Wake-up Breakfast Casserole

Serves 8
Cook Time: 6-7 hours
1 pound kielbasa or smoked sausage, diced
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated Southwestern- style hash brown potatoes
10 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack or sharp Cheddar Cheese.
Coat 4 ½ quart crock-pot with non stick cooking spray. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage and onion. Cook and stir until sausage is brown. Drain and discard excess fat. Stir in Bell pepper.
Place 1/3 of potatoes in slow cooker. Top with ½ of the sausage mixture. Repeat layers. Spread remaining 1/3 of potatoes evenly on top.

Whisk eggs and milk in medium bowl. Pour evenly over potatoes. Cover; cook on low 6 – 7 hours.
Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle on cheese and let stand for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
Note: I usually had a can of diced green chilies to this – only because we like just a little spice.
I also like to serve salsa on the side.

Reva in Sacramento

Chocolate –Stuffed Slow Cooker French Toast

Serves 6
Cook Time: 3 hours (High)
6 slices ¾ inch thick day-old challah bread
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips divided
6 eggs
3 cups half and half
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar or warm maple syrup
Fresh Fruit – optional

Generously butter 2 ½ quart baking dish that fits inside a 6 quart crock-pot. Arranged two bread slices in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with ¼ cup chocolate chips. Add 2 more bread slices. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips. Top with remaining 2 bread slices.
Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in half and half, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour over bread. Press lightly. Set aside 10 minutes or until bread has absorbed liquid. Cover dish with a buttered foil, butter side down.

Fill slow cooker with 1 inch of hot water. Add baking dish. Cover crock pot and cook on high for 3 hours or until set, Serve with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh fruit.
Note: Challah bread is usually braided. If you use a brioche or another rich egg bread, slice bread to fit baking dish.


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Cinnamon Breakfast Bread Pudding

Serves 6 Prep Time: 15 Cook Time: 4-5 Hours
Vegetable cooking spray
1 loaf (16 oz) Raisin Cinnamon Bread cut in cubes
4 eggs
3 ½ cups milk
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
Maple –flavored syrup

Spray inside of a 4-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
Place cubed bread in cooker.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon – set aside
In a large bowl. beat remaining ingredients with a fork.
Pour egg mixture over bread cubes, stirring to cover all the bread. Sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon mixture on top
Cover an cook on low for 4-5 hours or until set. Serve with warm maple syrup

I use to make this often for our small group at work.

Reva in Sacramento

Breakfast Pizza

Scatter frozen hash browns to cover the bottom of a 9" pie pan. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. (I use Colby-Jack). Add a layer of browned breakfast sausage. (I usually use 1/2 lb of sausage and save the other half for another day!) Now crack 5 eggs into a bowl and add salt (about 1/2 tsp?) and pepper and a little milk or cream. Mix them well and pour them over your other ingredients in the pie plate. Make sure everything in the plate is covered with egg mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when poked in the center. ENJOY! If you make this in a 7 x 11 pan you'll want to add an egg or two. : ) by: Tricia

Fiesta Brunch Casserole

8 slices bread (white is boring, use potato or corn flour bread), cubed ½ cup butter melted shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 cups) 1 4 oz. can green chiles 8 slices ham or Canadian bacon, diced 6 eggs 1 ½ cups milk ½ cup half & half salt, pepper, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, garlic powder Cube bread, put in casserole dish, pour melted butter over it. Put meat, cheese and green chilis on top. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Let sit over night. Take out of refrigerator as soon as you get up. Bake at 325o for 45 minutes (or longer). Let sit 15 minutes before serving. by: Smiley1965

Cranberry Scones

Prep Time: 20 Min Cook Time: 20 Min
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled and diced
1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
1/3 cup white sugar
1 grated zest of one orange
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. In a separate bowl, toss cranberries with sugar; add to flour mixture along with orange peel and nuts. Mix lightly.
4. In another bowl, beat together cream and egg; slowly pour into dry ingredients, mixing with rubber scraper until dough forms. Knead dough 4 or 5 times, being careful not to over handle. Divide dough in half. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Shape each half into a 6 inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place scones on lightly greased baking sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
NOTES:
This is a PERFECT recipe. Don't be confused by the instructions to knead the batter. I think the author just means to mix the berries and nuts well. Instead, I dropped rounded spoonfuls on a baking sheet and baked at 375 for 20 minutes as instructed. These scones couldn't have been any better from a New York City bakery! I've made three batches of this recipe in one week and everyone who has tried one has raved (and everyone thinks they must be so hard to make! I've got them fooled!) I use the Craisins found next to raisins and leave out the sugar and orange. For variation, I've substituted chocolate chips and walnuts. DELICIOUS and PERFECT every time!!!
This was so good. I used dried cranberries instead of fresh, delicious. I also used sliced almonds instead of walnuts. Instead of half and half, I used one cup of vanilla yogurt and 1/4 cup of skim milk. I dropped tablespoonfuls and it made 15. They baked in 17 minutes. They were fast and easy. I can't wait to try it again.
I also drizzled an orange glaze over them when slightly cooled
I loved this recipe!! I used the new orange flavored craisins and they gave it a great flavor and I omitted the sugar as they were already sweetened. My husband who hates scones said that he liked these because they were not as dry and crumbly as others he has had.
This is so good! I didn't have half and half so I substituted 1/3 heavy cream and 2/3 buttermilk and it was perfect. I had to bake them a little longer (10 minutes) but I think that's because I used a stone instead of a sheet pan. Anyway, the texture was perfect. The dough was a little sticky, but I added 1/4 cup more flour and it made it more manageable (but still sticky enough!). YUM.
Reva in Sacramento