Everything is better with Bacon

Isn't that true? When you know something has bacon in it you just have to try it right?!  I like to think of bacon as the candy of the meat world. Looking  over our meal plan last week I noticed I had breakfast on the list again.  This is fairly standard at our house. But I wanted something different than our usual pancakes or scrambled eggs.  So I opted for a brunch time favorite, the egg bake!  I hadn't made one in a while because there is some planning involved and honestly it's probably not the cheapest meal on our list, but it's delicious! I did manage to convert out the price from when I shopped so you can see just how much this meal costs. So if you want something different for your breakfast night, or just a great start to the day on the weekend this is it.  Oh and it makes for a great Christmas morning meal too.  I love to make this around the holidays or when we're entertaining, not only because of how good it is, but because it makes a lot too.

Ma Bacon's Egg Bake

1 lb breakfast sausage links, cooked and chopped ($1.50 per package)
9 eggs- beaten (at the time cost was $1.12 for 9 eggs)
3 cups milk ( About a 1/3 of a gallon- $.97)
9 slices bread (day old is perfect!) cut into cubes (about 1/2 loaf-$ .75)
2 cups shredded cheese, I use co-jack by any cheddar type is fine (Lucky to find it on sale for $2)
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled ($1.50)
Dash of salt and pepper to taste

Total cost for this meal:  $7.84
Of course this all varies depending on where you live and if you can find things on sale, but not too bad considering it makes a 9x13 pan (cut it into 15 pieces) and for the 6 of us we got both dinner and breakfast out of it.  That was with Bacon Jr. eating 3 full pieces for dinner!  Yes he's going though a growth spurt, I don't even what to know what it will be like to feed 3 teenage boys in a few years!

Back to baking... First take a 9x13 pan and grease it generously.  Next, it's time to get that bacon and sausage cooking!

I love my handy microwave bacon cooker, it saves me so much time!  Once they are cooled cut or crumble them into small pieces and set them aside.  Dig out a large mixing bowl and add your eggs, milk, salt and pepper to it, and beat it until everything is mixed.

Now it's time for the bread.  I used cheap bread for this recipe. Any works well and its a great way to use up that bread that is getting stale or the butts that no one seems to want to eat in this house.  Take the 9 slices and cut them into small cubes.  Add them to the egg mixture.

 Next add in the sausage, bacon and 1.5 cups of the cheese.  Mix this well in the bowl and then dump it into your greased 9x13 pan.  Take the remaining cheese and sprinkle it over the top.

 Now here is where your planning comes in.  The recipe calls for the egg mixture to sit 8 hours to over night in the fridge.  So you need to plan for this. Honestly, I have made this and tossed it in the fridge for 3-4 hours before baking and it turned out just fine. In fact that is what I did the day I made this.  I'm not sure the whole point of leaving it in there that long, but if you have the time to make it up the night before go for it. 

Take it out of the fridge and toss it into a cold oven. No preheating here or you might break your pan if it's glass.  Turn the oven on to 350* and bake for 60 minutes.  The egg bake should be fluffy and nice golden brown on top.  Let it cool for 5-10 minutes on the counter before cutting and serving. 

 The kids when crazy for this.  At first Little boy Bacon wasn't so sure on it.  It had been a while since I had made it last, but even he had a few pieces for dinner. We served it with some toast and fresh fruit.
Made a great dinner meal, and wonderful leftovers the next morning for breakfast  I love it when I can make 2 meals at once!