Aunt Diana's Christmas Breakfast

Egg Casserole

**must be made the night before

• 4 slices white bread, torn up (wheat works fine, too)
• 1 lb. cooked sausage (crumbled) or links (cut into bite-size pieces) - eliminate for vegetarian
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 12 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• dash of pepper

Grease 13x9x2 inch pan. Place bread, cheese, sausage in bottom of pan (in that order). Beat eggs well, in separate bowl. Add milk mustard, salt and pepper to eggs. Pour egg mixture into pan, over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in preheated over at 350 for about 40 minutes or until eggs are set in center. Eggs will be bubbly brown on the top.

Serves 10-12 regular people. Serves 8-10 Lesters.

Hasbrown Casserole

• 2 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes, cubed (plain is best, but you can use O'Brien style if you want)
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 16 oz. container sour cream or sour half-and-half
• 1/2 stick margarine or butter, melted
• 1 tsp garlic salt OR 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt (optional if using garlic salt)

Topping:

• 2 cups crushed Corn Flakes, 1 stick melted butter; mix.

Mix all ingredients together in a Big Bowl. Put mixture in an ungreased 13x9x2 inch pan. Add topping. Bake at 375 for 90 minutes. If baking at the same time as the Egg Casserole (at 350), increase baking time for hash browns to approx. 2 hours.

Serves 10-12 regular people. Serves 6-8 Lesters

We usually make one more pan of potatoes than eggs, as people generally take more potatoes than eggs. The potatoes make great leftovers (much better than the eggs), so it's not a problem if there are any left. The eggs must be made the night before to set up. I typically make the hashbrowns the night before, too - just to get them done at the same time. I also really like the potatoes as a side dish for a dinner (it's good with any kind of roast beef, chicken, etc.). You can put less cheese (down to 1 cup) in each of the recipes, if you want. If you don't like mushrooms, you can use cream of chicken, or cream of celery soup instead.

Aunt Diana always made this for the Lester Family Christmas Breakfast...and we still do.

--cinda