Sarasota's Favorite Breakfast Casserole
"OK, there are hundreds of recipes out there and all pretty similar. This is mine. One night around 9pm a friend called and said that he and his wife and family were passing through town and would love to stop and take me to breakfast. Well they have 4 kids, and I know they are strapped for cash, so I wanted to do something for them. I decided on this breakfast casserole dish, bacon on the side, fresh squeezed OJ, fresh fruit and yogurt make your own parfaits (kid friendly), and coffee. I also threw in a bag of baked cinnamon chips and fruit mix to take on the road for the kids. The casserole is so quick to put together, but it needs to to set overnight. In the am, just pop in the oven, bake and serve. My original recipe is made with ham, but you could use bacon or sausage. I even cheated by buying a small bag of pre-diced ham right in the meat aisle, but using leftover ham or just buy a slice of good baked ham at your grocers deli and dice it. This was all about easy and quick. I used the Ore Ida frozen diced potatoes "O'Brien" which simply has peppers and onions in with the potatoes. But if you can't find those, you can dice your own peppers and onions and add them. This is a perfect breakfast casserole. NOTE: Prep Time includes overnight in the refrigerator."
photo by JackieOhNo!
- Ready In:
- 8hrs 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls (any brand will work)
- 4 cups diced frozen potatoes (I prefer the OreIda "O'Brien" brand which has peppers and onions. If you can only find plain diced p)
- 1 cup diced ham (I cut it down to 3/4 cup if using sausage-pre-cooked and drained or bacon pre-cooked since they are )
- 6 ounces shredded cheese, 1 1/2 cups (I prefer a Monterey Jack or Colby blend)
- 6 eggs (I used extra large, large would be fine, but jumbo were too big)
- 1⁄2 cup milk
- hot sauce, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons all purpose seasoning, your favorite blend (not a seasoning salt, but a general all purpose brand, there are many available these days)
- salt
- pepper
directions
- Casserole -- Spray a 13x9" pan with a non-stick spray such as Pam. Add in the potatoes, right from the freezer and top with the cheese. Lightly toss just so all the cheese is not sitting right on top.
- Egg Mixture -- Beat the eggs, milk, seasoning blend, parsley, hot sauce, salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes and cheese. Top with the ham and cover with foil or saran wrap and refrigerate over night or at least 8 hours.
- Bake -- Heat the oven to 350 and position the rack on the middle shelf. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. As the casserole bakes prepare the crescent roll topping.
- Crescent Rolls -- Remove the rolls from the can and lay flat. Make sure to add a little little flour to the counter or on a sheet of parchment paper so they don't stick. I take a pizza cutter or a knife and cut the dough along the perforated sections. The rolls come out in a rectangle so I try to lay them right back on the casserole the same way. Cutting the perforations allows steam to get through the crust which will help brown the crust and help the casserole finish cooking.
- Back in the Oven -- Return to the oven and bake 15-20 minutes until the crescent roll topping is golden brown. Remove and let set 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve -- Cut into squares and enjoy. If you want to really make it special, serve a hollandaise sauce along the side, but I like it as is. Again, you can use bacon or sausage in this recipe, I just prefer the ham and usually serve up some crisp maple glazed bacon on the side. ENJOY!
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Reviews
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Another winner from Sarasota! I made this exactly as posted, using the O'Brien potatoes, diced ham, sharp cheddar, etc. This was so simple to put together, and resulting in a very filling, hearty breakfast. I'm not a fan of breakfast stratas and the like, and this was a great alternative without all the bread. The potatoes were a really nice touch and the crescent roll top crust was just the right amount of bread. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks for sharing. Made for My 3 Chefs 2013.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
SarasotaCook
Sarasota, Florida
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
