Breakfast Casserole and Easy Bran Muffins

Overnight Breakfast Casserole and Nutritious Bran Muffins

Nov 16, 2009 Nellene Teubner Plouffe

Christmas activities often leave little time for the most important meal of the day, breakfast. Here are two nutritious recipes that can be made ahead and frozen.

With Christmas shopping, decorating and entertaining there's a lot going on. Breakfast often falls by the wayside, or consists of a cup of coffee on the run, with perhaps a sweet roll on the side.

Easy Casserole Made Ahead of Time

Often cooks spend a lot of time on holiday dinners, but ignore Christmas morning breakfast. The beauty of this breakfast casserole is that it can be made ahead of time, frozen and reheated. It offers substantial fare for holiday time. People who generally don't eat a heavy or hearty breakfast will enjoy the different tastes in this recipe.

The breakfast casserole can be served with sides of cut-up fruit or a fruit bowl that includes seasonal sliced pears, bananas and a sprinkling of fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries for color. For a festive Christmas morning, serve a glass of sparkling Champagne or a non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 8 slices French bread
  • 8 eggs
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 lb. grated Cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 slices diced raw bacon
  • Paprika, cayenne pepper, dry mustard.

Directions:

  1. Butter bread and sprinkle with paprika, pepper and dry mustard. Cube or tear bread and put into lightly buttered 9x13 casserole dish.
  2. Mix eggs, milk, salt.
  3. Stir in cheese.
  4. Pour mixture over bread.
  5. Sprinkle with raw bacon.
  6. Refrigerate overnight.
  7. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees.

This can be frozen after baking. Let the casserole cool and cover with plastic wrap, then freeze. There’s no need to thaw before reheating. Take off the plastic wrap, cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a 250 degree oven until warm to the touch.

Nutritious Bran Muffins

The secret to the nutrition in these muffins is their lack of oil or butter. The applesauce in this recipe takes the place of oil or butter and offers filler and fiber.

Make Ahead and Freeze

These muffins can be made ahead of time and frozen. Package them in a freezer plastic bag until ready to eat. They can either be thawed at room temperature and served, or cut in half and toasted in the toaster. Serve with a side of fruit or glass of milk for extra protein.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups oat bran
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup dark molasses
  • 1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • Optional: 1 cup raisins

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Combine flour, bran, salt and baking soda in mixing bowl.
  3. Add buttermilk, honey, egg, molasses and applesauce. Stir together, but do not over mix. Fold in raisins, if using.
  4. Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  5. This recipe yields about 24 muffins.

The copyright of the article Breakfast Casserole and Easy Bran Muffins in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Nellene Teubner Plouffe. Permission to republish Breakfast Casserole and Easy Bran Muffins in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Breakfast Casserole for Christmas Morning, Nellene Plouffe Breakfast Casserole for Christmas Morning
   
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