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.