It’s just good ole West Texas hospitality to have friends and family stop by and spend the night. I just wouldn’t allow someone visiting and traveling through our part of Texas to go to the next town and stay in a hotel. Even though we’re busy (as busy as retired people can be! lol) with our internet businesses, gardening, and enjoying the Sherwood Ranch, we also enjoy company.
I don’t do early mornings and the thought of getting up at the crack of dawn to make a special breakfast, doesn’t quite fit into my usual schedule. I like to make casseroles for breakfast, so I have a way to prepare a Real Texas Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole.
You can prepare it all ahead of time and freeze! All you have to do is take the ‘make ahead part’ out of the freezer, add the eggs, and bake! Tastes like you slaved over the stove for hours before sunrise. Your company will think you did anyway. This can be a delicious breakfast casserole, or a brunch casserole.
You can add just about any ingredients that you have in your kitchen and the casserole just gets better. The secret is using frozen french fries for the potatoes and freezing ahead of time.
Real Texas Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole 
2 cups frozen French Fries (the precooked kind work best), diced
1 small roll hot and spicy Sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup minced Jalapenos
1 cup chopped Mushrooms
1 cup chopped Texas 1015 sweet Onions
1 cup chunky Salsa (I use my homemade Real Texas Salsa)
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Jalapeno Cheese (or Jack Pepper Cheese)
6 to 8 large Eggs, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons Milk
1/4 Baking Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Spray a square cooking dish with oil. Layer the bottom with dice french fries, sausage, jalapenos, onions, jalapenos, and cheese. You can cover and freeze until ready to use.
When you are are ready to prepare, remove the casserole from the freezer and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Mix the slightly beaten eggs, milk, baking powder, salt and pepper and pour over the frozen casserole.
Bake in oven for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the moisture of the ingredients you use. Casserole is ready when you can insert a knife into the center and there is no liquid. If casserole is getting too golden, place foil over the top and continue to bake. Checking frequently.
Real Texas Banana and Pecan French Toast (coming soon)
Real Texas Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (coming soon)
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum! I’m going to try this. Can you put the whole thing together and refrigerate overnight and then bake? Or would that make it too soggy on the bottom?
I’ve made these breakfast dishes several times, mostly on the night before when we have the kids and grandkids here for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or another holiday.
I prefer to use Tater Tots instead of French Fries, or even Hash Browns (the kind that is loose in a bag–not in a patty), but everyone to their own desires.
One recipe I have calls for slices of bread with ‘crust’ removed to line the bottom of the dish, instead of potatoes.
Susie, if you make it the night before for cooking the next morning, you can add the eggs and all other ingredients and just refrigerate (no need to freeze) during the night.
All of the recipes are delicious but most of them are designed to feet 8 or 10 people. They’re all delicious.
Love your variations to the recipe. I like using tator tots too!
If you are making ahead to have on hand, you don’t want to add the eggs if you plan on freezing. Otherwise you can add the eggs the night before and in the morning all you have to do is put in the oven and bake. If using a glass pan, I place in the oven while it’s preheating, to warm the glass pan slowly.
The recipe that is posted is for 4 to 6 people. You can also use a bread pan and cut recipe for 2 to 3 people. I like to spoil David, even when there are no guests!
To increase, use a large rectangle 13 x 9 pan and double the recipe posted.
What else do you add to your casserole?
Walter’s Asparagus Lovers Casserole
This is a take off of a green bean casserole and very good for a change of pace if you like asparagus you will love this.
2 – cans asparagus drained, or fressh asparagus
10 oz. mild chedder cheese or jalapeno Jack cheese
1 1/2 cans undiluted cream of mushroom soup
6 or 8 drops of Tabasco sause or more if disired
2 drops Worcestershire sauce
Dash of seasoning salt, I like Toney Chachete’s
1 Tbsp. parsley flahes or fresh parsley
1 can Frenches fried onions
cracker crumbs, about 1/2 cup
butter
1/3 cup pecan halves
Cover bottom of an 8 by 8″ by 2″ casserole dish with non stick spray. 1st layer – Add asparagus, 2nd layer cheese, 3rd layer soup mised with Tabasco Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, and parsley. 4th layer Frenches onion rings, 5th layer cracker crumbs, then dot top with butter and place pecan halves on top. Place in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes untill heated through.
Enjoy, Walter
Can’t wait to try this casserole! Thanks for sharing.
The four ounce flask is silver with the black background in the middle for displaying the messages.
And you have to admit that a few gift cards to home decorating stores
would come in handy. These two items are relatively inexpensive and can be emblazoned with your company logo or name
for a little extra money.
Houston, what in the hell are you talking about?
Thank you for your response…I just didn’t know what to respond! lol