Sausage Egg Casserole

My mother-in-law makes this casserole on Christmas morning. It's so simple and yet very tasty. It does take a little while to cook, but it's perfect for making on Christmas because you throw it in the oven when you wake up, and it's ready about the time you're done opening presents. If I make it on any other day, I'll start it on the stove top and then finish it in the oven to cut down on the cooking time. How I love one-pot-wonders!

You can change it up easily, too. Add some diced onion to the sausage while it cooks. Use a different flavor sausage. Add potatoes. You really can do lots with it. I love it how it is, though, so I haven't strayed from the original recipe. I'm a sucker for tradition.

Ingredients:
12 eggs
1 package bulk maple sausage
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can milk
cheddar cheese, shredded

Skillet Method

Brown sausage in a large skillet. While sausage cooks, beat eggs, seasoning with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soup and milk . When sausage is cooked through, pour eggs into skillet, stirring to evenly distribute sausage.

Stream soup into skillet and do NOT stir! You want to leave large pockets of the soup throughout this casserole -- it will NOT taste as good if the soup is fully incorporated.

Top with shredded cheese.

Now you just cook it the same way you'd cook an omelet. Run your spatula around the edge and tilt the pan to let the runny egg underneath. Once it's more solid looking on top, pop it in the oven at 350 to cook the rest of the way, which takes around 15-20 minutes.

Oven Method

Do it the exact same way, only transfer sausage to a 9x13 pan instead of leaving it in the skillet. Then top with eggs, soup and cheese. Bake at 350 for about an hour. You may need to cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.