee. Just the thought of being on vacation makes it taste even better.
After she moved out, my daughter still made a point of coming over on Saturdays so we could spend time together as a family. If I were to prepare a casserole, I would make two and give one to her to take home. The home-cooked warmth of this breakfast was just what she needed to start the day off right. I enjoyed helping her since I knew the people she fed would enjoy her home-cooked meals. In turn, this alleviated some of my concerns about her.
This breakfast casserole is great for a lazy weekend morning at home, a potluck brunch, an early morning meeting, or when your kids spend an overnight and everyone is ravenous in the morning.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 thawed (30 ounce) container of frozen shredded hashbrowns
bacon, fried until crispy and crumbled, about half a pound
8 eggs
1/2 cup of whole milk (or Half & Half)
A pinch of salt
Onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese, 8 ounces
Green onions, chopped (optional) for garnish
Instructions:
Turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish lightly.
Place a single layer of hash browns in the bottom of the dish.
Eggs, milk, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne should all be combined in a big basin and whisked together. Blend and serve atop hash browns.
Begin by sprinkling on half the cheese, then the bacon, and finally the remaining cheese.
Use a lot of foil and wrap it around the container.
Remove foil and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until center is firm and a knife inserted in the casserole comes out clean. This should take about an hour total in the oven.
Ideally, you’d wait 5-10 minutes before serving.
Add chopped green onions as a garnish.
Notes
The casserole can be prepared, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated up to a day before it will be baked. Baking times may need to be raised by 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cheese: While Cheddar is always a good choice, other Jack varieties like Colby and Monterey Jack also perform admirably. Pick a cheese that melts well and enjoy! You should shred cheese from a block before melting it.
Cayenne pepper is not required, but you can add some heat by mixing in some red pepper flakes or a splash of your preferred spicy sauce.
My children prefer hash browns made with tater tots, which I have substituted in the past. In the event that you find yourself without hash browns, fresh potatoes can be diced in their place.
• Milk/Half & Half: I like Half & Half due to the added richness it provides. Another option is to replace the milk with sour cream, which works wonderfully and adds a richer taste to the dish.
Put in an airtight container after totally cooled for storage. Put in the fridge, and you can enjoy it for up to four days. Making individual servings simplifies breakfast preparation significantly.
To freeze, once the dish has cooled, you can either portion it out into individual servings and store them in freezer containers, or you may move it to an airtight container. Bake the casserole, let it cool completely, then cover it in two layers of foil and freeze it for up to two months.
The casserole can be reheated by placing it in a baking dish and cooking it in an oven warmed to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.