Enjoy this delicious and easy-to-adapt recipe from Becca, and let us know if you try it! —Dina
Whether you are someone who swaps in winter holiday decorations the day after Halloween or you Grinch your way to the new year, the holidays are now in full swing! This season can get hectic in a hurry. From hosting family to running between holiday gatherings, food prep can easily fall to the wayside. My husband and I typically host one or more out-of-town families during the season, and having a make-ahead breakfast to feed a crowd has been a game-changer!
Here are a few reasons why this Egg Bake is a holiday staple in our house:
Can be fully prepped in advance – you can all but bake this, refrigerate, and bake fresh in the morning OR fully bake in advance and simply reheat. It keeps well, and some say it’s better on the second day.
Serves a crowd – forget made-to-order eggs that are impossible to serve at once and create a pile of dishes.
Kicks off the day with a wholesome meal – because who really needs to manage a hangry guest, or chef for that matter?!
This recipe is fairly general, and many ingredients can be exchanged to create flavors that you prefer. Below is what I plan to use this year.
Ingredients:
Veggies: aim for ~4 cups in total. I’ll use two bell peppers, a couple of handfuls of chopped, fresh spinach, 1 medium onion (white, yellow, or sweet), and a few chopped mushrooms. Broccoli, kale, zucchini, and squash also work well.
Meat: I like to use Canadian bacon or sweet chicken sausage. Amount can vary to preference, and I typically don’t measure, but I’d start with ~1 cup of chopped meat and add more if it looks sparse.
Eggs + Milk: 12-15 eggs, whisked with a bit of milk (1/2 and 1/2 or full-fat yields a fluffier result)
Salt & pepper (pinch or ¼ tsp salt and 1/8-1/4 tsp pepper)
Bread or Potatoes: I’ve made this recipe with and without the starch. For Thanksgiving this year, I used extra sourdough that I had for stuffing. The starch helps soak up moisture, but I have found that this dish firms up without it when the veggies are cooked on the stovetop in advance. If using starch, ~3 cups of cubed dry bread or 3 cups of frozen diced hashbrowns should do the trick.
Cheese: ~1 cup of shredded cheddar or mozzarella if desired.
Other: 1-2 garlic cloves, or holiday seasonings like rosemary and thyme if desired.
Instructions:
Heat olive oil over medium/medium high in a large skillet on the stovetop. Cook meat until browned and set aside. Add more olive oil to pan if needed, then cook chopped onion until turning translucent, add chopped garlic and seasonings (dash of S&P, rosemary or thyme if using). Add other chopped veggies and continue stirring. Once vegetables are mostly cooked, add spinach for the last minute or so. Add back meat, if used, and set aside.
Grease a 9X13 casserole dish, and place bread or potatoes on bottom.
Layer with the meat/veggie mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with S&P, milk, and cheese. Pour over veggies in dish.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove dish from refrigerator while oven heats to 350-375 degrees. Place dish, uncovered, in the oven for about 35-45 minutes. I’ve found the cook time varies depending on the type and volume of ingredients I use, so I recommend setting the timer for 30 minutes to start. Once a toothpick comes out clean, you can remove from the oven, cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve!
This makes great leftovers for up to 5 days when stored in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave. I typically serve with a large bowl of berries, and a coffee cake or cinnamon rolls if I’m feeling extra motivated!
Enjoy!
-Becca
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