The Virgin Chef — Easy Breakfast Casserole

 

 

 

 

Every year the mister, mini-mister and I host a holiday brunch for all of our friends and family.  And since cooking for 3 is already a challenge for me, you can imagine cooking for 40 isn’t exactly in my repertoire.   I have, however, developed a few delicious go-tos that have become, dare I say, famous.  If delicious and easy is your goal, let me introduce you to the Breakfast Casserole (can you tell I’ve been reading too much Doctor Seuss?).  It checks off all the important things: healthy, easy, make in advance.  And it’s great to make ahead for those day after holiday breakfasts! (Perfect for New Year’s Day!) 

Tip – If you’re making for a party, it’s best to make the day before and stick in the refrigerator. Then you can simply put it in the oven about 30 minutes before your party begins.  It will be warm and ready to serve upon guest’s arrival.  VEGETARIAN guests? Substitute mushrooms (or vegetable of your choice) instead of sausage. Bon appetite!

 

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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Ingredients:

  • Egg Beaters (you can also use regular eggs but I find egg beaters to be easier to work with and, of course, healthier)
  • Milk
  • Mustard
  • Pillsbury Crescent rolls
  • 1 box frozen pre-cooked breakfast sausage (I use Applegate Farms Natural Chicken and Maple Breakfast Sausage – organic, nitrate free and 70% less fat than typical pork links)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: Slightly defrost the breakfast sausages in the microwave (about 30 seconds), cut into bite size pieces and put to the side. Spray casserole dish with a non-stick spray and then open the crescent rolls but do not tear them apart. Keeping the crescent rolls in a single sheet lay them across the dish lining the casserole dish with the dough. Spread a thin coat of mustard on the dough. Pour in egg beaters until the casserole dish is about ¼ full than pour in milk bringing the dish to just less than half full. Stir the milk and eggs together in the casserole dish. (you can also mix the eggs and milk in a separate bowl and pour in but doing it this way cuts down on dishes☺) Add sausages to the mix spreading them throughout the dish. Pop in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes pull the casserole out and add cheese to top and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the eggs are cooked through.

VOILA!

 
 

Home Cooked!

HERE'S A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KITCHEN —

LISA STONER: I’ve been a short order cook, hash slinger and even a take-out maven, but never a chef de cuisine. In my young childhood, I grew up watching my grandmother cook thoughtfully and carefully every day. [She always looked really great doing it too!] Perhaps it was my undying admiration and adoration for her as she seemed to effortlessly take care of home and family, but that ease she seemed to have was something I always seemed to strive for.

The savvier cook in me today really only came about once I had my first daughter. Once she became ready to eat solid food, I began making her baby food rather than offering her food from a jar. That process not only came from the deepest place of love I had for her, but it was an enjoyable process for me I found. I find tremendous joy from cooking for my family and friends, but my motives can often times be selfish. Read this slowly in case you think you have read it incorrectly: COOKING SOOTHES ME.

It really does! Truthfully, it’s “me time,” where I get lost in preparation and plating. My mind slows down from thoughts of work, deadlines and all the rest of my responsibilities. The dividends? The rest of the family also slows down from their pace as we all sit around the table. Win-win, indeed. #meandthemister

AMY MORELLI: I honestly don't have an "A HA" type moment of where I learned to cook, I just remember stories of how when my mom married my dad she only knew how to make french fries. HA! (PS. she would kill me if I didn't say that now my mother is an amazing cook, and I did learn alot from her over the years!) I think my cooking skills have come in part to watching, learning and helping my grandmother and mother throughout my childhood, and part from my "creative brain". My cooking style is a bit like: Take a known favorite family recipe and modify it by following my gut (and taste of course) or let's just experiment and see how this tastes. And it probably didn't hurt that I spend most of my young adult years serving in various restaurants. I must say, I am a good cook, and I've come up with some interesting recipes over the years. I will confess right here right now, I CANNOT, REPEAT. CANNOT, BAKE PIES. I have tried and tried, to give you a visual, my last apple pie, turned out purple and tasting like flour... WHAT!#?* #memyselfandi

ROBYN DIXON — The Virgin Chef: I’ll be honest. Cooking isn’t my thing. Work, Sports, Fashion, Reading – those are my things. I actually hadn’t ever given much thought about my lack of cooking skills until one fateful day early in my college career when I set out to make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. I mean, how hard can that be? Well, it’s not hard I suppose if you follow directions but I didn’t do that. Instead, in my infinite wisdom, thought it appropriate to pour the powdered cheese into the boiling water (I mean how else would it turn into liquid?). Thus began my love/hate relationship with cooking. And there was that one time that I cooked a frozen pizza with the cardboard on the bottom. Ha! Needless to say, since having Lucas I have made an effort to get better at cooking, and thank goodness for friends like Amy who come help "guide" me so I don't burn the house down. She helped me make cupcakes when Lucas turned one, and they actually were a great success! So I'm going to try and grow my cooking skills through this blog, and I hope you all don't find it too amusing. (In my cooking glory pictured right) #meandtheminimister

 

We at Me Actually love all things in the kitchen from entertaining and planning meals to recipe experimentation and of course enjoying our culinary creations. We hope to bring to you recipes for both the virgin and seasoned cooks, as well as many other "hacks" that can be used in your kitchen or your home. Because most family life centers around the heart of the home, which is the the kitchen, we wanted to start with a post so you can get to know us and our culinary prowess and progress.

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