I’m a casserole-type of gal.
What can I say? I’m from Minnesota. We love our casseroles…probably because we spend 9 months out of the year trying to stay warm and what better way to warm up than a nice, hot, deep dish casserole?
And we like them not only for supper, but breakfast and lunch too.
{In my world, there is not such thing as “dinner”…it’s too confusing. Is dinner lunch? Or supper? Sometimes it’s both! I want to know WHEN I’m eating, folks!}
Today’s dish is great eaten at any time of the day. In fact, it is so good, you might just go ahead and serve it for all three meals.
You will eat it until your poor tummy hurts so bad because you’re so full…and yet, you keep on eating because it just tastes SO. GOSH. DARN. GOOD.
I speak from experience.
This is- honest to God- the very best breakfast casserole I have ever had. And I’ve had a lot of them. {From Minnesota, remember}. I’m always hesitant to use hash browns in a casserole as I fear the dish getting dry. This recipe, however, is the opposite. It is juicy, cheesy, delicious. Perfection.
Now, I did use home grown, homemade breakfast sausage and bacon from our pigs. I also used homemade hash browns as well as eggs from our chickens.These are products that are far superior to what can be purchased from the store. So I again encourage you to source the very best from your local farmer if possible- if you do not grow your own. Your taste buds will thank you, I promise.
Hearty Homestead Breakfast Casserole (adapted from this recipe here)
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 Tbs. butter (1/2 stick)
- 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns (or 16 oz.)
- 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
- 3/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1 3/4 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 slices pepper jack cheese (2 oz. total), torn into pieces
- 5 eggs
- 1 2/3 cup milk
Directions:
Brown the pork sausage and drain off the grease.
Begin frying the bacon.
Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a pan. Place your frozen hash browns in the pan, sprinkle on the garlic salt & onion powder, and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes. When you see the edges turning brown, flip the hash browns over and cook for about 10-12 minutes longer until they are nicely browned with crispy edges. Set aside.
Drain bacon once cooked to your liking.
In a large bowl, mix together the hash browns and sausage. Place half of the mixture into a buttered 9″ x 13″ pan. Sprinkle on half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Layer the other half of the hash browns and sausage. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and then the pepper jack cheese.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Pour evenly over the casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes or until nicely browned and the eggs are set.
Allow to sit for 10 minutes before diving in.
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 Tbs. butter (1/2 stick)
- 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns (or 16 oz.)
- 1½ tsp. garlic salt
- ¾ tsp. onion powder
- 1¾ cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 slices pepper jack cheese (2 oz. total), torn into pieces
- 5 eggs
- 1⅔ cup milk
- Brown the pork sausage and drain off the grease.
- Begin frying the bacon.
- Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a pan. Place your frozen hash browns in the pan, sprinkle on the garlic salt & onion powder, and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes. When you see the edges turning brown, flip the hash browns over and cook for about 10-12 minutes longer until they are nicely browned with crispy edges. Set aside.
- Drain bacon once cooked to your liking.
- In a large bowl, mix together the hash browns and sausage. Place half of the mixture into a buttered 9″ x 13″ pan. Sprinkle on half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Layer the other half of the hash browns and sausage. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and then the pepper jack cheese.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Pour evenly over the casserole.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes or until nicely browned and the eggs are set.
- Allow to sit for 10 minutes before diving in.
Wow – this looks delicious. My husband is in charge of breakfast on Sunday morning and I am always looking for new recipes for him to make. LOL! We do have eggs from our chickens and ducks and the turkey, when she is in the mood.
We buy all of our meat/poultry from a few places. Some are local, others internet. We make sure they are humanely raised and free range, etc. It does make a big difference. We buy the heritage Berkshire pork and you can really tell the difference. I also buy organic potatoes and garlic.
Do you have a recipe for homemade breakfast sausage patties and/or Hot Italian sausage? I am not sure what cut to use for either of them. I usually buy chops and tenderloin. I do have my own grinder.
Stay warm. We are having an unusually warm Autumn this year in Maryland. That’s OK with me! The hose is still working! The tree colors have been outstanding! The fowl are loving it since they can free range and still find a bunch of good stuff!
Take care and let me know if you have any info. for me, when you have a chance.
Oh my goodness- I had to laugh out loud about the hose still working! Haha- I had that very thought the other day- how convenient it is to still be able to use the hose at this time of year!
It sounds like you’ve got some wonderful food options in your area! The part of the pig that you typically want to make sausage from is from the “pork butt”- which is actually the shoulder. The reason being is it typically has the perfect meat to fat ratio (15-20%). Check out this link for tons of sausage making recipes- I use a variety of them: http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/sausage-recipes.html
I hope this helps! Thanks so much for visiting!
Thanks! I’m making one tonight for tomorrow’s breakfast.
Yeah, so this was awesome. I know it’s kind of weird to say, but making this actually meant something to me. Strange. I’m not much of a cook, but really enjoyed gathering quality, local, wholesome ingredients. Living in the city, I was only able to grow the eggs and potatoes, but gathering the rest felt special. I did throw in a couple duck eggs, which makes me wonder what you do with your duck eggs. They’re certainly hearty, ain’t they? Anyhow, I wrote up a little thing I wanted to share, because, oddly enough, this whole process really gave me a lot of hope. STRANGE. If possible I’d like to do some sort of profile on y’all some time….
http://eddygilmore.com/2015/12/21/hope-smells-like-bacon/
I’m so glad you tried (and liked!) ! And YES- that gathering- whether from your own or locally sourced- is so very special. It’s encouraging when I hear that others feel the same way. It makes the eating experience so much more than it could have been :).
Duck eggs…I love them! I don’t keep a light on my ducks once daylight starts running short, so I only get eggs spring- early fall. I use them in all of my baked goods- the resulting product is far superior to those using chicken eggs. Fluffier, more moist, yes! I also sell them to some select customers and when I’m especially overloaded…I hard boil them for the pigs. Sounds criminal, I know…but they deserve the best too! Especially since they give me bacon ;).
I’d be up for a profile, just let me know! Thanks as always for visiting!