Egg Casserole

This is a delightful and versatile casserole you can serve at holidays or any time. Make it on the weekend and have during the week for an easy and nutritious breakfast. You can also be creative and add cooked vegetables (leftovers are good) in place of the mushrooms or in addition. I have used seasoned stuffing bread cubes instead of potatoes as the bottom layer and it works great too. You may also top the warm dish with some shredded cheese when it first comes out of the oven and let it lightly melt as you let the casserole cool for ten minutes. You might even make this as the day-after-the-holiday breakfast when you can take advantage of some nice leftover options such as diced turkey or ham, green beans or asparagus as add-ins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 2 dozen free range eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (or milk)
• 1 large russet potato (or sweet potato), shredded
• 2 parsnips, shredded
• Two cups sliced mushrooms
• Three cups spinach or baby kale
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Rosemary leaves, fresh, stripped from two stalks
• Fresh sage, minced about 1 tablespoon
• Bacon, four to six strips cooked
• Bacon fat, 2 - 4 T reserved from cooked bacon
• Dried basil flakes, about one T

Directions:

1. Cook bacon until just crisp and set aside on paper towels to drain. Leave at least 2 tablespoons bacon fat in skillet.
2. Lightly grease a 9x12 oven safe baking dish with some of the bacon fat
3. Shred potatoes and parsnips and spread evenly over the bottom of the baking dish
4. Sauté onions and garlic in bacon fat until just tender and slightly translucent 
5. Add sliced mushrooms to skillet and sauté until tender
6. Add chopped fresh herbs to skillet and continue to sauté for about one minute then spoon all into the baking dish evenly over the potatoes and parsnips. 
7. Add the greens (spinach or kale) to the skillet and sauté until the greens begin to wilt to about half volume and the layer into the baking dish.
8. Crack eggs into a large bowl.
9. Add the cream or milk to the eggs and whisk together.
10. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the pan.
11. Crumble the bacon over the top of the eggs.
12. Sprinkle lightly with dried basil flakes.

Cook in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Eggs should be firmly set and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 - 15 minutes. Slice and serve with a fresh fruit salad.

Buzz it up

Fresh Green Bean Casserole in Mushroom Wine Sauce

Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 25 min Level of Difficulty: medium Course: side dish, vegetable Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh green beans
  
• 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
  
• 1 tsp. sea salt
  
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
  
• 1 T minced garlic
  
• 3 T olive oil
  
• 1 T dried organic salt-free seasoning
  
• 2 T white flour
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
  
• 1/2 cup milk or Half 'n Half
  
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper or to taste
  
• 1/4 cup Slivered almonds (optional)
  
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  
• 2 T butter
  

Instructions

Prepare beans:

1. In large pot, add 2 - 3 quarts water and 1 tsp salt and bring to boil.
   
2. While water is heating, prepare beans by removing any stems and chopping into 2 inch pieces.
   
3. When water comes to a boil, add green beans and celery.
   
4. Boil beans just until tender but not soft. Beans should be bright green. About 15 - 20 minutes.
   
5. Lift beans from water with slotted spoon and place into large bowl of water and ice.
   

Prepare mushroom sauce:

1. While beans are boiling, slice mushrooms and chop onion.
   
2. Warm large sauté pan and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, mushrooms, and onion.
   
3. Sauté, stirring with wooden spoon, until onion is tender and translucent but not brown.
   
4. Add the minced garlic and organic salt-free seasoning and stir.
   
5. Turn off heat and add white flour. Stir to coat mushrooms and onions.
   
6. Turn heat on medium and stir just until flour starts to brown.
   
7. Add the white wine and stir with wooden spoon.
   
8. Stir in 1/2 cup of the water in which the beans were boiled.
   
9. Stir in milk or Half 'n Half, salt pepper.
   
10. Continue to stir until slightly thickened to about the consistency of thin gravy.
    
11. Turn off heat under sauce.
    

Construct casserole:

1. Remove green beans from ice water and place in colander to drain.
   
2. Rub a 2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat bottom and sides.
   
3. Add drained beans to the dish, then spoon mushroom sauce over beans.
   

Prepare crumb topping:

1. Heat small sauté pan to medium and add 2 tablespoons butter to melt.
   
2. Add Italian bread crumbs and stir to coat with butter, then turn off heat.
   
3. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and almond slivers.
   
4. Spoon bread mixture over top of mushroom sauce to cover surface.
   
5. Cover casserole and place in refrigerator until ready to bake.
   

Casserole may be kept overnight in refrigerator or may be frozen at this point and cooked at a later date.

Bake casserole:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cover from beans and place on center rack in oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. If casserole has been frozen, add 20 minutes to baking time. Cover the dish with aluminum foil for the first 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake for and additional 20 minutes. Bake until sauce is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Dish should sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 - 10 servings

This is an original JVG recipe. For additional green bean casserole ideas, visit Cooks.com.