Slow Cooker Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole

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It is cold, and I don’t have access to my field cameras, and this isn’t the best time of the year to plant in my garden, so my thoughts turned to food, and I decided to try a new recipe. Jim enjoyed the breakfast casserole discussed in the last blog, so I thought I’d try another breakfast recipe. I found a recipe on the Betty Crocker website that I thought I’d try and share with you. I selected the recipe, Slow cooker Sausage, and Egg Breakfast Casserole.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-sausage-and-egg-breakfast-casserole/05a59878-b020-406d-9ce8-62a7a9d9aab0

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 3/4 of a cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Colby cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 20 ounces refrigerated cooked shredded hash brown potatoes
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked, drained
  • 1/2 a cup chopped roasted red peppers or chopped red bell pepper

Steps

  1. Line sides of 4 to 5 quarts slow cooker with foil that has been folded into thirds; spray with cooking spray.
  2. Beat eggs, half-and-half, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper with a whisk in a medium bowl. Reserve three-quarters of a cup of cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of green onion; set aside in a small bowl, stir together with the remaining cheeses.
  3. Layer half of the potatoes, sausage, roasted peppers, remaining green onions, and cheese in a slow cooker. Repeat layers. Pour egg mixtures over layers. 
  4.  Cover, cook on low heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or on high heat setting 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until temperature reaches 160°F in center and egg mixture is set.
  5. Sprinkle reserve cheese and green onions over top of casserole. Cover; cook 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Remove foil before serving by loosening edges with a table knife. 

Tip: a foil liner for your slow cooker is used to create a barrier between the hot sides of the slow cooker and the food to prevent over-browning and overcooking. To make a foil liner, fold a 16-inch long piece of foil lengthwise into thirds, making a 16 x 4″ band. Next, place around the inside of the slow cooker and spray it with cooking spray. Once the food is added to the slow cooker, it will help hold the full oil band in place. 

 

Note: You’ll notice in the following series of photos/directions that I choose to do things in a slightly different order.

The recipe called for 20 ounces of refrigerated cooked shredded hash brown potatoes. That means that the potatoes should be cooked first and cooled so that they don't cook the eggs immediately when the egg mixture is poured on top of the other ingredients.
So I cooked the hashbrown potatoes in a drizzle of oil, later adding butter as the potatoes cooked and seemed a little dry.
Once cooked, I placed the hashbrown potatoes in a bowl and then cooled them in the refrigerator.
The recipe called for 1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained.
I cooked the sausage on medium-high heat until there was no pink. Then I placed the cooked sausage on a warmed plate with folded paper towels to absorb the excess grease.
A foil liner is recommended for your slow cooker to create a barrier between the hot sides of the slow cooker and the food to prevent over-browning and overcooking. To make a foil liner, fold a 16-inch long piece of foil lengthwise into thirds, making a 16 x 4" band.
Next, place it around the inside of the slow cooker.
Spray it with cooking spray. Once the food is added to the slow cooker, it will help hold the full oil band in place.
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers or chopped red bell pepper.
1/2 cup chopped green onion.
Layer half of the potatoes, sausage, and peppers in a slow cooker.
Add a layer of green onions.
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
1 cup shredded Colby cheese.
Layer with the shredded cheeses, and then repeat the next layer with the potatoes, sausage, peppers, remaining green onions, and cheese.
I chose to mix the egg mixture in my mixer rather than a bowl. So first, I added 12 eggs and then 3/4 of a cup half-and-half and then the pepper flakes. Next, I added 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Next, I added 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper.
I used the whisk attachment to beat the eggs, half-and-half, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until creamy.
Pour egg mixtures equally over the two layers of potatoes, sausage, peppers, green onions, and cheese.
Sprinkle remaining cheese and green onions over top of casserole.
Cover, cook on low heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or on high heat setting 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until temperature reaches 160°F in the center. I selected the high heat setting, and three hours were required for the internal temperature to reach 160°F in the center and the egg mixture to be completely set.
Just beginning the cooking process.
The completed casserole was beautiful, fragrant, and very delicious!
Best of all, there was enough for the next day, and I added toast and a little ketchup for added flavor.

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