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< Back Sourdough focaccia Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Dough 1 1/2 cups (340g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter 1 1/2 cups (340g) water, lukewarm 6 cups (720g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour 6 tablespoons (74g) olive oil, plus extra for the pan and the top of the focaccia 1 tablespoon (18g) table salt 2 tablespoons (43g) honey 1 tablespoon instant yeast fresh rosemary or dried rosemary, for topping Spread 1 cup (227g) ricotta cheese 1 tablespoon honey 1/4 teaspoon table salt Preparation 1. To make the dough: Combine the starter and water in a large mixing bowl. 2. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine the flour with the starter, water, and remaining ingredients. Mix and knead — by hand or stand mixer — until the dough is smooth and elastic. If you're using a stand mixer, this should take 5 to 7 minutes on the lowest speed using the dough hook attachment. If you're kneading by hand, you'll need 12 to 15 minutes. 3. Place the dough in a bowl that's been lightly coated with olive oil, cover, and allow to rise for 60 minutes. 4.Gently fold the dough over three or four times, and let it rise for another 60 minutes. 5. Drizzle a generous 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the center of a large rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan). 6. Transfer the dough to the pan, and turn it over to coat it with the oil. 7. Gently stretch the dough into the edges and corners of the pan. As soon as the dough begins to shrink back, cover it, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Gently stretch the dough again, repeating the rest once more, if necessary, until the dough fills the pan. 8. Cover the pan and transfer it to the refrigerator to let the dough rise for 14 to 16 hours (overnight). 9. The next day, remove the pan of dough from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 425°F for 30 minutes (if your kitchen is warm) to 60 minutes (in a cooler kitchen) 10. Just before you're ready to bake, gently dimple the dough at irregular intervals with your fingers, pressing down firmly but not abruptly; you don't want to deflate the focaccia too much. 11. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to collect a bit in the dimples), then sprinkle with rosemary and a bit of flaked sea salt. 12. Bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes, until light golden brown. 13. Remove the focaccia from the oven. Allow it to cool enough for you to handle it comfortably, 10 to 15 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. 14. To make the spread: Stir together the ricotta, honey, and salt. 15. Serve the focaccia warm or at room temperature, accompanied by the spread; it's best the same day it's made. You can freeze any leftover focaccia and reheat defrosted slices in a toaster or 350°F oven, just until warmed through. Previous Next

< Back Peanut Butter Banana Bars Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 8 bars Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 3 super ripe bananas 1/4 cup smooth, natural peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/4 cup instant or quick cooking oats 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup chocolate chips Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan or line with parchment paper. Add the bananas to a large bowl and mash until almost smooth. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix well. Add in the oats, salt, and baking powder and mix to combine. Fold in 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for the top of the bars. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan, using a spoon or spatula to smooth it out on top. Add the remaining chocolate chips to the top of the bars. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool and cut into 6-8 pieces. Previous Next

< Back Cranberry Wassail Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe This is a traditional spiced holiday drink with an added twist. Enjoy this wonderful wassail for a cold winter day or to serve at Christmas parties. Ingredients ½ gallon apple cider ½ gallon cranberry juice 1 cup lemon juice 1 ¼ cups pineapple juice 1 large orange, thinly sliced 24 whole cloves ¼ cup clover honey ½ cup white sugar 4 cinnamon sticks 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground ginger Garnish: 12 fresh mint leaves 12 orange slices for garnish Preparation Step 1 In a large saucepan or pot, combine cider, cranberry juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, orange slices, cloves, honey, sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer; add nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Step 2 Serve warm and garnish each cup with mint and an orange slice. Cook's Note For a bolder taste, refrigerate the wassail for a couple of days and reheat on the stove. Previous Next

< Back Canning Dry Beans Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: Serves: N/A Level: Beginner About the Recipe Canning Dry Beans Is Super Easy! This Recipe Includes Affiliate Links For Items, If You Purchase I Receive A Commision At NO Extra Cost To You! Ingredients Dried beans (kidney, black beans, pinto, navy, etc) Water Quart or pint sized mason jars with lids/rings Equipment: A pressure canner ( like this ) Preparation For me, one of the keys to cooking real food is to have a pantry stocked with real food ‘building blocks’ that I have prepared ahead of time. I always have a supply of homemade broth/stock, home-canned tomato sauce, applesauce, pickles, and multiple other items. It makes it easy to put together a real-food meal without spending 6 hours in the kitchen each and every day. I love cooking with dried beans (black beans, red beans, pinto beans, navy beans, you get the picture…), but they can take a lot of time to prepare. If you are starting from scratch, expect to soak them overnight, and then cook them for several hours. It’s not a complicated process, but it definitely makes deciding to have refried beans for supper at the last minute pretty much impossible. To combat this problem, I like to make big batches of beans at once. To preserve my beans, I prefer canning over freezing. Here’s why: 1. My freezer space is limited, and I’d rather use it to store things like meat. 2. I seriously struggle with remembering to take things out of the freezer so they have time to defrost. And a frozen jar of beans takes for.ev.er to thaw out… 3. In the event of a power outage, my canned beans are ready-to-go at a moment’s notice. Even if my freezer was without power and the food in it spoiled, my canned items would be ok. Now this is very important if you are planning on canning beans: You MUST use a pressure canner to can beans– a water bath canner WILL NOT cut it. Any time you are preserving low-acid foods (like beans), a pressure canner is required. Got your bag of beans ready? Let’s do this! How to Pressure Can Beans Supplies: Dried beans (kidney, black beans, pinto, navy, etc) **see my note below regarding amounts Water Quart or pint sized mason jars with lids/rings A pressure canner ( buy one here ) Pick through your beans to remove any foreign objects, then place them in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Allow them to soak overnight. (You can add 2 Tablespoons whey, vinegar, or lemon juice to your soaking water if you wish. Some folks report that it makes them easier to digest- although I haven’t noticed a whole lot of difference. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to try.) The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place in a large pot and cover them by about 2 inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil. (Stir frequently and watch carefully– those beans LOVE to boil over!) Ladle the hot beans into hot jars (no need to sterilize them, but they should be clean and hot), leaving 1″ headspace. Fill with the cooking liquid, again, leaving 1″ headspace. Put lids and rings on the jars. Alternate Method The Ball Blue Book recommends boiling the beans for 30 minutes before placing into jars. However, this makes the beans a little on the mushy side. Many folks (including myself) have had good luck with simply soaking the beans overnight, rinsing, and then placing them straight into the jars. Fill the jars with boiling water (leaving 1″ headspace) and then proceed with the canning. This eliminates the hassle of boiling and results in slightly firmer beans. Place them in a pressure canner and process at 10 pounds* pressure: Pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes Quarts for 1 hour, 30 minutes (*You will need to adjust your pressure depending on your altitude. I have to process at 15 pounds pressure since we are at 6,500 feet. ) Remove from the canner and let cool, checking all lids for proper seals before storing. Kitchen Notes: Bean Amounts: calls for about 3/4 pound of dried beans per quart jar . For my last batch, I used 11 pounds of dried red beans and that filled about 9 quart jars (give or take a little). If you end up with extra, you can always freeze them, or eat them for supper that night. After you boil the beans and are ready to put them in jars, they won’t be fully softened. The pressure canner will do the rest of the cooking, so don’t panic. 😉 Some tutorials do a “quick soak” method which instructs you to bring the dry beans to a boil, let them stand for one hour, and then proceed with canning. I suppose you can do this if you like, but I prefer the overnight soak. It makes sense to me that that would make them slightly easier to digest, but that’s just my uneducated opinion. If you like, you can add some salt to each jar (1/2 teaspoon for pints, 1 teaspoon for quarts). This is purely for added flavor- it plays no part in the preservation process. I usually leave mine unsalted and season accordingly when I’m ready to use them. So what do you do with all those canned beans? Lots of stuff! Make up a batch of famous refried beans, add them to burrito filling, make venison chili recipe, add to soups, or season and eat as-is. The sky is the limit when it comes to the bean. 🙂 Instructions Remove any foreign objects from beans Place in large bowl and cover with water Optional: Add 2 Tablespoons whey, vinegar, or lemon juice to soaking water Soak overnight Drain and rinse beans Place in large pot Cover with 2 inches of fresh water Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and watching to prevent boiling over Ladle beans into hot jars (no need to sterilize as long as they’re clean and hot), leaving 1″ headspace Fill with cooking liquid, again, leaving 1″ headspace Put lids and rings on jars Place jars in pressure canner and process at 10 pounds* pressure: Pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes Quarts for 1 hour, 30 minutes Remove from canner and let cool, checking all lids for proper seals before storing Previous Next

< Back Agua Fresca de Fresas con Crema (strawberries and cream) Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 15 Minutes Level: Beginner About the Recipe This delicious creamy strawberry agua fresca will have your taste buds thinking you’re eating dessert! Ingredients 2 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and diced, divided 2 cups water 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/2 cup sugar, or as needed 3 cups ice cubes, or as needed Preparation Step 1 Place 2 pounds of the strawberries and water in a blender cup and blend until smooth. Step 2 Pour strawberry puree into a large pitcher. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Stir until well incorporated. Taste; add sugar, a little at a time, as needed. Step 3 Add ice cubes and stir. Gently stir in remaining 1/2 pound diced strawberries. Chill until ready to serve. Previous Next

< Back Refried Beans and Rice Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 2 cans refried beans ½ teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ cup water 3 cups sticky white rice (or long grain, whichever you prefer) 6 cups water ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup favorite salsa ½ cup sour cream Preparation Cook the rice (1 cup rice to two cups water and salt). Mix the refried beans and spices together with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and heat on medium heat. To serve: Place about a cup of steaming hot sticky rice in a bowl. On top of that put about 1/2 cup to a cup of refried beans on the rice. Top off with salsa, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. I have been known to bypass the spoon and use the tortilla chips as a utensil. Previous Next

< Back Blackberry Upside Down Cake Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 10 Level: Beginner Ingredients Topping: ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups fresh blackberries ¾ cup white sugar Cake: 1 cup white sugar ½ cup butter, softened 2 large eggs 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups fresh blackberries ¾ cup white sugar Preparation Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Step 2 Melt brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter together in a saucepan over medium heat. Add blackberries to brown sugar mixture; cook and stir until mixture bubbles, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir 3/4 cup white sugar into berries, crush berries slightly with a fork, and continue cooking until berries are hot and slightly broken-down, about 5 minutes more; remove from heat and pour into a 9-inch cake pan. Step 3 Beat 1 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Step 4 Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Alternately stir flour and milk into butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix vanilla into batter. Step 5 Pour batter over blackberry mixture in the 9-inch cake pan. Place cake on a prepared baking sheet in case of spillage as it bakes. Step 6 Bake cake in the preheated oven until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan until warm, but not completely cooled, about 30 minutes. Run a knife along the inside edge of the pan to separate the cake from the sides, place a cake plate over the top of the pan, and flip the pan. Lift the pan slowly to release the cake from the pan. Previous Next

< Back Homemade Maple Syrup Prep Time: 1 minute Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves: -0- Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 2 cups sugar (2 cups white, OR 1 cup white and 1 cup brown, OR 2 cups brown) 1 cup water ½-1 tabkespoon of maple flavoring – more or less to taste (I don’t measure) 1 tablespoon corn syrup (do not measure this, just pour out a "glop") (optional) Preparation Add all ingredients and stir periodically until it comes to a full boil. Serve on French toast, waffles, pancakes, or anything else that requires syrup. My favorite combination is 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar. The brown sugar just makes it have a little richer flavor. The real reason that I like that combination is so that I don’t forget the recipe; I just have to remember 1:1:1 (white, brown, water), flavoring and a glop – very simple. The corn syrup is optional, but I add it because it is a science trick that won't allow the two different types of sugars to combine and crystalize. This is especially helpful if you have leftover syrup and store the excess for another day. Previous Next

< Back Lamb’s Rice Pudding Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours Serves: 8 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 cup long grain rice (I use sticky rice because that is what I have stored and I like it better) 1 cup sugar 8 cups milk 4 eggs 2 (more) cups milk ¼ cup (more) sugar 2 teaspoon vanilla Ground cinnamon Preparation In a large pan, combine rice with 1 cup sugar and 8 cups milk. Stir to blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until rice is tender. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, 2 cups milk, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla. Beat well with mixer. When the rice is tender, add egg mixture just until it starts to come to a boil. Remove from heat; cool, then chill. Alternate cooking method: Now, to make it the easy way, do like I do and cook it in the crock-pot. Put all of the ingredients in the crock pot. Turn it on high and cook for about an hour, then on low for about 2 to 2 ½ hours. Stir it every once in a while, so it won’t burn on the bottom. It is so yummy, and it just amazes me how far 1-cup of rice will go. Previous Next

< Back Pumpkin Conchas Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients Dough: 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup pumpkin puree ¼ cup warm milk 1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 1 teaspoon kosher salt ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract Topping: ½ cup powdered sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 pinch kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice 1 pinch ground nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup butter, at room temperature orange food coloring (Optional) Preparation Step 1 Combine flour, pumpkin puree, warm milk, egg yolk, melted butter, sugar, active dry yeast, salt, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix until a smooth, slightly elastic ball forms or knead by hand for about 5 minutes. Step 2 Place the dough in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Step 3 While dough is rising, combine powdered sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract in a bowl for the topping. Mix with your hands or a spatula until a moldable dough forms. Mix in orange food coloring if you like. Step 4 Divide topping dough into 6 equal portions and shape them into balls; set onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover each ball with a sheet of plastic and press down with something flat and heavy (like the bottom of a glass or measuring cup) into a flat circle. Take the tip of a knife and score a pumpkin design into the topping. Place in the refrigerator to allow butter to firm up. Step 5 After the dough rises, transfer it onto a work surface and press down to remove the air. Cut into 6 equal portions and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Transfer balls onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet and press down to flatten lightly. Place the topping on top of the dough balls. Allow to proof until doubled in size, about 45 minutes Step 6 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Step 7 Bake in the center of a preheated oven until puffed up and golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Previous Next

< Back Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner Ingredients Cake : 2½ cups all purpose flour* 3 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1¾ cups granulated sugar ½ cup vegetable or canola oil 2 large eggs, room temperature 2 large egg whites, room temperature 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract , optional, but highly recommended ⅔ cup sour cream ¾ cup milk , preferably whole or 2%, room temperature Filling: 3 cups sliced or diced fresh strawberries , divided 2 tablespoons strawberry jam additional whole strawberries , for garnish, optional Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese , softened to cool room temp 1 cup powdered sugar ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract 2¼ cups heavy whipping cream , really cold, straight from the fridge Preparation What tastes like a strawberry shortcake, looks like a beautiful layer cake, and is sure to impress anyone and everyone you serve it to? Answer: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE! If you’ve been around these parts for a while you know that I absolutely love baking with strawberries . During spring and summer, there are always strawberries in our kitchen. They are my favorite fruit to bake with! I’ve had a Strawberry Shortcake Cake on my summer “to-bake” list for years. My goal was to come up with a cake that had all the flavors of strawberry shortcake stacked high in a gorgeous layer cake. My main criteria were that the recipe needed to be fairly easy, completely from scratch, and it needed to taste AMAZING ( duh ). I fully expected to have to play around with this recipe multiple times until I got it right, but, somehow this came out perfect – just the way I wanted it – on the first try. Strawberry Shortcake Cake Vanilla Cake: I made three layers of a fluffy vanilla cake. The cake layers are light, yet sturdy enough to hold our filling and topping. If you’d prefer a two layer cake, you can bake the cake in two pans, rather than three. Your layers will be slightly thicker than mine. Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting: Strawberry shortcake has to have whipped cream (and not the kind in a can or that questionable whipped topping in a tub). This is the real deal – freshly whipped cream, lightly sweetened with powdered sugar, and flavored with a touch of vanilla. In order to keep our whipped cream firm, I also add cream cheese to it. This stabilizes the cream and helps it hold its shape. You will have enough frosting to frost the sides of your layer cake, if you desire. I like the rustic look of leaving the sides exposed. Strawberries: Find the best strawberries you can and toss them with some strawberry jam (this makes them glossy and sweet). Strawberries go in between our cake layers, as well as on top of the cake. You can decorate the top of the cake however you like: I used a combination of diced strawberries and whole strawberries. I used thinly sliced strawberries for layering in between the cake (see below). What I love about this cake is its versatility. It’s pretty enough to be served at a dinner party, yet casual enough to be part of a summer BBQ. If you know someone with a summer birthday, this cake would be extra pretty studded with candles and served to your loved ones. However/whenever you choose to make it – just make it! Grab those beautiful summer strawberries before they are gone. Instructions Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (preferred) or a hand mixer, beat sugar, oil, eggs, egg whites, and extracts until combined. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. Add half of the flour mixture, beating until just combined. While still beating, slowly add milk, then the remaining flour mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Be careful not to overmix it. Line three 8-inch cake pans** with parchment paper and grease the pans. Evenly divide the batter between the three pans. Tap/gently drop the pans on the countertop a couple times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If necessary, rotate the pans once during bake time to ensure even browning. Place the pans on a rack to cool completely. Filling: Combine the strawberries and jam and set aside (these will be used for the filling and topping). Note: I sliced the strawberries for the filling (about 2 ½ cups), and I diced the strawberries for the top of the cake (about ½ cup). You can slice or dice, your choice. You'll need about 3 cups total. Frosting: Place the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (preferred) or hand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth. While the mixer is still whipping, slowly pour the heavy cream down the side of the bowl. Stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl periodically. Increase the speed to high and continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. It is important that the cream stays cold so that it will thicken properly. If you're using a hand mixer, hold the bowl near the top and don't hold the bowl against your body. Assembly: Place one layer of cake on a platter. Top with one-third of the frosting, then top with about 1 ¼ cups of strawberries. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. For the third/top of layer of cake, top with remaining whipped cream frosting, then place the remaining strawberries in the center. Decorate the outside with whole strawberries, if desired. Notes *TO PROPERLY MEASURE FLOUR: Fluff the flour with your measuring cup, scoop a heaping portion and level it off with the back of a knife. **CAKE PANS: Using three cake pans produces cake layers that are on the thinner side (my preference for filling and stacking). If you'd prefer the cake layers thicker, or you do not have three 8-inch round cake pans, you can divide the batter between two 8-inch cake pans. Increase the bake time to 22-27 minutes. EGGS AND MILK: To quickly bring eggs and milk to room temperature place the four eggs in a bowl of really warm tap water for about 5 minutes. Microwave the milk to take the chill off, about 15 seconds. FROSTING: This frosting is stabilized with cream cheese, so it tastes like cheesecake whipped cream. If you don’t want the flavor of cream cheese you can use 8-oz of mascarpone cheese instead. Just be aware that the frosting will be softer than if you use cream cheese. Alternatively, you can use vanilla buttercream frosting or freshly whipped cream . Note: the homemade whipped cream will not be as stable, so you’ll want to add the frosting right before serving. STORING: This cake is best served the day it is made. After assembly, refrigerate the cake, then bring to room temperature before serving. 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< Back Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 8 Hours Serves: 8 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 pound package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes ½ pound breakfast sausage ½ pound bacon cooked and crumbled 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided ½ medium sweet onion diced ½ green pepper diced ½ red pepper diced 12 eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup sour cream ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Preparation Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole With the holidays quickly (too quickly!) approaching and schedules getting busier by the minute, I'm sure you're looking to have one less thing to worry about (or at least I am!). This Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole can be the perfect answer to that request! You just put it in the slow cooker, go to sleep while it's cooking, and serve it up in the morning! Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole is a classic breakfast casserole with eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. It's a crowd-pleaser, for sure, and is large enough to feed a crowd! After some questions and comments from readers, I worked to improve this recipe over the last couple months. I reduced the amount of hash browns in half and added sour cream for creamy moisture. I also realized that this casserole has so many warm, comfort food flavors that what it really needs to take it to the next level is freshness. To make your casserole truly spectacular, top it with fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado, red onions, or any other topping you can think of. The freshness just adds the perfect pop. What to Serve with Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is a meal by itself! Serve it with lots of fresh toppings like avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onions, sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce. If you're trying to stretch it a little bit for a crowd, you can also serve it with fresh fruit or a simple fruit salad. Toast, bagels, muffins, or English muffins would also make excellent sides and fill everyone up a little more. What Size Crock Pot Should I Use? I suggest using at least a 6 quart Crock Pot or larger. If you can get a programmable one, like this , that would be even better! That way there's no way you'll lose track of time or overcook it. Instructions In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage with onion and peppers until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain and set aside. Grease a large 6 quart slow cooker (or bigger) with cooking spray or butter. Layer half the hash browns in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with half the sausage mixture, bacon, and then cheese. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients, except cheese. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and sour cream. Pour over hashbrown and sausage layers. Cook on low for 6-8 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. Sprinkle on remaining cheese and cover until melted. Serve warm with lots of fresh toppings. Notes PLEASE NOTE: Not all slow cookers cook at exactly the same temperature. You may need to adjust the cook time to your specific device to avoid burning the edges, as some readers have reported. This casserole is gluten free. Check the ingredients on your sausage and hash browns, to make sure. Don't thaw the hash browns. It's not necessary and could cause them to dry out. Add diced ham or other ingredients that you love in omelets, such as mushrooms or spinach. Mix in a can of diced green chiles with the sausage for a Southwest style casserole. To really make this breakfast shine, add lots of fresh toppings such as sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, avocado, green onion, or chives. Consider getting a programmable Crock Pot with a timer, like this one . That way you don't have to worry about getting distracted or over-sleeping and overcooking! How do you reheat leftovers? I just cut a slice and pop it in the microwave. If your microwave is big enough, you can transfer the remaining casserole to a baking dish and microwave the whole thing that way until heated through. Can you freeze it? I don't recommend it. Eggs don't typically freeze well and have a rubbery texture when thawed. Previous Next