The Home Cook: Basic Egg Bake

I'm not on friendly terms with eggs. I know, I know...if you're sick of hearing about all the foods I won't eat try being my mother when I was 6. I'll fry up egg whites, eat hard boiled eggs sneaking the salted yolks onto my dad's plate and poach egg whites until they are cooked through with just a dusting of pepper across the top. I like omelets, deviled eggs, scrambled eggs on toast and best of all egg bakes. So maybe my problem isn't so much the egg, but the egg yolk...when it's been left intact. It's a yellow sphere (or blob) of graininess complete with a nasty taste. Ick. Fortunately my cholesterol appreciates this particular aversion.

But, when lightly whipped with milk the egg can become a wonderful thing...like an omelet or an egg bake. So dreamily simple, egg bakes are a staple weekend food at our house. The flexibility is just icing on the cake so to speak. Eggs and milk are blended with croutons and cheese to form the base for an end less array of combinations. Ham and cheddar, Bacon and guyre, sausage and colby-jack, minced onions sauteed with mushrooms and blended with havarti...it's is a breakfast dream come true.

But the experimentation doesn't have to end at the add-ins. I've substituted cream for half of the milk and was rewarded with a fluffier higher bake, using dried artisan bread cubes has offered up some wonderful textures and flavors and using minced onions and garlic instead of the seasonings ups their presence in the end product. When using any of the breakfast meats be sure to drain them lest they impart a greasy or wet texture to the eggs. This is especially true of the ham, I've found giving it a good press leaves the meat drier and the egg bake fluffier. And if a lightly golden bake is you preference covering it with foil for the last twenty minutes ensures that the top croutons never get beyond golden brown. If everyone had their hands on such a great breakfast staple we'd never have to eat cold cereal on Saturday or Sunday mornings ever again.

Egg Bake

2 cups Plain Croutons or Stale Bread, cubed
1 cup Shredded Cheese
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups Milk
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic
Dash of Pepper

Add-ins can include: Sausage, Ham, Bacon or sauteed veggies of your choice. Cheeses can range from cheddar, colby, gouda, havarti to pepperjack.

In a greased 10"x 6" or 8" x 8" baking dish mix layer in croutons, cheese and half of the meat/veggies. In a separate bowl mix together eggs, milk and seasonings. Pour over crouton blend and top with remaining meat or veggies. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator over night.

The next morning set out pan on counter to warm as oven pre-heats to 325 degrees. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Makes enough for two with leftovers or four if served with toast or English Muffins.