Breakfast Casserole

Three days, three posts. Clearly I am on a roll. It has been nice to get back to my love of cooking.

Along that line, I have decided to be a sweet wife and have something tasty to offer the hubby for breakfast each morning. Isn't that nice of me?

Our family loves a hearty breakfast. It is a rare occasion that we eat a bowl of cold cereal with milk. The menu at our house frequently includes waffles, pancakes or french toast... all of which I make in monstrous quantities and then freeze for later. Thank God for my toaster.

During the school week, our mornings can be quite rushed. It is hard to get some protein (a.k.a. eggs or breakfast meat) into my boys without turning into a short order cook. The obvious solution was to make my favorite breakfast casserole to feed the hungry boys.

This recipe comes from my neighbor... the one who says she "doesn't cook." Lies, lies... It is by far the yummiest Breakfast Casserole I have ever eaten. Give it a try.


Breakfast Casserole

20 slices of bread, cubed
1 lb. breakfast sausage, cooked and drained
1 - 1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese grated
1 can Rotelle tomatoes
about 1 3/4 c. half-n-half
12 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard

Open the can of Rotelle tomatoes and drain them over a measuring cup. Set the reserved liquid aside.

Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of a greased 9x12 pan.


Top with half of the cooked sausage.


Spread half of the grated cheddar cheese on top.


Sprinkle the drained tomatoes evenly over the cheese. My boy doesn't like things to be too zippy, so I used about half the can. Use as much as you like.


Repeat the layering with the remaining bread, sausage and cheese.


Crack 12 eggs into a bowl.


Take the reserved liquid from the can of Rotelle and add enough half-n-half to equal 2 cups. Add to the eggs along with the salt and dry mustard. Whisk to combine.


Slowly pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread mixture. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.


In the morning, remove the plastic wrap from your chilled casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until the egg is set and the top is golden brown.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Today has been a chilly, gloomy, and rainy day. The kind of day that makes you want to snuggle up under a blanket and watch a good movie. Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow for any such indulgences.

As dinnertime approached, I decided to cook one of my favorite comfort foods... Poppy Seed Chicken. I must warn you that this is by no means a healthy meal. Quite to the contrary. Those suffering from high cholesterol or heart disease should go visit another blog. This dish is loaded with fat and calories but is, in my opinion, incredibly tasty.

I prefer to roast my own chicken to make this dish, however, you could easily buy them at your local grocery store. It can also be whipped up in a snap using any leftover chicken or turkey that you might have on hand. Served with steamed brown or wild rice and a green leafy salad, Poppy Seed Chicken is the perfect meal for a busy, rainy day.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2 roasted chickens, meat removed and diced into small cubes
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. carton of sour cream
1-2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 stick of butter, melted

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, cream of chicken soup and the sour cream. Blend until creamy and smooth. Add the poppy seeds and the chicken. Stir until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Combine the cracker crumbs and the butter, tossing to coat. Spread the crumbs evenly on top of the chicken. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.