Quick And Healthy(Make Ahead) Breakfast Casserole

     I'm not a morning person, and kids wake up way too early. Being a Mom of nine, I realize that it is surprising to people that my kids start their day without me. Whoever the baby is at the time wakes up early and gets into my bed. We cuddle and nurse while everyone gets up and starts their chores. I get up anytime after 7:30- 8:00.

     When my kids were young, I would leave poured bowls of cereal, without milk, in the fridge. I trained them to wake up, grab their cereal and put on PBS. As soon as the oldest was old enough, he took on making breakfast. That responsibility has passed on through the children. Breakfast responsibility now is shared between the 12, 13, and 16-year-olds. They eat lots of peanut butter toast, avocado toast, cereal(as healthy as possible), oatmeal, and leftover pizza. I occasionally make baked oatmeal, which they eat warm with milk poured over it, muffins, and eggs.

    A couple of months ago, I bought some sourdough bread at the farmer's market. I don't share it, so after a few days when I had my fill, I put it in the freezer for future use. I decided to pull it out and make breakfast casseroles with it. I made two, a baked french toast casserole and savory ham and egg casserole. Well, I got lots more of my favorite local sourdough at the last farmer's market. I mean, like four loaves, plus some challah loaves. I threw them in the freezer, I mean after I ate the whole challah and 1/4 of sourdough. We have tons of eggs in the fridge from our chickens, so I figured it was time for my next idea.Individual breakfast casseroles cooked in a muffin tin. Something easy for them to pop in the microwave and still have a quick and nutritious breakfast, as a bonus, it is also easy for my adult sons to grab on their way out the door to work.

    I don't cook with a recipe often, so I tried to pay close attention as I threw this together. This is what I used because I had it on hand, you can add anything that you like though! 

Preparation:

• Put small amounts of butter or bacon grease into each muffin cup. Put in oven to melt and then spread it all around so nothing sticks. 
• Cook Sausage, drain if there is a lot of grease. My Aldi sausage didn't have any grease to drain. 
• Slice bread into 3/4 in. slices and then cut into cubes. Toss in a large bowl. 
• Grate Cheese, seriously, don't buy that gross pre-grated cheese that doesn't melt. If you are super lazy, like me, get a Salad Shooter it makes grating cheese a breeze. 
• Chop green onions into small pieces
• Crack eggs into a big bowl or measuring cup and add milk. Wisk until well combined and broken up. 

Once your sausage is cooked add it to the big bowl that your bread should be in along with the green onions, cheese, and feta cheese. Pour egg and milk mixture over it. Stir to combine and fill your muffin tin. A full loaf should fill the tins perfectly nice and packed. But since I had already eaten 1/4 of mine I packed them loosely and poured more eggs over the top to fill it up. 

    Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes. When you stick a knife in the center and it comes out clean, they're done. Mine took 20 minutes at 350(convection).

    Use a butter knife to go around the edges of the individual breakfast casseroles to break them away from the edge. Only a couple of mine tried to stick in spots, but my pan is also newish and non-stick. Cool completely and store in your fridge or freezer. 

   Pop in the microwave for a few minutes and serve along with some fresh fruit for a perfectly well balance and healthy breakfast. 

    You can make these with anything you have on hand. Bacon, ham, sausage, swiss, cheddar, gouda, asparagus, broccoli, green onions, white onions, you are only limited by your imagination.

    Have fun and get cooking some healthy and easy breakfast casseroles!

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