Sweet Potato Chorizo Breakfast Casserole

See? Not at all like a strata!

I am a plain old Cheerios and milk in the morning sort of breakfast eater. It is my go to quick fix. Unfortunately, Cheerios and milk is not really a lot of protein and generally if I eat right when I get up at 4:30 then I'm hungry again before I get to my desk at school. And I'm ready to chew my arm off by the time I get to lunch. So I've been trying to get some more protein in my breakfast. I made some yogurt to eat with granola. But it actually got moldy before I had the chance to eat it all.Then I decided to make a crustless quiche recipe as I've had success with eating those in the past. But I only ate half of it in a week. I was eating my Cheerios instead. As I'm trying to eat better food for me in this whole new era of recovery, I was getting frustrated. I mentioned this to my super cool science teacher friend while we were eating lunch with her three daughters after church. She told me that she had this really great breakfast casserole recipe. It had tater tots and eggs and cheese and she uses some ground sausage and vegetables. I thanked her and decided to give it a try. Except that I totally changed it. 

That whole top is melted cheesy goodness!

This is an amazing casserole! I had it for both lunch and dinner yesterday. And I sent pictures and texts to Super G to tell her how amazing it is. And she now wants the recipe. I can't say that I blame her. I was a little worried it would taste like a strata. I hate strata. But it didn't! It tastes sweet and savory and cheesy and delicious!

I almost sprang out of bed this morning with excitement that I get to eat the breakfast casserole for breakfast! And then I remembered that it's President's Day and I didn't have to spring out of bed. 

Sweet Potato Chorizo Breakfast Casserole

Changed so much from the original it might as well be an original Shazamer recipe

Serves 8

1 bag sweet potato tater tots

1/4 cup salted butter (1/2 stick)

1 lb chorizo

1 green bell pepper (chopped small)

1/2 white onion (chopped small)

5 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Arrange the sweet potato tater tots so that they all fit in the bottom of an 11 x 7" glass baking dish. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour evenly over the tater tots. Then cook the tots as otherwise directed on the package. Mine needed to be cooked at 425℉ for almost a half hour. 

While the tots are cooking, brown the chorizo in a skillet with the finely chopped onion and green pepper.until cooked through. Also in a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk.

When the tater tots are done cooking turn the oven down to 350℉ and remove from the oven. Pour the chorizo mixture onto the tots and using a spoon, spread the meat and vegetables evenly over the tots. Then pour the egg mixture over the meat and potatoes. Finally sprinkle the cheese on top. Put the casserole in the oven and cook for 30 minutes more. 

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon

I normally love winter, but sometimes when I sit at my desk and watch the sky maintain its depressing grayness and it just snows and snows, I tend to forget. We can go days without sunlight and the wind is bitter cold. It can get depressing.

So today, the Brain was having a rough day and I was frozen from a trip to file a deed. I decided we needed comfort food. And really what could be more comforting than bacon? And potatoes? Oh yeah, I'm doing vegetables this month. While one could rightly argue that potatoes are a vegetable, I went a little healthier with sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes help to regulate the blood sugar. They are also high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B6. 'Cause yeah, I'm all about health mixing those lovely sweet potatoes with half a pound of bacon.

But the hash hit the spot. It was easy, fairly quick. And went beautifully with a simply supper of grilled Italian sausage. HA! Like I braved the snow flurries to grill in frigid weather. I stuck them in the broiler.

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon

adapted from Bon Appetit

1/2 pound bacon sliced in 1/2 inch strips

2 small onions chopped

1 large red pepper diced

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Leave drippings in skillet.

Add onion, bell pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Stir in potatoes and another shake of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally so that any excess liquid evaporates and potatoes start to brown. Stir in thyme and bacon.