Mini Breakfast Casseroles

I've been eating (and loving) breakfast casseroles for as long as I can remember - for Christmas morning, for post-sleepover breakfast, for my bridal shower brunch...you name it. One recent morning, I decided to put a mini twist on them and tried baking them in a muffin pan. It worked out great because 1) they were delicious 2) the mini size made it easy to control portions and 3) they're kind of adorable. I mean, look at them.  And if you love mini things, check out my Mini Dressing Balls, Mini Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes, and Mini Phyllo Cup Bites!

Start by greasing a muffin pan with either non-stick cooking spray or softened butter. Be sure to grease the sides and the bottom well - the eggs puff up as they bake and you don't want them sticking at the top!

Cube 2-3 pieces of your choice of bread. Place 3-5 pieces into each muffin cup. I used our regular whole wheat sandwich bread, but you could use gourmet bread, too.

Next, add your choice of fillings on top of the bread. I browned a half a pound of Jimmy Dean's Sage Breakfast Sausage. If I had a green onion on hand, I would have added that too, but sometimes you have to work with what you've got!

In a separate bowl, whisk 10 eggs together with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a dash of milk. Take a 1/4 cup measuring utensil and spoon the eggs into each cup until it's about 2/3 full.

They look so cute, right?  Next, I topped it with some shredded cheese. You could also cube cheese and put in the cup before you pour the eggs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set and look like this:

I love these for breakfast because the filling possibilities are endless - you could make them vegetarian or "meat lovers" by using any variation of bell peppers, onion, bacon, chopped ham, tomatoes, spinach, etc. Leftovers can be reheated for an easy breakfast the next day!

Happy Weekend! :o)

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Mini Breakfast Casseroles

• 2 pieces of sandwich bread  
• 10 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• Salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste
• 4 ounces grated cheese
• ½ pound of bacon or sausage
• ¼ cup sliced green onion

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat. Set aside. Chop green onion and set aside.

2. Grease each muffin cup of a 12 count muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or softened butter.

3. Cube the bread into small squares and evenly distribute them into the bottoms of the muffin cups. Distribute the sausage and green onion evenly on top of the bread.

4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Distribute evenly over top the sausage and bread mixture.

5. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of egg mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until eggs are set.