Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Recipe by Lindsey Chester. Photos by Pat & Keri Ryan.

Cary, NC – If you don’t want to miss any of the Christmas morning craziness, prep this dish on Christmas Eve, pop in the oven in the morning and enjoy!

This dish can be prepped and sit in the frig over night to be ready for a preheated 325 oven.  Bakes for 45 minutes and breakfast is ready when you are.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz bulk sausage (your choice, I like Neese’s because its from NC)
• 3 slices of bread, torn into bite-size pieces (white is fine, or go more exotic)
• 1/2 shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 C low fat milk
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

The Prep Work:

1. If you have block cheeses, get those grated.
2. Brown the sausage and drain all the gross fat! Allow to cool.
3. Grease your casserole dish.
4. Line the bottom with bread.

To Assemble:

1. Layer cooked sausage on top of the bread.
2. Top with the Monterey Jack cheese.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together and add salt & pepper.
4. Pour this liquid mixture over the cheese and sausage in the dish. Be sure it covers everything.
5. Top with the grated cheddar.
6. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and put in the frig overnight.
7. In the morning (after you’ve made your coffee, and checked that the kids have only opened their stockings). preheat your oven to 325.
8. Remove the plastic wrap (that seems obvious…just sayin”), and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Makes 6 hearty servings.

You can substitute other cheeses of your preference (mozerella for instance) and switch the sausage for ham or bacon.

Happy Holidays from CaryCitizen!

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Food coverage on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Great Harvest Bread Company on Maynard Road in Cary.