Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

I first tasted this make-ahead breakfast casserole at a brunch my Sunday School teacher hosted for our junior high girls’ class many years ago. It was the dish their family traditionally ate on holiday mornings — Christmas, Easter, and so forth.

I brought the recipe home to my mother. And pretty soon, our family was doing the same.

Mix it up a day in advance, then let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Doing so will save both time and mess the following morning.

This egg-based casserole is delicious — light and fluffy and full of flavor. If you have an especially large crowd (like we often do), serve it buffet-style, along with our Blueberry Oat Muffins and a fresh fruit salad.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups ham (or spinach)
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 dozen eggs
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup half & half
• ½ tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 2 tsp dried mustard

Directions

Spray 9” x13” baking dish with non-stick spray. Dice ham (or turkey ham) into small cubes and spread on bottom of the pan.

Layer cheese on top of ham.

Alternatively, you can use spinach as your bottom layer in place of the ham.

Some of my kids don’t like meat, so I sometimes make this dish using fresh greens, instead.

Next, crack your eggs into a bowl. I was making a double batch when taking these photos, which accounts for all the extra yolks you see. 🙂

Add butter, half-and-half, and dry ingredients…

Blend ingredients well with a hand-mixer, then pour over meat and cheese (or spinach and cheese).

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown.

Pair our make-ahead breakfast casserole with muffins or homemade biscuits, jelly, and a fresh fruit salad for a well-balanced and filling breakfast. This dish is a great choice for serving to overnight houseguests — at Easter or Christmas or any month of the year!