When you are on a budget, casseroles can be your best friend. A little of this, a little of that (ummmmm... whatever you happen to have in your fridge that you need to use instead of throwing out), layer it, mix it, and then pop it in the oven & voila! Dinner is served, right?
But who says casseroles are just for dinner?
Casseroles have been a part of my breakfast repertoire for a little while now.
Usually in the form of a french toast casserole of sorts.
But this week I made a savory, buttery, cheesy casserole to share with you all as part of the Country Crock Stars contest.
I threw everything you would expect from a country breakfast on the farm into a casserole- eggs, bacon, home fries, cheese, & I topped it all off with buttermilk biscuits (or at least a buttermilk biscuit crumble!).
I am not going to lie to you all... this was fabulous. My son and husband were raving about it & told me the wait was worth it. (I may have got a late start on breakfast that day and breakfast turned into more like brunch. ;) )
What you will need:
5-6 small potatoes (or 2 large ones), scrubbed & diced
1/2 of an onion, diced
2 tbsp Country Crock spread
6-7 slices of thick bacon, cooked and then roughly chopped
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For the buttermilk biscuit crumble-
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
couple dashes of cayenne pepper
3 tbsp Country Crock spread
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup buttermilk
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a medium casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook your bacon as you prefer (I like to bake mine in the oven on a foil lined rimmed cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.). Once cooked, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and let cool and then give them a rough chop.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the 2 tbsp of Country Crock spread. Add in the diced potatoes and onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once about halfway through. We are trying to get the potatoes browned, but not cooked all the way through. Once cooked, dump the potatoes and onions into your prepared casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes in the casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese over top.
Bake for 15 minutes in your preheated oven.
While the casserole is baking, prepare your buttermilk biscuit crumble dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, & cayenne. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the 3 tbsp of Country Crock spread into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. Mix in the remaining 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Now pour in the buttermilk and mix until a dough forms.
Once the casserole has baked for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and top with the chopped bacon and 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Now drop the buttermilk biscuit dough in spoonfuls all across the top of the casserole forming a crumble-like topping. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking, crank the oven up to 400 degrees.
The eggs should be set when done and the edges should be pulling away from the sides of the casserole dish. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting it and serving.
What I love about this casserole is that it is versatile. You can use whatever you have on hand.
Don't have bacon? Use sausage or leftover diced ham.
Have a green pepper or a jalapeno you need to use? Dice it up and saute it with the potatoes and onions.
You could make this a meat free casserole and just load it up with lots of veggies- mushrooms, spinach, peppers, asparagus... You get the picture. ;)
Just don't forget the Country Crock! I was surprised with how buttery and delicious it made this Country Breakfast Casserole.
Do you have a go-to, delicious casserole that your family loves?
Then go enter the Country Crock Stars contest- share a photo of your favorite casserole, and share in 100 words how you demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in the kitchen. (You could win a trip for two to New York City & $5000!!)
Country Breakfast Casserole
by
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 5-6 small potatoes (or 2 large ones), scrubbed & diced
- 1/2 of an onion, diced
- 2 tbsp Country Crock spread
- 6-7 slices of thick bacon, cooked and then roughly chopped
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For the buttermilk biscuit crumble
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- couple dashes of cayenne pepper
- 3 tbsp Country Crock spread
- 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a medium casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook your bacon as you prefer (I like to bake mine in the oven on a foil lined rimmed cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.). Once cooked, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and let cool and then give them a rough chop.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the 2 tbsp of Country Crock spread. Add in the diced potatoes and onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once about halfway through. We are trying to get the potatoes browned, but not cooked all the way through. Once cooked, dump the potatoes and onions into your prepared casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes in the casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese over top.
Bake for 15 minutes in your preheated oven.
While the casserole is baking, prepare your buttermilk biscuit crumble dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, & cayenne. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the 3 tbsp of Country Crock spread into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. Mix in the remaining 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Now pour in the buttermilk and mix until a dough forms.
Once the casserole has baked for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and top with the chopped bacon and 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Now drop the buttermilk biscuit dough in spoonfuls all across the top of the casserole forming a crumble-like topping. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking, crank the oven up to 400 degrees.
The eggs should be set when done and the edges should be pulling away from the sides of the casserole dish. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting it and serving.
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