Homesick Food Cure with Breakfast Hotdish
Hello! Normally this time of year I go home to hang out with college friends, hit up the Minnesota State Fair (several times), and see my dog, but this year I can't make it back. Other than amazing accents and having the incredible ability to drink and process dairy like champions, Wisconsin is known for casserole. That word is the perfect opportunity to practice your Midwestern accent - ca-sir-roll. Make sure to really get that sharp A sound in there to make it sound authentic, yah know. Casserole vs hot dish can be a big discussion at any midwestern dinner table. What I’ve understood is that casseroles are a hot dish that includes a can of “cream of X” while hot dishes are just temperature hot dishes. Whether that’s true or not, I’m not sure, but that’s what I’m going with.
To me, this is comfort food. It’s no secret my favorite food is a breakfast food, but this might be the favorite favorite of them all. It also keeps well and can be made on the weekend and last through the week. I made this dish the day of my 21st birthday because I knew the next day was going to be rough, and rough it was – thanks, apartment complex for testing the fire alarms the day after 21 AND when it was -20 outside. At least I had already made breakfast though. I’ve made this casserole several times and reminds me of most of my grandma’s kitchen and Sunday breakfast with the family. Originally it was made with cream of mushroom soup, but I’ve since upgraded to whole milk and broccoli instead. This is another dish where you can throw basically whatever you want into it and call it good. I’ve always included eggs, meat, cheese, a vegetable, and starch, but take out or add whatever you’d like.
Ingredients:
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Salt & Pepper
1 pound breakfast sausage, any flavor
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 bag frozen broccoli, steamed & chopped
1 package of sliced cheddar cheese
1 bag of frozen tater tots
Instructions:
In a large skillet, cook the breakfast sausage until all the pink is gone and drain the fat out. Set the sausage aside, and in the same pan, sweat down your onion – about 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Once cooked, mix in with the sausage and set aside. Then in a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk until they are bubbly and yellow. Stir in the sausage, onion, broccoli, and season with salt and pepper. Grease a 9X13 baking dish and pour the egg mixture into the pan.
Layer on the cheese slices, saving some to go on top of the tater tots. Line the tater tots on top of the cheese, and bake at 350-degrees for 45-50 minutes until the tots are golden brown and egg bake has set. Take the dish out of the oven and turn the broiler on. Take the remaining cheese and put it on top of the tots, and bake into the over to melt. Once browned and melted, take out of the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.