Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

This cheesy sausage and egg casserole is the perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish that your whole family will love! It rests in the fridge overnight, then baked when ready to serve. 

I was first introduced to a recipe like this a long, long time ago when a Canadian friend gave me a cookbook from home that she loved called The Best of Bridge. It was put together by a group of bridge playing ladies who so enjoyed the food they brought to share on games days that they decided to write a cookbook. 

Their warm and wonderful cookbooks are staples of Canadian culture and are still available today, almost 50 years after the first one was published! In that first book, which I still have and treasure, the breakfast casserole was called Christmas Morning Wife Saver. It called for Canadian bacon, naturally, or you could substitute ham. 

I made some version of it often years ago, sometimes substituting breakfast sausage or cooked crispy bacon instead but somehow it got dropped from the weekend/holiday rotation. Time to bring my rendition back! 

Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

I like to spice things up with the addition of jalapeños but if your family can’t take the heat, feel free to add some chopped green peppers aka bell peppers instead for inside the casserole and to sprinkle on for garnish. I also use the Jimmy Dean “hot” sausage for extra spiciness. Use your favorite. 

Ingredients

1 lb or 450g bulk pork sausage

2 fresh jalapeños

6 large eggs

2 cups or 480ml milk

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 oz or 170g sliced sandwich bread – about 4-5 slices 

4 oz or 113g extra sharp cheddar, grated

For baking:

2 oz or 56g extra sharp cheddar, grated

Method

In a skillet, brown and crumble sausage; drain and set aside to cool.

Cut the bread into 1/2-inch  or 1cm cubes. I leave the crusts on.  

Cut several round slices of jalapeño to decorate the top before baking, then mince the rest and discard the stems. I leave the seeds and ribs in because we like things spicy but you can discard these if you don’t.  

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the salt and mustard powder. Then add the milk and whisk again. 

Stir in the bread cubes, cheese, cooled sausage and minced jalapeños.

Spoon into a greased 9x13-in or 23x33cm baking dish. Cover snugly with cling film and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. 

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. 

Top the casserole with the extra grated cheddar and decorate with the reserved jalapeño slices.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the casserole rest for five minutes, before cutting in squares to serve. I like to put out our favorite hot sauce in case anyone wants to add a sprinkle or two. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 19th edition of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, brought to you by the letter S. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the S recipes below:

• Blogghetti: Air Fryer Sausage Balls
• Food Lust People Love: Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Cold Sesame Noodles
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Schezwan Sauce
• Sneha’s Recipe: Shami Kebabs
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Southern Style BBQ Shrimp
• Magical Ingredients: Spanakoparatha
• A Messy Kitchen: Strawberry Mint Spritzers
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Summer Squash Salad
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sweet Whiskey Skillet Teriyaki Chicken

Here are my posts for the alphabet challenge, thus far:
A: Anchovy Deviled Eggs
B: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly
C: Cecilie's Favorite Coleslaw
D: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing
E: Everything Pizza Tartin
F: Baked Chicken and Feta Meatballs
G: Grape Juice Jigglers
H: Crispy Bacon-wrapped Chicken Hearts
I: Raspberry Rhubarb Ice Cream
J: Java Dry Spice Mix Chops 

K. Korean Barbecue-style Meatballs 

L. Easy Lamb and Fresh Tomato Curry 

M. Fresh Mint Sauce 

N. Miso Butter Noodles 

O. Spicy Orange Braised Short Ribs 

P. Homemade Piri Piri Sauce 

Q, Cointreau Glazed Orange Quick Bread 

R. Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto 

S. Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole - this post!

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Mushroom Leek Zucchini Gratin

Packed with fresh vegetables and feta with more Parmesan and cheddar on top, this flavorful Mushroom Leek Zucchini Gratin is a delicious dish to put in rotation when zucchini are in season.

This is an easy dish for a dinner party and if you have individual baking dishes to cook the gratin in, it makes a pretty presentation. If you don’t, just bake the mixture in a casserole dish. 

Mushroom  Leek Zucchini Gratin

For this dish, I used a combination of zucchini and yellow squash because 1. That’s what I had on hand and 2. I love the contrast in colors.  All of either would be just as delicious.  This recipe is adapted from one on Delicious.com.au.

Ingredients

2 lbs or 900g zucchini and/or yellow squash

2 leeks (about 11 2/3 oz or 330g whole, 5  1/3 oz or 150g after trimming)

8 oz or 227g button mushrooms, sliced

1 small red chili, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

7 oz or 200g feta, crumbled

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 egg

1 tablespoon canola or other light oil

1 3/4 oz or 50g grated extra sharp cheddar

1 3/4 oz or 50g grated Parmesan

Method

Grate all but two of the zucchini and put them in a clean teacloth and squeeze out excess liquid over the sink. Finely slice the other two. 

Remove and discard the hard green part of your leeks and wash the white parts thoroughly. Slice them thinly. Clean and slice the mushrooms. 

Heat the butter in a skillet over low heat and add leek, garlic and minced chili pepper and a good sprinkle of salt. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the leeks start to soften. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture. 

Continue cooking till that liquid has evaporated. Scrape the mixture into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool. 

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Once the mushroom/leek mixture has cooled, add in the grated zucchini with the lemon zest. Lightly season with salt and black pepper. Mix well until combined. 

Add in the egg and crumbled feta and stir again until well combined. 

Spoon the mixture into individual baking dishes or one large one. Toss the sliced zucchini with 1 tablespoon of oil and layer on top. 

Add a layer sprinkled cheese, then more sliced zucchini and finish with more cheese. 

Bake for 30 minutes in your preheated oven or until golden and bubbling.

Enjoy!

National Zucchini Day is next Monday, August 8th. How will you celebrate? May I suggest you make one of the lovely dishes my Foodie Extravaganza friends are sharing today? Check out the list below. Many thanks to our host, Juli of Pandemonium Noshery

• Hummus Bar Style Zucchini Topped Hummus by Pandemonium Noshery
• Keto Beef Mince with Broccoli and Zucchini by Sneha's Recipe
• Mushroom Leek Zucchini Gratin by Food Lust People Love
• Zucchini Agrodolce by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Zucchini Fried Rice by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Zucchini Kofta Curry by Magical Ingredients

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board.

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Jansson’s Frestelse - Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake #FoodieExtravaganza

Frestelse means temptation in Swedish so this wonderful dish is aptly named. It looks and smells SO GOOD. Made with potatoes, sliced onions, salty anchovies and a very generous amount of rich cream, Jansson’s Frestelse - what I am also calling Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake - is a traditional casserole that is a must-have at Christmas in its native Sweden, but it’s also eaten year round there. Try it and you’ll see why. It’s too good to eat just once a year!

If you are a fan of Dauphinoise potatoes, you are going to love their Swedish cousin. According to Sweden.se,  Jansson’s Frestelse is named after opera singer and actor Per Adolf “Pelle” Janzon (1844-1889) who was apparently not just a talented comedic actor but also a lover of good food.

The Time/Life book, The Cooking of Scandinavia attributes the name to Erik Janson, (1808-1850) a 19th century Swedish religious zealot and self-appointed prophet. He lived an ascetic life, abstaining from fleshly pleasures, but apparently he was so tempted by this potato dish that he gave in, hence the name.

Whatever the source, this one’s a winner!

I baked mine in four little baking dishes because I thought they’d be pretty, but you can make your Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake in one big casserole. This dish is so rich that, as a side dish, we couldn’t finish our portions and ate the leftovers the next day. As a main dish, with just a fresh side salad, they are the perfect amount.

Jansson's Frestelse - Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake

For all the anchovy naysayers out there who are still with me, let me say, thanks for reading thus far. I can promise you that this dish is not fishy at all. The anchovies add a subtle flavor that is enhanced by the cream and onions. It all melds together with the potatoes creating a savory temptation topped by crunchy buttery breadcrumbs.

Ingredients for 4 as a main, 6­-8 as a side
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for topping
2 lbs or 910g potatoes
1 can (2 oz or 56g) anchovies in oil
1 3⁄4 cups or 414ml heavy whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3⁄4 cup or 45g fresh breadcrumbs

Method
Drain the can of anchovies, reserving the oil. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your casserole dish by brushing the bottom and sides with the reserved oil.

Peel and slice the onions thinly. Sauté them gently in a pan with the butter, until they soften. Be careful not to let them brown.

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Peel the potatoes and cut them into strips, adding them to the bowl as you go. This will stop them from oxidizing or turning brown.

Drain the potatoes and use one third to line the bottom your greased baking dish. Spread half of the sautéed onions and half of the drained anchovies on top.

Top with another third of the potatoes, then the remaining onions and anchovies. Finish with the rest of the potatoes. Sprinkle with some salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. Pour in the cream.

Sprinkle the top with the fresh breadcrumbs and put a few little slices of butter on them.

Tip: In case the Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake bubbles over, I suggest using a baking pan or some heavy duty foil under the casserole dish. This will make cleanup so much easier.

Bake for about 45 minutes for smaller casserole dishes and as much as an hour for one big one, or until the potatoes are tender. Test them with a fork. If they are browning fast but the potatoes aren’t cooked through yet, you can cover them with some foil.

When the casserole is done, remove it from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Today I am joining my fellow bloggers to celebration National Potato Lovers Day. Many thanks to our host, Anne from Simple and Savory. Check out all the great potato dishes we are sharing!

• Air Fried Potato Chips by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Baked Rosti with Spiralized Potatoes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Colcannon Potatoes by Simply Inspired Meals
• Creamy Cheeseburger & Veggie Hot Dish by Faith, Hope Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Healthy Twice Baked Potatoes by Simple and Savory
• Jansson's Frestelse - Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake by Food Lust People Love
• Krumplileves (Hungarian Potato Soup) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Potato Hearts by Sneha's Recipe
• Sausage Stuffed Red Potatoes by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Schwabischer Kartoffelsalat (German Potato Salad) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Scottish Macaroon Bars by Pandemonium Noshery
• Wet Breakfast Burrito by Palatable Pastime
• Waffled Hash Browns by Reviews, Chews & How-Tos

Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays by posting delicious recipes your family will love. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a home cook looking for tasty recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!

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Creamy Anchovy Potato Bake!

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Parmesan Grouper Potato Casserole #FishFridayFoodies

A sort of upside down fish pie, this Parmesan Grouper Potato Casserole starts with sliced potatoes on the bottom.  It is topped with tasty grouper then with a cheesy, creamy sauce that sort of melts down to the potatoes while simultaneously clinging in golden crunchiness to the top of the fish. Divine!

One of our favorite dishes, real comfort food for a cold night, is fish pie. That is, fish and often other seafood cooked in a béchamel or white sauce, sometimes with a little cheese, then baked with mashed potatoes on top. I don’t make it very often though because it is time consuming.

This casserole, on the other hand, gives us all the same sort of tastes and textures without 1. making white sauce, 2. cooking mashed potatoes and 3. having three pots/pans to wash up afterwards. Honestly, I think I like it even more than fish pie.

Parmesan Grouper Potato Casserole

This recipe was adapted from one on Sea Eagle Market.com. I made it several times before it occurred to me to add potatoes below the fish instead of as a side dish. The fish and sauce add so much flavor to the potatoes. Now I can't imagine why I was so slow. We live, we learn.

Ingredients  - serves 4
3 medium potatoes (approximately 550g before peeling)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to grease casserole dish
1 1/2 lbs or 575g fresh boneless, skinless grouper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup or 37g butter, softened
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2/3 cup or 66g grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup, packed, or 30g fresh bread crumbs

Optional for garnish:
chopped parsley and/or green onion tops

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and brush a medium-sized casserole dish with olive oil.

Peel the potatoes and sliced them. Fan them out to cover the bottom of your greased casserole dish and drizzle with the tablespoon olive oil. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cover the casserole with foil and make the potatoes in the preheated oven until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. (You can also do this step in the microwave, if you prefer, assuming your casserole dish is both microwave and oven ready. Mine is not.)

In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, mayonnaise and hot pepper sauce. Add the Parmesan in by good handfuls.

Mix well. Keep going until all the cheese is mixed in. Set aside.

Meanwhile, brush the grouper with the lemon juice.

When the potatoes are done, remove the pan and turn the oven off. Turn your broiler or grill on high.

Place the grouper pieces on top of the potatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Broil them for about 8 to 14 minutes or until they can be flaked with a fork. Thick pieces will naturally take longer.  I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made this and the time does vary wildly from 8 minutes for thin fillets to 14 when the fish is really thick.

Remove the casserole dish from the oven and spread the cheese mixture on top of the fish.

Sprinkle on the fresh breadcrumbs, patting them down gently so they stick.

Return the dish to under the broiler for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the topping is browned and bubbly. Keep a close eye on it! When it starts to brown, it darkens quickly.

Sprinkle on some chopped parsley or green onion tops, if desired. Enjoy!

This month my Fish Friday Foodie friends are all sharing dishes that can be made in the oven. Many thanks to our host Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking! Check out the list of tasty recipes below.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Cheesy Artichoke Ravioli Casserole #BakingBloggers

This cheesy artichoke ravioli casserole is made from store-bought fresh ravioli, with a super cheesy homemade artichoke sauce, baked up till hot and bubbly with extra cheese on top.

Every so often I go through my deep freezer and take stock of the oddly assorted frozen ingredients therein. I hate to waste food but sometimes it just gets to be such a jumble that it’s easier to go buy another chicken then to find the one lost somewhere in the frozen depths. Just me?

Also, because we live in a mostly warm climate, I keep things in my freezer that many people would keep in a pantry or cupboard, like dried beans, nuts and flour. That freezer, as my younger daughter would say, is a bit of a ‘mare.

So, in an effort to cook more from the freezer, I take it all out and sort it from time to time. Pork gets put in one area, poultry and seafood in their own separate places, and beef in another. Then there’s all the frozen sauces and stock, vegetables and fruit!

Recently I came across a green bag that simply said “Artichokes” but the photo was of artichoke bottoms. Who knows why I bought it originally. I probably had some plan but for this week, it’s perfect for a cheesy baked pasta dish. All my Baking Blogger friends are also making baked pasta, cozy dishes for cold nights. Make sure to scroll down to the bottom to see the link list of recipes.

Cheesy Artichoke Ravioli Casserole

My local grocery store carries a couple of brands of fresh ravioli stuffed with various fillings and they are all pretty nice, whether with a sauce or just boiled and buttered. When I saw the artichoke-filled ones after finding my artichoke bottoms, this dish seemed like destiny. If you can't find artichoke ravioli, by all means, use your favorite fresh ravioli.

Ingredients
14 oz or 400g frozen artichoke bottoms – Or use 2 cans instead. Drain well!
1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
9 oz or 250g fresh artichoke-filled ravioli (or your favorite kind)
1/4 cup or 60ml olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon crush red pepper
1/4 cup or 60g butter
1/3 cup or  41g flour
34 cup or 180ml milk
3 1/2 oz or 100g sharp cheddar cheese
3 oz or 85g cream cheese
3 1/2 oz or 100g mozzarella
3 oz or 85g Parmesan
8-10 baby plum tomatoes
10-12 black olives (either already pitted or remove the stones yourself)
Parsley to garnish, if desired

Method
Thaw the artichokes in cool water with a little vinegar or lemon juice to stop them turning brown. Cut the artichokes into thin slices, removing and discarding any hard bits as you go. Quickly return the slices to the cool water.

Cook the ravioli according to package instructions, removing them from the boiling water when they are al dente, usually the shortest recommended cooking time. Reserve a cup of the pasta water and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C. Drain the artichoke slices and dry them off in a clean kitchen towel.

In a cooking pan that can go from stovetop to oven, sauté the artichokes in the olive oil until they begin to turn golden in places. Add in the chopped garlic and crushed red pepper, if using. Sauté for a few more minutes till the garlic has softened.

Transfer the artichokes and garlic to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add the butter and flour to the pan, making a paste (roux) as the butter melts. Cook over a medium low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Turn the fire off and whisk in the milk.

Turn the heat back on low and cook for a couple of minutes still whisking, till the mixture starts to thicken. Add 1/2-3/4 cup pasta water and whisk till combined.

Add the cream cheese.

Cook for a few minutes, until the cream cheese melts, then stir the cheddar into the sauce.

Add the artichokes and garlic into the cheese sauce.

If the combo looks a bit dry, you can add some more of the reserved pasta water. Add the cooked ravioli to the pan and stir gently to combine.

Mix the Parmesan and mozzarella together. Sprinkle them on the pasta. Tuck the tomatoes and olives around.

Bake your casserole in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, uncovered, until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley to garnish, if desired.

Extra Parmesan on the side is always welcome at our house. When it comes to cheese more is more.

Enjoy!

Check out all the lovely baked pasta dishes my Baking Blogger friends are sharing today, perfect warming dishes for cozy nights. Many thanks to our host Sue from Palatable Pastime.

• Baked Mexican Chicken Spaghetti by Sneha's Recipe
• Baked Spaghetti by Simply Inspired Meals
• Cavatini by Palatable Pastime
• Cheesy Artichoke Ravioli Casserole by Food Lust People Love
• Cheesy Vegetable Baked Pasta by Cook with Renu
• Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake by Caroline's Cooking
• Greek Giouvetsi by Pandemonium Noshery
• Macarona Bechamel (Egyptian Baked Pasta) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Meatless Lasagna by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mushroom And Artichoke Pasta Bake by Oventales
• Rakott teszta (Hungarian Layered Noodles) by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Ravioli Lasagna by Making Miracles
• Sausage and Spinach Lasagna by Cookaholic Wife
• Spiralized Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Sweet Corn Mac and Cheese by Anybody Can Bake
• Turkey Ham Mac and Cheese by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Turkey Tetrazzini by Reviews, Chews & How-Tos

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