Breakfast Casserole

I spent my first Christmas away from home as a missionary in Ireland.  Several of the sisters had come prepared with recipes from home to use for their holiday meals.  One of my companions, Lisa Hansen, had a recipe for the breakfast that they ate every Christmas morning.  It was her family's tradition to have a breakfast casserole in the oven as they opened their gifts.  About the time the gifts were finished...breakfast was ready.  I thought that was a brilliant idea...and got her recipe. It has come in very handy throughout the years and is one of my family's oft requested breakfasts.   But I have to say--we have it quite a bit more often than just Christmas morning.  It because it is such a family favorite, it has since been passed on to many other families, who love it just as much as we do.

Breakfast Casserole
6-12 slices of bread (if thinner bread, double up the slices)
1lb cooked link sausage--cut into bite-sized pieces
12 eggs
2 cups of cheddar cheese
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can condensed milk
salt/pepper/parsley flakes
cooking spray

I start by cooking the sausage links.  After they are blotted for grease and cooled, I cut them into small pieces.

Spray a glass baking dish with Pam before lining it with the bread.  Sprinkle the 2 cups of cheese evenly over the bread. 





Then place the sausage pieces on top of the cheese.  In a mixing bowl, crack the eggs and whisk.  Add the cans of soup and condensed milk, mixing until smooth and consistent.  Pour into the baking dish. 

I like to sprinkle the top with black pepper and parsley flakes.  Cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, preheat the oven at 350 degrees.  Bake for 1 hour. 




Cool slightly before cutting into pieces.  It's a hearty breakfast and a crowd-pleaser.  The best part: it leaves the kitchen clean in the morning, since all the work and clean-up was done the night before.  Don't forget to plan ahead for this one! 




The overnight fridge time is necessary for the bread to soak up all the wet mixture.  It's a time-saver in the morning and a fabulous delight for guests!