Sunday Breakfast

Sunday breakfast is when I usually roll out the big guns; cinnamon rolls, donuts, bacon...all things in the goodness of gluttony category.  The promise of donuts after church is sometimes the only thing that makes my kids sit through mass.

Today, I changed tact with a breakfast casserole from 100 Days of Real Food. With very few ingredients, this breakfast came together quickly and was really, really filling.

Start with a pound of good quality breakfast sausage (I used turkey sausage) that's already 'loose' or with the casings removed, and brown in a skillet on the stovetop. The recipe calls for a tablespoon of olive oil, which I omitted because I don't ever use oil to brown ground meat in. Dice a bell pepper (I chose yellow so that my kids were less likely to notice it in the midst of the egg yolks; tricky, tricky.), and when the sausage is browned, add that to the skillet and cook for a few minutes more until the pepper is tender. Because sausage is already pretty heavily seasoned, I'd urge you to refrain from adding salt and pepper until it's done baking, I didn't feel like it needed anything more, and the recipe doesn't call for any.

Transfer the sausage/pepper mixture to a greased 9x13 pan, spreading evenly on the bottom, and sprinkle with a half-cup of grated cheddar (or swiss). I used closer to a cup because I'm a rebel like that. Lastly, crack a dozen eggs over the top of the mixture covering as much of the surface as you can, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Love the horrid lighting in my kitchen; it's why I usually turn the lights off to photograph :/ Using a full block of cheese to freshly grate ensures that you aren't getting any additives that pre-shredded cheeses generally have as an anti-clumping agent.

lights off; better

To add some greenery, I wilted a handful of arugula for each of the adult plates, and gave everyone a slice of whole wheat toast. Even my little hobbits who eat copious amounts at the breakfast table were full after one serving. It's flavorful and filling and will definitely carry you over until lunch. Also, because of the limited amount of prep time, and the fact that you don't even have to dirty a bowl to pre-scramble eggs since they're cooked whole, this would be a great option for a school morning breakfast. It could also easily be made portable by wrapping the mixture up (including the arugula if you're so inclined) in a whole wheat tortilla.

If you've purchased the cookbook, have you tried any of the recipes yet? Tonight, we've got the Slow-Cooker Flank Steak Fajitas on tap.