My Favorite Breakfast Casserole

I LOOOOOOOOOVE breakfast foods!  Especially this one with it's layers of hearty potatoes, cheesy eggs, and bacon.  It's very simple, but I guess just the sheer combination of perfect breakfast foods makes this recipe fantastic!  It's a perfect companion to muffins, or better yet, the Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring.  Ooooooooohhh, Heaven help me.  I'm salivating just typing this!

It comes from Taste of Home, way back in 2001.  I regret not trying it as soon as I found it.  But I guess that's just how I work.  Apparently I like to think about recipes before trying them years later.  Don't be like me.  Try this soon!

Here's what you'll need:

1 (28 oz.) pkg. cubed frozen hash browns (O'Brien hash browns also work great in this)

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted

1 lb. sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

12 eggs, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

2 C. (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, prepare hash browns according to package directions.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.  Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  Top with soup.  Set aside 1/2 cup of bacon; sprinkle remaining bacon over soup.

In another skillet, scramble eggs in butter until nearly set.  Spoon over bacon.  Sprinkle with cheese and reserved bacon.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is warmed through.  Serves 10-12.

To make things easier, I cook and crumble the bacon and shred the cheese the night before.  Then all you have to do the morning you want this is to cook the hash browns and the eggs, layer everything and pop it in the oven.

I may even try assembling the casserole and keeping it in the fridge overnight.  Then the next morning I'll just bake it for a little while longer.  That will give me time to throw together some sticky buns.  Mmmmmmm...enjoy!