Easy Recipe: Breakfast Casserole

I enjoy breakfast foods and so do most of my family.  Finding recipes that are hearty and time efficient for a weeknight or weekend meal is always a plus in my book.  I have used the following Breakfast Casserole recipe for holidays and weekends.  Its not only simple to make but can easily be modified or customized to taste and preference.

1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 7×11 inch casserole dish.
2. Fry the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble.
3. In a large bowl beat together eggs and milk. Mix in cheese, bacon, onion and green pepper. Stir in the thawed hash browns. Pour mixture into prepared casserole.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes until eggs have set.                

Suggestions
Substitute bacon for low-sodium bacon or turkey sausage
Use microwaveable or pre-cooked bacon instead of bacon to fry
Pre-bake or cook hash browns for a crisper texture before adding to recipe
Layer hash brown when baking and start from the bottom of the pan
Use hash brown or potatoes o’brien that are mixed with onions and peppers
Add different flavor of cheese