Monday, March 4, 2013

Make Ahead Egg Bake: Brown Bag Series #12


In my brown bag this week: Make Ahead Egg Bake.  Egg bakes are the way to go when it comes to having a versatile, healthy breakfast ready when you are.  They can be easily customized to fit your tastes or to accommodate whats in your fridge at the moment. Meats, herbs and veggies are all interchangeable with your favorites.  I usually make several different varieties at once and freeze them.  Below is one of my favorite combinations.


Make Ahead Egg Bake

2-3 slices of whole wheat bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 Italian sausage link casing removed
2 packed cups spinach, finely chopped
10 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 chili pepper, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup grated parmesan
4 eggs
2 egg whites
milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Evenly spread the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish.
3. In a large sauté pan, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Remove the sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess grease.
5. Without washing the pan, keep the heat on medium high and add the olive oil, saute the peppers until soft.
6. Add the mushrooms and spinach to the pan and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Add the sausage back to the mixture.
7. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Then sprinkle the Parmesan over the top of the mixture.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites and milk. Pour over the ingredients in the baking dish and push the mixture down into the bread, so the bread starts to absorb the egg and milk.
9. The best method is to let the bread absorb the mixture for about 30 minutes before baking. If you are short on time you can skip this step.
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until its baked through and the top is golden.
11. Let cool at least 10 minutes. Cut into 6-10 pieces, depending on your appetite.

2 comments:

  1. This looks delicious! I make peppers and eggs, asparagus and eggs, tomatoes and eggs and potatoes and eggs the same way. So easy to freeze in small portions and have a quick and easy breakfast or lunch!

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