Sausage, Pepper, and Potato Breakfast Casserole

I love breakfast....

I have been getting ready for Easter in my house, and with that comes a lot of eggs! I like to "blow out" the eggs so that I can use the raw eggs to cook with, instead of having smelly hardboiled eggs around (tutorial here). I came up with a recipe that uses up a lot of those eggs, and is such a great thing to make for Easter morning!

We eat eggs a lot in my house, because they are so easy and versatile. I thought that I would combine them with some of my other favorite ingredients to create a really hearty breakfast casserole. Red bell peppers, onions, and sausage is a combination I cannot say no to. It works in a number of different dishes, especially with eggs. When it comes to buying sausage, make sure to get good quality! There is nothing worse than sausage that has the same texture as a hot dog. You want to look for a sausage that you can take out of its casing, and break up into smaller pieces. If the sausage that you buy doesn't do this, and is more like a hot dog, then you need new sausage! The mix of the slightly sweet onion with the earthy red bell pepper, and then the savory sausage just makes me so happy.

Potatoes at breakfast time is another favorite of mine. There are a bunch of ways you can enjoy potatoes at breakfast, because it is another great versatile food. From hash browns, to old school "breakfast potatoes," they are a great way to make a breakfast really hearty. For this recipe, I simply roast them in the oven to get a nice golden crust on the outside, that creates a perfect crunch.

How to make a perfect Sausage, Pepper, and Potato Breakfast Casserole

*Make sure your eggs and milk are room temperature before mixing together.

*Allow the sausage, potatoes, onions, and red peppers to come to room temperature as well, before mixing them with the eggs and milk.

*Careful not to over bake! You want to bake it just enough so that the middle is set. Eggs will continue to cook a bit once you take them out.

*Make sure to use enough cooking spray in the baking pan before pouring in the egg mixture. You did all this work to make everything, it would be terrible if it didn't come out of the pan.

*Don't skimp on the fresh herbs! It makes everything taste bright and fresh.

Sausage, Pepper, and Potato Breakfast Casserole

Recipe Type

:

Breakfast/Brunch

Author:

Maria Provenzano

Ingredients

1 pound yukon gold potatoes; red potatoes work as well; cut into small, bite size pieces
1 red bell pepper; thinly sliced
1 onion; thinly sliced
2-3 sausages; I like using a mix of spicy and mild pork sausage; remove from casing
2/3 cup whole milk; room temperature
10 eggs; room temperature
red pepper flakes; optional
4-5 ounces goat cheese
fresh basil and/or parsley for topping

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees
*Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, drizzle over some olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, toss until evenly coated
*Bake until cooked through and golden, about 20-30 minutes depending on their size; I like to toss them half way through; I also like mine to get a nice golden exterior so they have a bit of a crunch
*Turn the heat in the oven down to 375 degree
*In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces
*Pour the sausage in a bowl to cool
*In the same skillet, add in a little more olive oil, and add in the onion and peppers, and a sprinkle of salt
*Cook on medium/low heat until softened and nicely cooked through; add red pepper flakes; optional
*Set aside to cool
*In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk incorporating air and allowing them to be nicely whisked together
*Stir in the cooled onion/pepper mixture, and the cooled potatoes
*Spray a 9x12x2 inch (or similar) baking sheet with cooking spray
*Pour in the egg mixture
*Crumble the goat cheese over the egg mixture; I find it is easier to crumble the goat cheese when it is cold
*Bake at 375 20-30 minutes, or until the middle is set
*Allow to set for about 5-10 minutes before serving
Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil and/or parsley