Breakfast Casserole

We had dinner plans with friends today.  In order to keep my 365 Recipe Challenge I decided to put a spin on brunch.  It seems there a bazillion breakfast bakes out there to try.   Most call for frozen this and canned that.  I took this basic Taste of Home recipe and tweaked it to make it more health friendly and cost effective.

Today's soap box lecture: All too often we are all lead to believe the grocery store is filled with prepackaged foods to save us time.  And, yes, I do occasionally use them.  However, if you test the theory of time, effort and expense, chances are fresh is less $, equal effort and time, and a bonus of knowing exactly what you are eating.  Keep in mind, I am really ordinary.  I don't have a zeal for excessive anything.  I am not obsessive about saving a buck or eating pure.  I just believe if you pay attention most of the time you are ahead of the game.  Most breakfast casseroles call for frozen hash browns.  They need thawed-time; they are about $4-expense; ingredients-potato, dextrose, disodium pyrophosphate, potassium sorbate, and sodium bisulfite; ok, I'll give that they are minimal effort.  1 real potato-pennies if that; ingredients-potato; a tad effort because all of you will argue that the food processor needs cleaned, really? the other reasons don't make this more than worth the effort?  I am done with my argument!

Breakfast Casserole
printable recipe

8 oz. loose breakfast sausage
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
6 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 large shredded potato (I know I show 2 in the picture; but one turned out to be plenty)or 8 oz. frozen hash browns, thawed
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (I go heavier on this, we like pepper)
1/2 tsp dill weed

With your shredder tool attached, shred one large potato in a food processor.  Wrap in a paper towel.

In a small skillet brown the sausage and crumble.  With a slotted spoon remove the sausage and add the onion and peppers.  Saute until soft.

In a large bowl combine the potatoes, egg, milk, cheese, salt, pepper and dill.

Add the sausage, onion and peppers.

Mix all together.
Spread mixture in a small casserole.

Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe makes 6 hearty servings.  I would like to point out that I could have made fried potatoes, eggs, sausage and perhaps toast for brunch. Used some butter to fry the eggs, oil to crisp up the potatoes and butter on the toast.  However, when you break down the ingredients to 6 servings, it is surprising that each serving is one egg, 1/6 of a potato, a splash of milk, less than an ounce of cheese and no other fat.  Impressive.  I wrapped up the other servings individually to be heated for breakfast this week. The splash of dill with the pepper gives this a savory flavor.  This is holiday breakfast worthy!