Cheesy Egg Bacon and Biscuit Breakfast Casserole

This easy to put together breakfast casserole has everything you want in a breakfast or brunch dish...

TIPS

This recipe was inspired by a Pillsbury recipe.. but they used pre-cooked bacon... I'm not a fan of pre-cooked bacon... make it yourself... it's so much better.

I highly recommend you make the bacon in the oven.. it's easy... clean up is a snap and while it's cooking you can prepare the other ingredients... best of all ... it essentially pre-heats your oven for your casserole (just allow the oven to cool down to 350 degrees before popping in the casserole).. making it quick to get on the table.  Click here for How to Cook Bacon in the Oven.

My recipe calls for thick sliced bacon.. you can use thin sliced also.. just be sure to shorten the cooking time...

Cook the bacon until it's cooked but still pliable.. otherwise it gets too hard when it bakes in the casserole.

I used 2 small cans of Pillsbury biscuits.. the ones that make 10 biscuits... you can use a can of Grands Biscuits instead... stick to the homestyle variety... and cut them in quarters instead of halves... you will have slightly less biscuit pieces than I have ... which is okay.. it will be slightly more eggy than mine.. and that is not a bad thing at all.

I used some cheddar (which I wanted to use up) and some Mexican blend shredded cheese... you can use all cheddar (like I usually do and the way I wrote the recipe) or use all Mexican blend or even a Monterey Jack is good if you want a little zip... they all work well.

The cheese amount is approximate.. if you like cheese.. add more if you like...

I used fat free half and half in the egg mixture.. I love cooking with the stuff... it adds creaminess and not fat ... you can use regular half and half if that's what you have on hand... whole milk can be substituted or even a lower fat milk.. just keep in mind it will be less thick.

Be sure to spray the baking dish.. the casserole will easily come out that way.

You will need a 2-quart baking dish... if you are using a square and deeper one.. it will take a little longer to bake than a 9 x 11 dish.  If using the 9 x 11 your biscuits will be pretty much in a single layer.. not a problem.. just keep an eye on it...

I reserve one slice of bacon when stirring the bacon pieces in the mixture.  I spread the mixture in my baking dish.. and separate any bacon clumps... and then I take the reserved bacon pieces and fill them in to any spots missing bacon.. this way.. every spoonful will have bacon when it is being served.

Use both the white and the green parts of the green onion.

The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese... 1 cup gets mixed into the mixture.. the other gets sprinkled on about 7 or 8 minutes before it's done baking.... so set your timer for 8 minutes less than the complete baking time... take it out of the oven... sprinkle the cheese over the top and pop it back in the oven and finish baking it.

I hope you enjoy this really easy and delicious breakfast treat!

Recipe:  Cheesy Egg Bacon and Biscuit Breakfast Casserole

All you need:

2 cans Pillsbury Homestyle Biscuits (10 biscuit size)

4 strips of thick sliced bacon, cooked and cut into 1/4 inch pieces *See TIPS

4 eggs

1/4 cup fat free half and half

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese *See TIPS

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Cooking oil spray (butter flavor preferred)

All you need to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 2 quart casserole or baking dish with the cooking oil.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and fat free half and half.

Separate the canned biscuits and cut them in half.  Drop them into the egg mixture... stirring them gently until they are coated.  Add the cheese (*be sure to reserve a 1/2 cup of shredded cheese for the top to be added later) and the green onion.  Stir carefully.

Reserve one slice of bacon pieces.  Stir in the rest of the bacon pieces.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Separate any bacon clumps.  Add the remaining bacon in spots that may not have any bacon.

Bake for 25 minutes if using a deep casserole or 20 minutes if using a 9 x 11 dish.... take out the casserole, sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese over the top. 

Pop it back in the oven for another 5 minutes for the 9x11 and 8 minutes for a deeper casserole or until the cheese is melted.. keep an eye on it.. if you see it browning too much.. take it out.. but you should be okay assuming your oven temperature is correct.

Serve Immediately.