Hearty Breakfast Casserole

September 11th, 2008 · 1 Comment

This is a recipe that my boss Liz Cheek gave me on a recap of a weekend of cooking for her family a few weeks ago. She will spend whole weekends preparing meals for her family as well as church functions and this one was a traditional fare that was handed down through her family for a few generations. I did my best to remember all the ingredients, now with my own twist and having made it twice already I will share it with you now! This is also a perfect dish for any time of the day, not just for breakfast anymore!

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
		Non-stick Spray
1	Cont.	Crescent Rolls
½	Lb.	Breakfast sausage, bulk
6	Each	Eggs, extra large
¾	Cup	Milk
1 ½	Cups	Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2	Cups	Hash Brown Potatoes, or shredded potato uncooked
¾	Cup	Italian bread crumbs
To taste		Garlic salt and black pepper

Procedure Steps
1.	Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
2.	Spray a 9” X 9” X 2” square baking pan with non-stick spray
3.	Open the crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan with the dough in one single layer covering the entire pan.
4.	Break up the breakfast sausage into chunks and brown in a separate sauté pan on all sides until cooked through, then drain on paper towels.
5.	Arrange the browned sausage in a single layer on top of the dough layer.
6.	Add the shredded potatoes (hash browns) in an even layer over and between the sausage layer.
7.	Break the eggs and mix them in a separate small bowl with the milk then add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir well. Add the salt and pepper to the egg/cheese mixture and stir again to mix well then pour it into the baking pan over the potatoes and sausage layers. Smooth out to even the top.
8.	Sprinkle the top with a nice thin layer of bread crumbs and bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until the eggs set up and the top is golden brown. Allow to rest a few minutes then cut into 6 even portions. Also makes a great brunch menu item.