Recipe Tuesday ~ Breakfast Casserole

I mentioned yesterday that I was in charge of Mother's Day Brunch at the office.  That confused a few people, so here's the deal.  My job as Social Chairman (er....marketing coordinator) at PHRC requires me to come up with unique and clever ways to keep patients calling for appointments.  Nothing motivates people to come into the office than a good, old fashioned buffet table!  So this year, instead of giving roses to the mothers, I thought it would be a good idea to feed everybody who IS a mother, HAS a mother, or HAD a mother.  That pretty much covers it all.  I did the planning and the home cooking and my co-workers filled in the gaps.  I work with a lot of 20-something single guys, so every time I bring homecooked, man-pleasin' food into the office, I get big props.  Yesterday was no different! 

I admit, that I did not spare the fat grams, the calories, nor the cholestrol yesterday unless you balance the egg casserole with the fresh fruit salad.  Yeah, that works.  Here is my breakfast casserole recipe that brought into the office yesterday.  I also served leftovers for dinner last night with a big salad and it was really delicious!

Note:  If you would like to reduce the fat and calories here, you could do any or all of the following:

• Use reduced fat cheddar cheese
• Instead of a dozen eggs, use 6 eggs and 10 egg whites
• Substitute water for the half and half
• Use turkey breakfast sausage instead of pork sausage and "rinse" it well
• Omit the potatoes (but that would be a crime, I have to admit!)

Barb's Breakfast Casserole

• Frozen Hash browns, thawed
• 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
• 1/2 medium onion, diced small
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced small
• 1 dozen eggs
• 1/4 C half and half
• salt and pepper
• fresh parsley
• tobasco sauce

Layer hash browns at the bottom of a 9X13" baking pan and set aside.

Saute onions, peppers and breakfast sausage in a non-stick skillet until the sausage is cooked and the onions are transparent.  You can omit the onions and peppers if you don't like them. You can also use bacon if you like, it's all good!  Drain the fat off of the sausage and layer the sausage, onions and peppers over the hash browns.

Crack a dozen eggs into a large bowl.  Add half and half, salt and pepper, parsley, and a few dashes of tabasco sauce.  Mix well and pour evenly over the sausage and hash browns.  Cover with shredded cheddar cheese (Pepper jack is REALLY good too, if you like it spicy, but I was cooking for a crowd).  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you want to prepare this ahead of time and bake the next day (that's what I did!), it works really great.  Do I need to mention that homemade cheddar biscuits are REALLY good with this?  No, I didn't think so.

++++++++++++++++++++++

So today is my birthday.  I got a big birthday present yesterday (will blog about that later this week) and we're celebrating tomorrow night, so today I have a day off with very little to do.  That is so great!  Actually, I have housework that is really calling my name, but I'm going to completely ignore those calls.

Shannon wrote me a "birthday song" today, and it's just darling.  I might have to scrap it.  Here it is:

Mom it's your birthday
Thanks for all the love and care you give
I just really need it to live
I love you and you're the one I adore.
You help me up when I fall,
You pick me up when I'm down,
You turn my my frown upside down,
And I love you forever more.
Happy Birthday Mom!

Isn't that awesome?  Well I sure love it. 

I'd like to keep ignoring the fact that I'm getting up there, but I guess it's true.  Most days I certainly don't feel old. Somedays my knees are killing me, or my shoulder, or my wrist, (or all of the above!) but that's more the life of a jock and less having to do with my chronological age. 

I can't deny, however, that when my grandma was my age, she was a grandmother already.  Yikes!  And when my mom was my age, I was already graduated from college and living on my own.  Double yikes!  I guess having a fifth grader certainly keeps one young.  At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The cicadas haven't poked out of the earth yet (any day now....ewwwww!) so I might get out there this morning and go on a nice long bike ride because it could be my last one for a good six weeks and by then, the hot and humid Cincinnati summer will be here.  Today it's sunny and about 55 degrees ~ just perfect!

Finally, and unexpected surprise came to me overnight...I got an invite to join the creative team for JanaM at The Digichick.  I love Jana's kits, they're colorful and fun and seem to suit my style perfectly.  Of course I'm saying yes, and I'm really excited!  Here are some peeks at some of Jana's recent kits.  I can't wait to get started helping out!

Thanks for reading down to here so far.  And since it's my birthday, I'll be giving away a gift to two lucky winners who leave me birthday comments today....yeah, I'm fishing!  It's my day!  So go ahead and leave me some love and you might get some goodies in return!

Comments

[ashley]

Happy birthday Barb!!

[Neverland Scraps]

Happy birthday, barb!! Congrats on getting on such a fabulous ct!!

[Moon Scraps]

Happy Birthday! Have a great day! The photos look awesome

[Susan]

Happy birthday Barb, and congrats on the DT! That casserole looks awesome! Your blog always makes me hungry! :D

[Heidi]

Well, Happy Birthday, chicky! I love birthday song...you can tell it is so heart-felt. Those kinds of presents just melt me.

That recipe looks fabulous...and I think I love the full-on fat version...don't we all! LOL

Congratulations on that marvelous CT position! You are going to LOVE that..I am sure!!

Have a most wonderful birthday!

[Carjazi]

Happy, happy birthday to you! I hope that you have a fabulous day! How lucky that you got the day off. Hope the weather cooperates. Congrats on the new CT gig too. I've see lots of Jana's stuff floating around, I know you'll rock it out! And that is one of my fave brunch recipes too. Love it!!!

[Jan C.]

Is that the same breakfast casserole the choir ladies have served in the past? Yummo!

So what are you, like, 35 today?

Happy Birthday, friend!

[Carla]

Happy Birthday Barb! Hope it's a great one!

[KellieP]

Happy Happy Birthday my friend! I'm so grateful that I've been able to get to know you this past year...you constantly inspire me!

[Heather]

First, I'm now drooling, and mentally running through my head to see if I have everything to make that. ROFL Can I use italian sausage? ROFL I think that's the only sausage I have. ROFL

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARB!!!!!!!!!! let me sing for you -

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Barb!
Happy Birthday to you.

I know, not as sweet as the song your daughter wrote. That was too sweet. And really good!

Can't wait to hear what your present is! Have a wonderful relaxing birthday!

[Juliana]

Yummy food! You're making me hungry! :D

Have a great birthday!

[Eve]

Yum on the recipe! Happy Birthday to you, that is an awesome birthday song and congrats on your new CT! :)

[Buge]

Happy birthday Barb! The birthday song is so sweet! :) And congratulations on your new CT!

[Jaime]

Happy Birthday Barb!!! May all your birthday wishes come true! Congrats on the new CT! I can't wait to see all your amazing layouts with her goodies. :)

[Tammy]

Happy Birthday!! What beautiful kits and I know you will do them great justice. You display beautiful layouts. I love that recipe you gave out. I make a breakfast casserole, but not with the hashbrowns. I will check that out. I have used turkey meat tons, but have experimented with half eggs and half egg beaters. Hasn't worked too good sometimes..

[Christine]

First of Happy Birthday, second Congrats on the CT!! I hope your day is wonderful!

[podgurl]

maligayang bati
maligayang bati
maligayang, maligayang
maligayang bati

hehehe, that's the birthday song in Filipino.

Maligaya/maliganyang - happy
Bati - greeting

HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT ONE!

xoxo

[Andra]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! Have a great one!!

[Caylynn]

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day! :)

[Jaime]

Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuu!!! Happy Birthday to youuuuu!!! I hope you have a fabulous day!!

wowowo and the recipe looks like something my husband would love so I am trying it! Thanks!

[Kris]

Happy, Happy Birthday to you, to you, to you!! Do lots of things that make you happy today. (the housework will wait!!!)You rock lady, you're energy is inspiring. I am so glad to be able to call you a friend. :)
Have a wonderful day!

[Tammy]

I put your recipe on my blog roll and also linked it back to this page.

[Anso]

Hope you're having a great birthday :)) Happy Birthday!!

[Laura]

I hope you have a great birthday Barb!!

[Laura C.]

Happy Happy Birthday!! I hope your day is a good one! I love your recipe and will have to try this sometime. Oh and definitely don't do any house work today LOL!!!