Make Hearty Egg Casserole for Father’s Day

#Middlebury #FathersDay

Father’s Day is around the corner on June 21. Crown Dad king for a day with a royal breakfast he will love. It’s a hearty egg and cheese casserole that has all the goodness of fluffy omelets, but you and the kids can prep it the night before and simply pop it in the oven in the morning before Dad wakes up.

This tasty dish will fuel the family (you might invite and honor grandfathers and uncles, too – it serves 12) for a day outdoors filled with biking, hiking or fishing.

Your kitchen will be awhirl when your school-age kids prepare the casserole with your supervision and assistance. Read the recipe together, then divvy up responsibilities once ingredients are gathered. “Who wants to crack and whip up the eggs? Grate cheese? There’s French bread to be sliced and lined up in even rows,” you might ask, to get them excited and on task.

While supervising the sous chef team in their prep work, you can be completing the adult task of frying or baking the bacon. When assembled, cover the dish and put it in the refrigerator overnight, then bake just before serving Dad on Father’s Day.

Father’s Day Hearty Egg And Cheese Casserole

Make Hearty Egg and Cheese Casserole for Father’s Day (Submitted photo)

1/2 loaf French bread cut in 3/4-inch slices
8 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
10 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cored and chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

The night before:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, or spray with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with bread slices.
• Whisk together beaten eggs, milk, sour cream, mustard, salt and ground peppers. Set aside.
• Sprinkle bacon, shredded cheeses, scallions and red bell pepper over bread, making sure ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour egg mixture over it all. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning:

• Remove from the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes, covered.
• Heat oven to 325 F and bake covered for 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove foil and sprinkle parmesan evenly on top. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes.
• Serve immediately. Serves 12.

NOTE: You also may assemble and bake the dish the same day.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

© 2020 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.