Ask A Chef: Best Breakfast Casserole Recipes

If the same old bacon and eggs or cold cereal has you in a breakfast rut, why not try a casserole? Breakfast casseroles are easy to make and you can put the ingredients together the night before, so all you need to do is bake them while you enjoy your first cup of coffee. Whether you enjoy savory, sweet or spicy in the morning, one of these easy and tasty recipes courtesy of Chef Kate Cunning could be the perfect breakfast casserole for you.

Kate Cunning
Independent Chef
www.eastcoastwinegeeks.com

Kate Cunning acquired her culinary skills at the Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh and honed them at some well-known Pittsburgh venues such as Hyeholde and The Priory. Kate enjoys creating beautiful pastries and recreating 18th Century American dishes. As an independent chef, Kate offers her skills for private events as well as leading cooking workshops. Kate offers her expertise on wine and food pairings as one of the hosts of the East Coast Wine Geeks podcast.

Southwest Breakfast Casserole

• 12 large size soft burrito shells
• 1 lb bacon
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 jar salsa
• 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 cup jalapeño peppers (optional)
• salt
• pepper
• sour cream (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, fry bacon until fully cooked, chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Scramble eggs with milk, salt and pepper to taste; cook in a frying pan and set aside.
3. Line a greased casserole pan with 4 burrito shells.
4. Layer half of the eggs, bacon and about 1 cup of salsa.
5. Top with 1 cup of cheese and 4 more burrito shells.
6. Create another layer of eggs, bacon, salsa and cheese.
7. Top with 4 more burrito shells.
8. Top with salsa, cheese and jalapeño peppers if desired.
9. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes (until cheese is melted and internal temperature is 165 degrees F).
10. Top with sour cream if desired.

Sausage Hash Brown Casserole

• 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
• 1 pkg frozen hash browns (shredded potatoes)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 16-oz container sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown sausage until cooked through.
2. In a large bowl, combine mushroom soup (with no water added) and sour cream.
3. Stir in sausage.
4. Add frozen potatoes and fold until all ingredients are combined.
5. Pour mixture into a greased casserole pan.
6. Top with shredded cheese.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

Related: Best Waffles In Pittsburgh

Easy Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding

• 6 large cinnamon buns with icing (day-old buns are perfect for this recipe)
• 2 cans evaporated milk
• 1 box vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup pecans
• 2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

1. Tear cinnamon buns into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk evaporated milk, pudding mix, cinnamon, cloves and almond extract until mixture begins to thicken.
3. Pour over cinnamon buns, mix and let stand for about 5 minutes (for the buns to soak up the mixture).
4. Mix in pecans and spread into a greased casserole dish.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes (until an inserted toothpick comes out clean).

Related: Best Breakfast Sandwiches In Pittsburgh

Jennifer Stockdale is a native of the greater Pittsburgh, PA area. She is a restaurant marketer and wine enthusiast and one of the hosts of the East Coast Wine Geeks Podcast. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.