Chile Cheese Egg Casserole

This recipe was in the Sunday Parade magazine a few months ago.  I've made it once, and my mom has made it several times.  She often cooks it Saturday night, and it reheats beautifully for Sunday morning.  Very filling and delicious.

Chile Cheese Egg Casserole

1 stick (½ cup butter)	1 quart (4 cups) cottage cheese
10 eggs	½ cup marscapone cheese
2 egg whites	1 lb. shredded Monterey Jack
½ cup flour	2 (8 oz.) cans diced green chiles
1 tsp. baking powder	Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.  Melt butter, and pour half into a 13x9 baking pan, and set the other half aside.  Beat eggs and egg whites lightly in a large bowl.  Stir in flour, baking powder, chiles, all cheeses, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Pour egg mixture into baking pan.  Pour reserved butter over the top.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350° and bake 35-40 minutes or until casserole is set.

(That's the way the recipe appeared.  I did make a few alterations-- I just dumped 12 eggs in there, without separating the 2 egg whites.  And my family isn't a huge fan of spicy foods, so I only put one can of chiles in.)

Breakfast: It's What's for Supper

I have had busy Wednesdays the last two weeks, so I made this both Wednesday nights. Lincoln thoughtfully tore the recipe into about eight pieces, so I decided to type this recipe up before I lose too many crucial pieces. I already lost an important piece after the first week, but it turned out fine the second time, so I must have remembered it correctly!

(I do not know Diane-- this recipe was in our paper with this title. "Breakfast Casserole" seemed a little vague, so I'm keeping the "Diane". Hi, Diane Van Der Woude of Central New York!)

Diane's Breakfast Casserole

• 1 package (16 oz.) frozen hash brown potatoes
• 1 cup cooked, cubed ham
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 5-7 eggs, beaten (recipe called for 5, I had seven left in the carton, it worked beautifully!)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 T dry mustard
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced onion (preferably green onion)
• Paprika, to taste

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 13x9 pan. Spread defrosted hash browns in bottom of pan. Sprinkle ham over potatoes, then sprinkle cheese. Beat together milk, eggs, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Gently stir in green onions, and pour over cheese, ham and potatoes. Sprinkle generously with paprika. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Before cooking. It looks like there are WAY too few eggs in there...

But it bakes right up over all the chunky ingredients.

This recipe is very easy to make ahead of time, and is a delicious one-dish meal.

Another popular "Breakfast for Supper" around here is Baked Oatmeal from the Tidy Mom website. My kids love to sprinkle mini chocolate chips and heavy cream on it, or maple cream.

Baked Oatmeal with Peanut Butter

• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats (I always use old-fashioned, they work fine)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 13x9 pan. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread in pan and bake 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Serve with milk, cream, raisins, chocolate chips, fresh fruit, maple syrup, maple cream-- use your imagination!