Hearty Breakfast Casserole

I love serving lots of delicate, light things for breakfast, but sometimes you need something heartier, something heavier, something that's easy to prepare, tastes fabulous, and will stay hot while serving a crowd.

This simple casserole fits the bill.

It's a wonderful brunch item.  I've served it for Christmas brunch, en masse at church breakfasts, and for all sorts of company.  You can even prepare most of it the night before, which is a great advantage to this morning-challenged girl.

The flavors are easily adjusted, making it possible to appear to be a completely different dish with no fuss, so you can tailor it to your family's personal preferences or to whatever you happen to have on hand.

Here's how to make your own Hearty Breakfast Casserole:

Ingredients:

• 32 oz. frozen shredded potatoes (Southwest for a spicy version, plain for a milder one)
• 1 lb. of your favorite breakfast meat, sausage, ham, or bacon
• 1 onion and 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 12 eggs
• about 1/2 c. milk
• 1-2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Prepping this dish is easy:

1. Prepare your dish(es).  You can make this dish in either a 9x13" pan or two smaller casserole dishes.  Choose your style and then spray with non-stick spray for easy clean-up.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the potatoes.  You may need to add a small amount of olive oil or butter to prevent sticking.
3. When potatoes are cooked through and beginning to get crispy, remove from heat and spread them evenly into the bottom of your dish(es).
4. Return the pan to the stovetop and add your meat (if necessary).  If using sausage or bacon, cook and crumble that now.  When cooked through, drain off grease and sprinkle on top of potatoes.
5. If using veggies, add those to the pan and cook now.  Spread those atop the meat.
6. If preparing the night before, you can cover the dish and fridge it now to be finished in the morning.
7. Crack eggs (6 for two smaller dishes, all 12 for a 13x9" pan.  Whisk together and add milk as you would to make scrambled eggs.  
8. Pour egg mixture gently over potato/meat mixture in your baking dish.
9. Top with shredded cheddar. 
10. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until edges are beginning to brown and the middle is set.
11. Let stand for 3-4 minutes before cutting.

*This is great served with fruit and muffins!

What's your favorite company/holiday breakfast dish?