Potato Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

A quick and easy breakfast casserole with some great tips, perfect for the holidays.  Delicious and even pretty enough to serve to guests.. this one will let you spend time with those guests and still serve a great breakfast.

TIPS

You can make the breakfast sausage ahead.... cook, crumble and drain on paper towels and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  This will help time wise and clean-up time.

You may notice the sausage does cause some grease to accumulate on the top… don’t worry … the topping you add about 15 minutes before the end will use it to crisp up some of the bread crumbs.

Speaking of the topping… it really does add a nice touch.. the cheesy taste on top and the breadcrumbs add a slight crunch… I use panko crumbs, which by the way, now come in large easy-to-use containers like other bread crumbs.

Quantities for the topping and cheese in the casserole are slightly flexible... like it really cheesy, add more cheese... like the extra crunch.. add a little more bread crumbs.

I use shredded cheddar cheese or a shredded Mexican cheese mix with this recipe.. both work extremely well.

You can use either frozen hashbrowns or refrigerated ones.  You don’t need to thaw the frozen ones ahead.  If you are using refrigerated hash browns or you thaw the potatoes, just bake the casserole for 35-40 minutes... be sure to add the topping at 25 minutes…and start checking it at 35 minutes... it's done when a knife inserted in the center comes out dry (not wet with the egg/milk mixture) and the top is lightly browned.

I know some people layer the ingredients in breakfast casseroles,  I like to put the ingredients in a bowl and mix them.. this way everything is pretty evenly distributed...I personally think it makes a better casserole.

The recipe calls for evaporated milk... I do use it.. but this recipe would work well with fat free half and half  or regular half and half also .. the consistency is the about the same..

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

This can be assembled the night before and stored in the fridge overnight .. but honestly it goes together so quickly I don't think it's necessary.. in the time it takes your oven to pre-heat.. you can have it assembled.

The recipe calls for a 2 quart baking dish… you can check your baking dish by measuring out  2 quarts of water and pouring it into your baking dish.  If it fills it to the top, you have a 2 quart dish.  It can be slightly bigger also.. that’s okay.

I used my oven-proof Le Creuset skillet.  It was a little bigger than 4 cups.  I DO NOT recommend you make the sausage in a skillet and then mix the ingredients and bake it in the skillet.  While the idea sounds good, especially for clean-up, it will have too much grease in it for your casserole.

You can use an oven-proof skillet… take out the cooked sausage and drain on paper towels and then clean out the skillet… follow the directs and use the skillet as a baking dish, but be sure to clean it well.

If using a round baking dish or oven-proof skillet, cut the casserole into wedges to serve. 

Remember if you use a smaller dish to bake it in.. then the casserole will be thicker... and you will need to adjust your baking times... not too big a deal.. just make sure you test by inserting a knife into the center .. when it comes out dry.. it's done.  If the top started to get too brown... then lay a piece of foil loosely over the top.

This will serve six.... don't let the serving of the casserole fool you.. it's filling....

If you're looking for something to serve with it... toasted English muffins... biscuits or muffins... even toast.. all would be perfect and easy to serve with this.

I cut the leftovers into portions and stored them in the fridge... a quick nuke in the microwave made for another quick and easy breakfast on another day.

Try this delicious breakfast.. the family will love it.





Recipe: Potato Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

All you need:

3 cups frozen or refrigerated hash browns *See TIPS

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ pound breakfast sausage, cooked and drained

2 green onions, sliced

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

4 eggs

Topping:

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup panko crumbs

Butter flavor cooking oil spray

All you need to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray (butter flavor preferred).

Place the frozen hash browns, shredded cheese, cooked and drained breakfast sausage, and green onion in a large bowl.  Toss to mix completely.  Dump it into the prepared baking dish.

Wipe out the bowl.. and beat the eggs then add the evaporated milk and whisk to combine.  Pour the mixture over the ingredients in the baking dish.

***NOTE:  About 15 minutes before the required baking time (see below), sprinkle the cheese for the topping on the casserole. 

Continue baking until the cheese melts (about 5 minutes).. then take the casserole out of the oven… sprinkle the panko crumbs on top… give it a quick spray with butter flavored cooking oil spray and put it back into the oven. 

Continue baking for 10 minutes, then start checking for doneness by inserting a knife in the center to see if it comes out dry.

Baking Times: Bake for 35-45 minutes if using thawed or refrigerated hash browns or 45-55 minutes for frozen hash browns (or until a knife inserted in the center comes out dry).  

Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes.  Cut into squares or wedges and serve.