Growing up in Hattiesburg, MS, I was fortunate to enjoy the wonderful food of a family full of great cooks! Momma, my two grandmothers, and my two aunts are/were all skilled and I benefitted mightily from their gifts. So much so, that I didn’t really worry about learning to cook growing up because I didn’t have to! All I had to do was show up to the table! My Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Jerry also had restaurants in town and I was a frequent customer. I would walk through the door of Jerry’s Fried Chicken, maybe with a few friends in tow and looking all hungry and pitiful, and my aunt would wave us through the buffet line. And that buffet was a bounty–fried chicken, corn bread and cabbage and their famous dressing (made by Miss Thelma, another fabulous cook!).
I wanted to share a recipe from my Aunt Jeanette that’s in the cookbook–her breakfast casserole. As I type this, I’m in West Chester, PA getting ready to go on QVC later today (12:36pm est to be exact) and this is a dish I’ll have on the presentation. It’s perfect for the baker we’re showing– Le Creuset’s 3.7 quart oval dish with a handy platter lid.
Thank you, Aunt Jeanette for feeding me all of my life ( and still feeding me) and for sharing this dish with me. Hope you all enjoy–Charlie says it is a keeper and I agree!!
Breakfast Casserole
A prepare-ahead hearty breakfast casserole perfect for Christmas morning or serving your overnight guests.
Ingredients:
7 slices loaf bread, cut up into small chunks
1 pound roll sausage, cooked (can be mild or spicy)
1/2 pound cooked smoked sausage or ham, chopped
7 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cups grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Lightly grease a large casserole dish and lay bread pieces evenly along the bottom. Sprinkle in cooked sausage and cooked smoked sausage or ham.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs and milk until smooth. Add mustard and Worcestershire sauce and blend well. Pour egg mixture evenly on top of casserole. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Sprinkle cheese on top right before baking. Bake covered at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot.