Cottage And Cheddar Cheese Spinach Breakfast Casserole

3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup flour
6 beaten eggs
16 ounces cottage cheese
16 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup butter, melted
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
salt and pepper to taste

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray while preheating oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the onion, flour and eggs until it's smooth and not lumpy.
Add in the cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, butter, spinach, salt and pepper and stir until mixed thoroughly. Pour into the prepared dish.
Bake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until casserole is golden brown and bubbly.

Southern Cinnamon Peach Loaf Breakfast Casserole

1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 slices bread, cubed
2 medium peaches, pared, cored and diced
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dollop of margarine

Spray two 5x3 inch loaf pans with cooking spray while preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare the bread mixture, in a medium bowl lightly beat the egg substitute and then mix in the brown sugar, milk, and cinnamon. Add the bread cubes and the peaches, stirring lightly. Let stand until all the bread has absorbed the liquid.
To prepare the topping, in a small bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and margarine with a fork.
Take the bread mixture and divide it equally between the two loaf pans. Sprinkle each with topping. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Cook Breakfast Dishes For A Quick Dinner

Do A Frugal Flip And Serve Breakfast For Dinner

Is there a family out there who doesn't enjoy a little breakfast for dinner every once in a while?  I think most families have done the meal flip-flop a few times.  A simple plate of fried eggs and hash browns, or even a stack of pancakes for the evening meal just puts a smile on everyone's face.  But, I know we can do better than that!

One way to create dinner from breakfast ingredients, while keeping the meal special, is with a breakfast casserole.  The eggs provide all the protein you need, so this is not only a delicious option, but also frugal and healthy.

Even if someone in your family claims they don't like eggs for dinner, a breakfast casserole will make a believer out of them.  For this discussion, we're not going to talk about serving pancakes, waffles, or even scrambled or fried eggs.  Casseroles are a familiar, comforting dish for many people at dinnertime.  This fact may help even a picky eater warm to the idea of breakfast for dinner.

Again, we can look at the frugal aspect of serving breakfast for dinner.  Eggs are an inexpensive source of protein and other nutrients.  Another frugal factor is in using leftovers.  Making a breakfast casserole can be a great way to use up food that might otherwise be thrown out.  That last serving of broccoli is sitting there staring at you day after day from the refrigerator.  Rather than throw it out, throw it in with the eggs and you have the beginnings of a breakfast casserole.

Need more ideas?  Say you had fajitas for dinner the other night and you have some strips of flank steak and peppers left.  No one really wants to see fajitas more than once in a week.  So, what else can you do with the leftovers so they don't end up in the trash?  Toss a breakfast casserole together with the steak, peppers, some shredded carrots, chopped celery, croutons and sage, mix in the eggs and you've got a totally different dinner.  You have saved yourself from tossing those leftovers and created an original meal just by adding eggs and a few carefully chosen ingredients.

Use a variety of fresh vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, kale, zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, and sweet potatoes, to create a wide selection of breakfast casseroles.  Add a layer of hash browns,  whole grain bread, croutons, or even cooked rice to the casserole.  Think of the flavors you like together, put them in layers in a baking dish, and bring them all together in one meal just by adding eggs.

If you are looking to cut back on how often you serve meat or poultry for dinner, a breakfast casserole may be the perfect dish.  Eggs are a great replacement for meat because they are protein-rich and cheap.  Adding milk and cheese to your breakfast casserole brings the calcium level up.  There's no reason to eat meat seven days a week when you have eggs that will do just as well.  Create filling casseroles using eggs several times a week and you could save quite a bit on your grocery budget.  And, there are plenty of options for ingredients to keep the casseroles interesting.

The next time you're looking for an inexpensive, filling, healthy meal for dinner, think about turning some of those familiar breakfast foods into dinner.  Eggs are an excellent solution to the problem of  what to serve for dinner that's healthy and frugal.  But, you don't need to fry up a few eggs for dinner.  Get creative with other ingredients and create a breakfast casserole that fits right in with your family's tastes.  We talk about comfort food a lot, right?  Well, what's more comforting than a frugal yet nourishing casserole?  It's time to think... what would you put in a breakfast casserole for dinner tonight?

Ham And Cheddar Jack Potato Breakfast Casserole

24 ounces shredded hash browns
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 cups half-and-half
1 dozen eggs
1 teaspoon season salt
2 cups ham, chopped
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese

gravy:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons milk
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Dump the frozen hash browns into greased baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl whisk the half-and-half, eggs, season salt, ham and cheeses. Make sure mixed well.
Pour the egg mixture over the top of the potatoes, making sure to coat the potatoes evenly.
Bake for 90 minutes and then let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
While the casserole is cooling, prepare the gravy by mixing all ingredients together in a sauce pan. Heat until thoroughly warmed and pour over top of casserole.

Good Day Cheddar and Onion Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

1 package hash browns
8 ounces sour cream with green onions
8 ounces plain yogurt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a glass 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
If the hash browns are frozen, allow them to thaw.
Blend the sour cream, yogurt, soup and cheese together in a large mixing bowl.
Sauté the onion in 1/2 cup butter for approximately 7 minutes.
Once the onions have been sautéed, combine with the soup mixture and now add the hash browns, stirring make sure the potatoes are coated evenly. 
Dump the potato mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup butter and bread crumbs together and spread evenly over the potato mixture.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven and cover with tin foil and bake for 30 more minutes.

Kid Friendly Breakfast Recipe Ideas

Create Kid-Friendly Breakfast Casseroles

Little ones can be picky eaters.  Creating dishes that are healthy that they will love, or even tolerate, can be challenging.  If most kids had their way, they would live on macaroni and cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches day-in and day-out, forever.  Trying to get something with more nutrition in their diet can be, and often is, a battle.  And, it's a battle that we have to admit we are losing.

If you think of the one food your kids don't like, the food that you find left on their plate, it's probably vegetables.  For whatever reason, many kids resist eating vegetables.  It may be the color, or texture, or taste, or simply a stubborn belief that they won't like it if it's a vegetable.  Some kids claim they will never touch an egg.  If they see an egg on their plate, they'll go run and scream and hide.  Does giving in and pouring a bowl of cereal sound familiar?  If you want your kids to eat a hot, healthy, and filling breakfast filled with good wholesome nutrition, you might have to get more creative... okay, sneaky.  Here are a few tricks to get your kids to eat a better breakfast.

Puree the Veggies

Yes, hide the veggies.  Your kids don't need to know they are eating veggies and that you have won the battle.  You just want those veggies in your child's tummy.  Use a food processor to puree your chosen vegetables to add to your casserole.  Some of the best ones to add are cauliflower, carrots, cooked sweet potato, spinach, or a combination of different veggies. Pureed veggies will hide well in an egg, cheese, and meat breakfast casserole and can be combined in lots of ways.  Experiment with a variety of veggies to see what purees the best and goes over with your kids.

Use Fruits

Whether you are making a sweet recipe or a savory one, you can add either finely chopped fruit or pureed fruit to your breakfast casseroles. Children usually warm up to the idea of trying a new recipe if it is sweet, and by combining the sweet flavors with meats or cheese, you can produce that salty sweet flavor we all love, and so will the kids!  Here is one recipe you might want to try out on your kids:

Cheddar Bacon Apple Breakfast Casserole

2 cups biscuit or pancake mix
4 eggs
1 cup of milk (add more if needed to make a thick batter consistency)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 medium apples, cored and finely chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped and cooked crisp
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil or butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Then, in a bowl, mix together the biscuit mix, eggs, milk, and maple syrup until you get a batter.  Then add the apples and bacon and stir just until combined, then pour into the baking dish.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the casserole cooks through and becomes firm and light golden brown around the edges.  You can substitute a variety of fruits for the apples, or a mix of fruits and berries.  Try chopped nuts instead of cheese to make another kid-friendly dish.

Skip the Strong Flavors

Some kids don’t like the taste of onions, celery, strong spices, or powerful herbs.  It's okay to go ahead and eliminate them entirely from a casserole recipe.  It just could be the thing that will help convince your kids that it's okay to eat it.  Using milder spices and herbs will still give your casseroles flavor and may keep your kids from turning their nose up.  Find flavors your kids enjoy in other foods and incorporate those carefully into your casserole in small doses. 

Turn Favorite Foods Into Breakfast Casseroles

Most kids love macaroni and cheese, so why not make it for breakfast?  You can make it the way you normally do, but add a few other favorites to the same dish.  If your kids like bacon and sausage, throw it in.  You can puree some veggies and sneak them into the cheese sauce before you mix it all together.  Pureed cooked carrots, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes work well.  With milk, cheese, and hidden veggies, you've got a well-rounded morning meal.  Use whole wheat noodles and top it all with finely chopped nuts for a real nutrition boost.  If your child is a big chili fan, go ahead and turn your breakfast into a chili-like meal.  If your child loves the stuffing at Thanksgiving, recreate those flavors in your breakfast casserole, even using croutons instead of bread for the base. 

There are lots of ways you can create kid-friendly breakfast casseroles.  Some of the ideas will require you get a bit tricky, while other ideas will just take turning ingredients you know your kids like into hearty breakfast dishes.  All it takes is a little imagination and your kids will soon be asking for one of your signature breakfast casserole dishes you created just for them!

Good Morning Bacon Cheddar Potato Breakfast Casserole

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
8 ounces bacon 
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup Cheddar cheese
1 large egg
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

While oven is preheating to 350 degrees, grease an 8 inch square baking dish.
In the greased baking dish, layer 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 bacon, 1/2 onion and 1/2 cheese and continue with layers until those ingredients are gone.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the egg, milk and seasoned salt, then evenly pour over the potato mixture. 
Cover and bake for 60 minutes, then uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.
Before serving, let stand 10-15 minutes.