Christmas Morning Casserole
Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! Ok seriously though, Christmas morning is nothing short of magical in our house and I look forward to it just as much as our girls do. There’s something about a holiday morning that makes me want to throw a bunch of my favorite things in a dish and call it a casserole. I found this recipe from the NY Times and gave it a test-run for our Christmas morning breakfast and it’s definitely made the cut! Heads up though, your mixture for this meal will need to sit overnight!
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 lb pound croissants (about 5 to 7), split in half lengthwise
1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for baking dish
1 bunch scallions (6 to 7), white and light green parts thinly sliced, greens reserved
¾ pound sweet Italian sausage
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
8 large eggs
3cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces Gruyère, grated (2 cups)
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Step 1: Heat your oven to 500 degrees (you can also use your broiler!). Spread croissants on a large baking sheet and toast, cut side up, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them, we don’t want any burnt biscuits. Let cool, then tear into large bite-size pieces.
Step 2: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Sauté your sliced scallions and then add sausage meat and brown, breaking up the meat with a fork or spatula. This will take about five minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 3: In a large bowl, toss together croissants and sausage mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, 1½ cups cheese, salt and pepper.
Step 4: Lightly oil your baking dish. Turn croissant mixture into pan, spreading it out evenly over the bottom. Pour cream mixture into pan, pressing croissants down gently to help absorb the liquid. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 5: When you’re ready to bake the casserole, heat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter the remaining grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Transfer to oven and bake for 45 minutes or until casserole golden brown. You’ll know when it’s done if it’s firm to the touch!. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallion tops before serving.
So excited to hear what you guys think of this one. I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season!