Egg Casserole for Kids

This year I decided to do a New Year's brunch for Chris and me.  I already knew I wanted to serve the Caramelized Ham and Cheese Buns I discovered last month in Taste of Home.  I was looking for something egg-based to go with it in The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas.  I didn't find anything I wanted to try in the "Breakfast and Brunch Casseroles" chapter, but I found a winner in the "Casseroles for Kids" chapter!

This recipe is so versatile -- you can put in whatever veggies or meat options you like and it would be just as good.  I used bacon instead of ham, and I added broccoli to mine and left out the mushrooms (Chris doesn't like them).

The secret ingredient?  CROUTONS!

Egg Casserole for Kids

2 cups seasoned croutons (I love garlic and cheese flavor)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 cup diced cooked ham
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp prepared mustard

Preheat the oven to 325.  Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Spread the croutons over the bottom of the pan.  Top with the cheese, mushrooms, and ham.  (Or whatever you've chosen to use -- my broccoli was sticking up out of the egg mixture and it worked out just fine.)

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard.  Pour over the layers in the pan.  Banke for about 1 hour, until the eggs are set.

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

We had this dish for dinner the other night and it was FANTASTIC!  Baking the eggs makes them the same as soft boiled, which is divine.


It takes longer to cook the potatoes than you think, so I'm not sure I would ever make this for breakfast.  Maybe brunch, since I'm not a morning person. :-)  The next time I made it, I used red potatoes, as the recipes says, and the timing was more accurate.  I've also added cooked bacon to it when you add the cheese and it is even better!

This recipe comes from the December/January 2013 issue of Taste of Home.  Since it was just for the two of us, I halved this recipe.  It was so filling, even for dinner, neither of us could finish all our potatoes!

Baked Cheddar Eggs and Potatoes

3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, chopped (I used Idaho, which might be why it took so long for them to cook!)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I used dried)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 eggs
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1.  In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes.  Cook and stir until golden brown and tender. Stir in the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  With the back of a spoon, make four wells in the potato mixture.  Break two eggs into each well.

2.  Bake at 400 for 9-11 minutes (I think I baked mine for at least 15) or until egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 1 minute longer or until cheese in melted.

Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche

This recipe appeared in my inbox, just as I was wondering what to do with all the tomatoes from my garden!

I didn't grow any heirloom varieties, but mine worked just fine in this recipe.  It comes from Midwest Living.  Click here for the direct link to the recipe, which includes nutrition information.

I forgot to put the salt in it (I rarely cook with salt!) and it was still good.  Also, I didn't end up having to use foil to prevent the edges from browning too much.  I watched the stupid thing like a hawk for the last 10 minutes though!

Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche

1/2 15 -ounce package (1 crust) rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust
12 ounces assorted garden heirloom tomatoes (Cherokee Purple and/or Brandywine) or regular tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (I used about 5 smallish tomatoes -- you will be placing them in a single layer across the pie plate, so judge how many you'll need as you slice)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
3 eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk (I used half-and-half)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed (I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and/or Havarti cheese (4 ounces) (I used Swiss)
Paprika

Directions

1. Let piecrust stand at room temperature according to package directions. Unroll piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, place tomato slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion. Cook until onion is tender but not brown, stirring occasionally.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, flour, basil, salt, dry mustard and black pepper.
4. To assemble, sprinkle cheese onto bottom of the hot, baked pastry shell. Spoon onion mixture over cheese. Arrange a single layer of tomato slices over cheese, overlapping slightly. Slowly pour egg mixture over tomatoes. Sprinkle paprika over egg mixture.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center. If necessary, cover edge of pie with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Bacon Egg Breakfast Cups

The boyfriend found this recipe mentioned on lifehacker.  I tried to make it on a regular morning before work, and it does take longer than regular bacon and eggs, so it's more of a weekend treat type of dish.  Especially since I have to partially cook the bacon first before I can put it in the muffin cups.  The first time I forgot to spray the pan and I'm still working on cleaning that pan of the stuck on egg, so don't forget!!  And I cooked them for longer than the eight minutes that Kirbie recommends, as neither of us care for runny yolks.  This would make a cute dish to serve if you have breakfast company and don't want to be stuck at the stove making eggs for everybody; and if there are kids, it's finger food!

Bacon Egg Breakfast Cups

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients:

4 eggs
4 slices of precooked bacon (if you are using raw bacon, make sure to heat it up so it is cooked about 50% before placing it into the molds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray muffin tin with pam spray.
2. Line muffin pans with bacon so that it circles each mold.
3. Break an egg into the center of each mold. Bake for about 8 minutes or until egg is cooked to the doneness of your liking. Serve while warm.

Potato Basil Frittata

I first saw this on Ina Garten's show "Barefoot Contessa" on the Food Network.  I immediately looked it up online and made for breakfast the next weekend.

It is unbelievably good!  Probably the BEST frittata I have ever had.

Don't subsitute another cheese.  The gruyere is key to this recipe.

I half the recipe for just me and Chris.  The whole recipe would easily feed eight.  Serve it with fresh squeezed orange juice and grapes for an extra special touch.

Potato Basil Frittata

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch diced boiling potatoes (4 potatoes)

8 extra-large eggs

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3/4 pound Gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyere, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.