Hearty, comforting, and downright delicious — there’s nothing like starting the day with a good ole egg bake. This one takes inspiration from another breakfast favorite, loaded hash browns, and it’s got everything we want in a morning meal: potatoes (of course), Italian sausage, some veggie action, and lots of cheese. And did we mention it’s super easy to make? Aside from a quick sauté of the sausage, you don’t have to cook any of the ingredients before they hit the casserole pan.

The only seasoning we use is salt and pepper, so the fresh, vegetal flavor from the red bell pepper, green chiles, and onion permeates throughout the entire bake — which we love. It’s the perfect complement to the rich, fluffy eggs, the herby, savory punch of the sausage, the sharp tang of the melted cheese (hey-o, cheddar!), and the delightfully starchy hash browns. Pick up a forkful with a little bit of everything, and you get a fantastic blast of breakfast-y flavors in a single bite.

We often make this egg bake on the weekend — its heartiness is well-suited to the morning after a rambunctious Friday night of charades and wine-drinking with friends. Breakfast for a family reunion? For a getaway weekend at a rustic cabin rental? For a house full of out-of-towners during the fast-approaching holidays? The answer is: all of the above! And on quieter weekends, when it’s just us and the S.O. at the table, we’ll tuck the leftovers in the fridge for quick, filling breakfasts during the week.

Our tip: serve your loaded slab of egg bake with a few generous dashes of hot sauce — the spicy heat kicks the flavors into high gear (and kicks any morning grogginess out of your system).

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb ground mild Italian sausage

20 oz frozen diced hash browns

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 8-oz can diced green chiles, drained

10 large Gelson’s eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground Gelson’s black pepper

2 cups Gelson’s shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage for 7 to 10 minutes, or until it has browned. Drain the fat from the pan and set the sausage aside.

2. Lightly grease a 9x13” baking dish and add the hash browns, red bell peppers, yellow onions, green chiles, and cooked sausage. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until combined.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs until smooth. Add in the half-and-half, kosher salt, and black pepper, and whisk until fully incorporated. Stir in the cheddar cheese and then pour the egg mixture into the pan.

4. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the cheese begins to brown around the edges. Serve hot.

Recipe source: The Stay at Home Chef

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