Thanksgiving Recipes (4 of 4)

For the final recipe (as it is appearing the Monday after Thanksgiving), here's a recipe for a breakfast casserole that would be good for a post Thanksgiving brunch. This one could even make an appearance on what is becoming the normal Monday night "brinner" at the launchpad.

Make-it-Mine Egg Casserole
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 45 minutes
Stand: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 cups Bread Cubes (see choices below)
• Meat (see choices below)
• Vegetable (see choices below)
• 4 to 6 ounces Shredded Cheese (see choices below)
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 cups Dairy (see choices below)
• Seasonings (see choices below)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart square baking dish. Spread half of the Bread Cubes in the dish. Add the Meat, Vegetable, and Shredded Cheese. Top with the remaining Bread Cubes.
2. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, Dairy, and Seasonings. Evenly pour over the layers in the dish.
3. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
   

Make-ahead directions: Prepare as above through Step 2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Bread Cubes: white or wheat bread, English muffins, baguette-style French bread, sweet Hawaiian bread, Texas toast, pumpernickel, rye bread.

Meat: 2 cups chopped smoked sausage, 2 cups cubed cooked ham, 2 cups cubed smoked turkey, 1 6-ounce can lump crab meat, drained and flaked, 8 ounces cooked bulk pork sausage, 6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled, 5 ounces chopped Canadian-style bacon

Vegetable: 3/4 cup chopped sweet peppers, 1/2 cup canned sliced mushrooms, 1-1/2 cups blanched cut-up asparagus, 1-1/2 cups blanched broccoli florets, 1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry, if frozen)

Shredded Cheese: Italian blend cheeses, Swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack

Dairy: milk, half-and-half, 1/2 cup dairy sour cream plus 1 cup milk

Seasonings: 1 tablespoon Dijon-style or coarse-grain mustard, 1 teaspoon dried dillweed, 1/4 cup sliced green onions, 1 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian parsley or basil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic.