'Baby Shower' Casserole

I was recently back home in Indiana, where my sisters, sister-in-law, and one of my best friends hosted a baby shower for me. They know that I enjoy brunch/breakfast foods, but don't often get the opportunity to make this type of food for myself as my husband does not like it. My sister, Leslie, made a great Ham and Cheese Casserole, and many requested the recipe...so here it is!

Ham and Cheese Brunch Squares
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups (8 oz) grated Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
1 package (22.5 oz) frozen toaster hash brown patties, thawed (10 patties)
8 oz cream cheese softened
12 eggs
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
8 oz thinly sliced deli ham
4-5 green onions with tops, divided
3 plum tomatoes
Additional coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Lightly spray a 9x13 in baking dish. Crumble hash browns into bottom of dish; press gently into an even layer. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the hash browns. Bake 13-15 minutes or until crust starts to brown and cheese is melted.

2. Meanwhile, whisk cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and black pepper, whisk until smooth. Coarsely chop ham. Slice green onions, reserving 1/4 cup of the tops for garnish. Place ham and remaining green onions into Saute pan; cook and stir over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until hot. Stir ham mixture into egg mixture.

3. Pour egg mixture over crust. Return to oven; bake 6-8 minutes or until center is set. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds and dice. Remove from oven and top with remaining cheese, tomatoes, and reserved green onions. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired. Yield: 12 servings

Cook's Tips: To soften cream cheese, microwave on HIGH 15-20 seconds or until softened. Whisk until smooth. If desired, 2 cups cooked and crumbled bulk pork sausage (3/4 pound, or 1 pound bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled, can be substituted for the deli ham.

Breakfast Casserole

It was my turn to provide breakfast for my Monday morning Bible study group this week. It also happened to be at my house, as the regular host is out of town. I enjoy breakfast foods, but my husband isn't a fan, so it's always a nice treat when I'm able to make something for breakfast and share it with others. This morning I made a Cheddar-Ham Oven Omelet, along with Orange-Cranberry Muffins. I love egg casseroles as they are so simple to put together, can be made the night before and put in the oven the day of, and are pretty fool-proof. This recipe is no exception to the above!

Cheddar-Ham Oven Omelet (found in Taste of Home Magazine)
16 eggs
2 cups milk (I used some whipping cream!)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup cubed fully cooked ham
6 green onions, chopped

In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk. Stir in the cheese, ham and onions. Pour the egg mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 12.

Breakfast Quiche

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet! I had to go back through my posts to make sure I hadn't, because I've made it several times...yet, I have no picture! This is a great make-ahead breakfast dish; one I made over Memorial Day weekend. I found the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine, which always publishes wonderful recipes and ideas from at home cooks.

Breakfast Quiche
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches) - can prepare one day in advance
12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled - can prepare one day in advance
1/2 cup shredded monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion (I sometimes use green onion for a slightly different flavor)
4 large eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes; remove foil. Bake for 5 minutes longer; remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce heat to 425 degrees. Sprinkle bacon, cheeses and onion over the crust. In a bowl, beat eggs, cream, salt, sugar and cayenne; pour into the crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees; bake for 30 minutes or longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serves 6 to 8.