Breakfast Casserole

the Story

Growing up, I always looked forward to a double-period in High School because that typically meant a Breakfast Pot Luck for the first half of the period, followed by a struggle to learn the intended lesson for the second half. Every student would bring one item, and there were only two items everyone secretly hoped a student would bring: a Breakfast Casserole; or biscuits from Chick-fil-a. The Breakfast Casserole has always been a comfort food in our household and an easy Saturday Morning dish to wake up to. And the best part, there is no wrong way to make it. In fact, you may find several versions of the infamous dish on our blog, but this is our go-to classic for any weekend morning.

the Ingredients

• 1 LB of Chicken Sausage (Or Pork Sausage), ground

  • A Splash of Chicken Broth and Worcestershire Sauce for Cooking

• 1 Yellow Onion, Diced (Or, if you're like me, pre-packaged diced onions)

• 1 Red & 1 Green Bell Pepper (Seeds removed and Diced)

• 2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic

• 12 Large Eggs

• 1 Cup Heavy Cream (Or half in half)

• 3 - 4 Whole Gold Potatoes

  • Onion Salt, Garlic Powder, Paprika, and Olive Oil for Seasoning

• 2 Cups of Cheddar & Gruyere Blend, Shredded (Or, any cheese of your choice)

• Salt, to taste

• Black Pepper, to taste

the Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees. If you're a Family of 2 (like myself), grease (2) 8x8 baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. The reason for this is, you can bake one dish for Saturday and save the other dish for Sunday. That means, two mornings of a freshly baked casserole vs. reheated casserole. But, if you're a Family of 4 and do not expect any leftovers, a greased 9x13 baking dish will suffice.

• Wash the Potatoes, peel the skin, and dice them into small squares. In a large mixing bowl, add the seasonings and Olive Oil to the potatoes and mix well. Then, place them in your air fryer at 400 Degrees and cook for 20-25 Minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

• In a Large Skillet, add a splash of Olive Oil and brown the Chicken Sausage over medium heat. I prefer to add a little Chicken Broth (about a half a cup) and some Worcestershire Sauce. But, if you prefer to keep things simple, you can skip these ingredients. Once the sausage has been browned, drain, and set aside.

• Using the same skillet, add another splash of Olive Oil and sauté the Diced Onions and Diced Bell Peppers over medium heat. Cook until tender. Drain, and then mix the pepper mixture with the cooked sausage and set aside.

• In a Large Mixing Bowl, beat the Eggs and whisk in the Heavy Cream and Cheese Blend. Set aside.

  • Set aside a little bit of cheese for the topping of the casserole.

• Now, it's time to layer the baking dishes. Whether you're using two small dishes or one large dish, the process is still the same. Create a base layer of Potatoes, and try to lay each potato as flat as possible against the bottom of the dish.

• Next, spread the sausage and pepper mixture over the potatoes and spread as evenly as possible.

• Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the potatoes, sausage, and peppers, and let the mixture fill in any voids that may remain.

• Top the Casserole with a remaining cheese. Add as much or as little cheese as possible for the topping.

• Bake for 45 - 55 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the center of the dish. If it comes out clean, it's ready to enjoy.

• Fun Fact: I like to make this casserole in advance, so don't worry about placing this casserole in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking.