Christmas Morning Spouse Saver (Breakfast Casserole)

This Christmas Morning Spouse Saver has been a staple of my households Christmas mornings for over 35 years. Make this scrumptious casserole the night time earlier than, after which on Christmas morning all you need to do is pop it within the oven to bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. It’s full of layers of cheese, ham, bread all soaked in egg and it’s completely scrumptious. 

 

Christmas Morning Spouse Saver is a dish that I’ve eaten each single Christmas morning since I used to be born. My Mother had the recipe written out by hand on the again of a scrap piece of paper, and after she handed away 15 years in the past, that piece of paper turned one in every of my most treasured possessions and the dish is one thing I’ve continued to make in her honor each Christmas since. It was solely upon additional analysis into the recipe that I discovered 1) that apparently Christmas morning wifesaver is a Canadian custom, and a couple of) that the recipe originated in a Better of Bridge cookbook (a Canadian cookbook that everybody owned within the 90s). My Mother’s model was loosely based mostly off of the Better of Bridge recipe, with just a few added components for further flavour. Though this isn’t like the same old recipes that I submit on this website, as a result of it’s full of bread, cheese and butter, it’s one thing that I needed to share as a result of it’s a part of my household custom. 

 

WHY YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS MORNING WIFE SAVER

• That is the proper breakfast to make on Christmas Eve, depart within the fridge in a single day and the subsequent morning rapidly bake it within the oven whereas everyone seems to be opening items. It’s a fuss free make-ahead casserole that may assist you to benefit from the vacation morning quite than spending it making breakfast for everybody. 
• Though we historically make this for Christmas breakfast, it’s additionally a breakfast dish I typically make if we’re having associates over for breakfast, or I’ve visitors spending the night time. 
• This scrumptious breakfast is full of layers of bread, cheese, ham, mushrooms and onions which might be all soaked in an egg combination after which baked till tender.
• A variety of in a single day breakfast casseroles are fairly eggy (which I’m personally not an enormous fan of). This breakfast casserole has much more substance than simply egg and is extremely wealthy and scrumptious.  

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS MORNING WIFE SAVER

Bread: we often use sliced white bread which has one of the best texture when soaked in egg. Prior to now we now have additionally used gluten free bread which turns into fairly mushy however continues to be scrumptious. 

Onion: one yellow onion finely diced and sauteed till tender

Mushrooms: I take advantage of thinly sliced white/button mushrooms

Cheese: I favor utilizing shredded sharp cheddar cheese. The unique recipe from the cookbook requires slices of cheese which might additionally work. 

Ham: Skinny black forest ham slices are used rather than slices of again bacon which the unique recipe makes use of. I discover that bacon can turn out to be barely chewy when baked in a casserole, so the skinny slices of ham are a terrific substitute. 

Eggs

Dijon Mustard: I like utilizing dijon mustard however have additionally used yellow mustard or dry mustard when in a pinch. 

Scorching Sauce: Both sizzling sauce or tabasco add a pleasant kick of flavour to the egg combination

Milk: You should utilize any kind of milk you will have available. We often use skim or 1% milk however complete milk and even almond milk, soy milk or oat milk would additionally work. 

Butter: Melted butter makes the sides of the casserole crispy and so scrumptious.

Corn Flakes: Corn flakes may appear to be an odd addition to this breakfast casserole, however they add a scrumptious crunchiness to distinction the comfortable texture of the casserole. Prior to now we now have additionally used particular Ok cereal, and one yr we forgot to purchase the cereal and as an alternative broke up corn tortilla chips to sprinkle overtop which ended up being scrumptious. When in search of a cereal so as to add to the highest, make sure you discover one which isn’t candy.  I wish to crunch the corn flakes between my fingers in order that they break up into smaller items earlier than sprinkling them overtop. 

 

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS MORNING WIFE SAVER

1. Begin by sauteing the mushrooms and onion till tender
2. Begin the layering! Grease a casserole dish after which on the backside of the dish place slices of bread in order that they snuggly match. Subsequent prime with cheese, ham, the mushrooms and onions after which repeat with extra items of bread, cheese, ham, mushrooms and onions after which lastly the remainder of the bread.
3. In a bowl beat eggs with milk, mustard, sizzling sauce, chopped chives or inexperienced onions, salt and black pepper. 
4. Pour the egg combination over the casserole guaranteeing the entire bread is saturated with the eggs. Cowl all the dish with aluminum foil and switch to the fridge.
5. The following day, all you need to do is soften butter and pour it everywhere in the prime of the casserole and at last add the layer of corn flakes. 
6. Switch the baking dish to the oven to bake at 350 levels Fahrenheit.

 

CAN I MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS MORNING WIFE SAVER VEGETARIAN?

Completely! Skip the ham and you may add further mushrooms, or alternatively add 1 chopped bell pepper in with the onion and mushroom to offer it extra substance. 

CAN I MAKE THIS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE GLUTEN FREE?

You may! I’ve made a gluten free model of this breakfast casserole many instances and it was scrumptious. I like to recommend utilizing thicker minimize gluten free bread as I’ve discovered that the thinner minimize bread can turn out to be fairly mushy when soaked within the egg in a single day. Rather than the corn flakes, search for a gluten free selection (or worst case situation for those who can’t discover any then use gluten free corn tortilla chips). 

 

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS CHRISTMAS MORNING WIFE SAVER

To make Christmas morning as fuss free as doable, we often serve this casserole with a plate of recent fruit and ketchup and HP sauce (my Dad’s favorite) to drizzle over the casserole. 

 

 

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS

Leftovers will final for as much as 4 days saved in an hermetic container within the fridge. I often reheat leftovers within the microwave or in a 350 diploma F oven for 10 minutes till warmed via.

 

 

 

Listed below are just a few extra breakfast recipes that you just may take pleasure in!

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In case you make this recipe let me know within the remark part under, I might love to listen to what you suppose or take a photograph and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I like seeing your pictures!