Recipe: Sausage Breakfast Casserole

I originally made this one for Christmas Day.  I was looking for something with few ingredients that my kids would like and I came across this recipe for Emeril’s Breakfast Casserole on the Food Network.  It was delish but I made a few tweaks for New Years to make it even more kid and family friendly. (No green onions, more sausage and eggs!)

What I love about this is the make ahead factor.  It’s so nice to have something all ready to go and to be able to pop something so delicious into the oven in the morning with no work!

Recipe:  Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 9 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of Half and Half
• Salt and Pepper
• Butter to grease pan
• 1 loaf of fresh French Bread from your local grocery store
• 2 lbs breakfast sausage, precooked, drain the fat (I used Italian but you can use regular too)
• 2 cups of cheddar cheese

1. Cook the sausage, drain of all grease and set aside.

2. In a big mixing bowl, mix the eggs, Half & Half and Salt and Pepper.

3. Butter a 9×13 casserole/baking dish.  (If you have it, definitely use the bigger baking dish.  I didn’t have it the second time around as we were on vacation and I think the wider dish fits the casserole better.)

4. Break pieces off the French Bread in small bite sizes and line the bottom of the pan until the bottom is covered.

5. Sprinkle the cooked sausage and cheese over the bread.

6.  Pour the egg mix on top.  And don’t worry if it doesn’t look like much egg – it all kind of sinks down to the bottom and is supposed to be that way.

7.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, cook at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.