Fab Recipe: Holiday Breakfast Casserole
 
 
Author:
Recipe type: Breakafast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8 to 10
Ingredients
For the Tater Tot Casserole:
  • 6 slices thick cut hickory smoked bacon, cubed
  • 1 pound Jimmy Dean pork sausage
  • 1 cup (1/2 " thick) Sara Lee honey ham, cubed
  • 10 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ cup yellow onions, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1½ cups grated gruyere cheese
  • 3 cups half-half
  • 8 large eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • dried red pepper flakes (optional)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1½ pounds frozen tater tots
For the Smoked Gouda Sauce:
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup grated smoked gouda cheese
  • pinch of kosher and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Have your 3-quart baking dish ready to go.
For the Tater Tot Casserole:
  1. Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, place all the bacon.
  2. Cook, while stirring continuously until evenly crisp and golden brown. Drain over paper towels.
  3. Set aside. Make sure to save all that bacon fat for later.
  4. In the same pan, cook the pork sausage over medium-high heat.
  5. Try to break it up to pieces while browning.
  6. Drain and place evenly over the baking dish.
  7. Set aside.
  8. Still using the same pan, place all the cubed ham over medium-high heat.
  9. Stir until light brown all over.
  10. Pour on top of the sausage pieces.
  11. In the same pan over high heat, add 2 Tablespoon of bacon fat.
  12. Add the cremini mushrooms.
  13. Saute until mushroom are soft and brown.
  14. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  15. Pour on top of the ham and sausage pieces.
  16. In the same pan over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon more of the bacon fat.
  17. Add the onions, saute until translucent.
  18. Add the red and green peppers, saute until slightly soft.
  19. Add the minced garlic, stir until fragrant.
  20. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground ground black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional).
  21. Pour over all the browned meats and mushrooms.
  22. Set aside to cool completely.
  23. Add 1 cup each of the grated sharp cheddar and gruyere cheese on top of the cooled meats and vegetable mixture. FAB TIP: It's very important to brown everything separately to avoid steaming the meats or vegetables. BROWNING = FLAVOR!
  24. In a small mixing bowl, add all the eggs and whisk together until combine.
  25. Add the half-half and pinch of nutmeg.
  26. Whisk until well incorporated.
  27. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  28. Pour mixture over all the cooled browned meats, vegetables and cheese mixture.
  29. Top it off with frozen tater tots.
  30. Push it down so that part of the tater tots is submerged in the egg mixture.
  31. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half or until tater tot is golden brown on top and the egg mixture is set. FAB TIP: How to test when the breakfast casserole is done: the top will puff a bit and the center will feel slightly firm when pressed lightly with your fingertips.
  32. Top it off with ½ cup each sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere cheese.
  33. Place it back in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  34. Garnish with crispy bacon pieces and chopped parsley.
  35. Let the casserole cool for 15 minutes before serving.
For the Smoked Gouda Sauce:
  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
  2. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. FAB TIP: Make sure to cook the flour long enough to get rid off the starchy aftertaste.
  3. Add the whole milk while whisking to prevent lumps.
  4. Let the mixture come to a boil and it will thicken up.
  5. Lower the heat, add the freshly grated nutmeg and grated smoked gouda cheese.
  6. Stir until melted.
  7. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  8. Immediately pour over 20-0z. baking dish.
  9. Serve along side the casserole.
Recipe by Fab Food Chicago at https://www.fabfoodchicago.com/fab-recipe-holiday-breakfast-casserole/