One of my favorite parts of Christmas, now that my sister and I are adults, is our annual pilgrimage to my parents’ house, where my mom treats us to a delicious spread for breakfast before we retire to the living room, coffee cups in hand, to exchange gifts and watch my niece enjoy the spoils of being the only grandchild in the family.
That time around the table with all of us chatting and eating, just relaxing into the spirit of the day, is something I look forward to every year. (And also something I have to remind myself of when we’re getting up early enough in the morning to complete the 45-minute drive.)
I was reminded of these meals when Cassie Glade of Newton shared her recipe for her Christmas morning breakfast casserole.
“This our Christmas tradition breakfast, she wrote. “We let it bake while we open and enjoy our stocking gifts. We love an easy, hearty breakfast on Christmas morning!”
Her description instantly made me have a craving for some good breakfast casserole, and a quick glance at the recipe sealed the deal. I knew I had to give it a try.
Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
- 20 ounces shredded potatoes
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- salt and pepper to taste
- butter
Instructions
- This is best if prepared the night before.
- Saute diced pepper and onion in a pan with a little butter for a couple minutes, and then add and cook pork sausage.
- In large bowl, beat eggs, sour cream and milk together.
- Add in sausage/pepper/onion from the pan, as well as shredded potatoes and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in a greased nine-by-13-inch pan. Add remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese to the top, cover with foil and place in fridge overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake, covered, for 75 minutes or until the center is firm.
This was absolutely delicious. The flavors all married to create a really yummy meal. We actually ended up making this for dinner one night, and it was awesome.
The leftovers reheated like a dream, too. I kept thinking you could really make it especially Christmas-y by adding a red bell pepper, too.
And I was thankful to Cassie for helping me officially get into the Christmas spirit with her recipe. Plus, it was nice to have a dinner prepped and ready to go in the oven when I got home from work that night. This may have to go into our regular meal rotation.
Regardless of when or how you celebrate special times, consider adding in a breakfast casserole. It really starts off any gathering on the right foot—no matter how early your guests had to wake up.
This piece first appeared in print Dec. 12, 2024.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
