Christmas Brunch Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 15
• 2 lbs lamb sausage (hot or mild or both!)
• 2 -3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, peeled and small chunked
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 3 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 4 of my microwave roasted garlic cloves, chopped fine (easy roasted garlic)
• 12 large eggs or 4 cups egg beaters egg substitute
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced and excess liquid removed
• cilantro leaf
• parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons roasted red peppers or red bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped fine

Recipe

• 1 in a heavy bottomed skillet, brown sausage, stirring until it crumbles (or after cooking and draining pulse in food processor until the texture you want). remove sausage to drain on a paper towel lined bowl and remove all but 3 tb of drippings from pan.
• 2 heat pan on high, scraping bits from bottom. when hot, add 2 tb butter, sliced mushrooms, 1/2 cup green pepper and onion and reduce heat to medium-high. cook about 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms and onions start to caramelize. stir and scrape bottom of pan frequently. during last minute of cooking, add chopped easy roasted garlic or regular minced garlic. when done, remove from heat and reserve.
• 3 preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 4 place hashbrowns in a lightly greased 3 qt (9x13x2 inch) baking dish and a loaf pan. layer cooked sausage, cheese & the sauted veggie mix evenly over hashbrowns in each pan, and --
• 5 whisk to combine eggs (or substitute),all spices and milk in a large bowl. pour egg mixture over all else in pans. finally, sprinkle with parmesan cheese last.
• 6 bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until golden. rotate and switch pans on racks for even browning. the loaf pan may finish cooking in 40 minutes or so.
• 7 garnish, if desired with cilantro, sliced cherry tomatoes and diced green pepper and red peppers (roasted ones really add a flavor punch) & more parmesan. the colors should look christmas-ey and the parmesan should resemble snow.