Sunday Special: Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

.  I think I may still be on cloud nine from my surprise birthday party last weekend.  Yep, definitely am.

And I do believe that the tremendous amount of effort taken to bring everything together deserves at least one more shout out.

So...

Thank you, thank you, thank you, my dearest mother and best, best friends for everything you did last weekend!  It was most definitely a weekend I will always remember ☺

Fortunate for me [and my unexpected guests!] I had already planned breakfast meals for the weekend.  So Sunday morning, as everyone made their way to the kitchen one by one, we were all able to sit down to a rather large breakfast spread of fruit, toast [with peanut butter], ridiculously good coffee cake [post to come] , and of course, this [healthier] Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole.

Now, try not to judge this flavorful, hearty, and savory casserole on the pictures I have provided.  We were all anxiously waiting for this dish to pop out of the oven, so once it did, I snapped some fast pictures before letting everyone have at it.  Thus, no pictures of the gooey cheesiness, chunks of turkey ham, and luscious bread. Oh, and loads of soft spinach and roasted red peppers.  Nope.  Just pictures of the top.  Sorry...

I would have tried to take a couple of pictures of the inside of the casserole once everyone was done.  But, I didn't really have that option because the entire pan got devoured.  Yep folks, the entire thing.  None left.  So I guess that speaks for just how good this is.  I quite honestly wasn't expecting such superb quality since this was labeled a 'healthier' recipe.  I mean healthy means no flavor, right dad?  WRONG.  And I think my dad would even agree with me on that one.

Now, I know it's the morning right now, but there's still time to gather the ingredients together and slap this sucker in the oven.  Or you can always save it for next weekend.  But I wouldn't recommend waiting that long  .

My Notes:

• The only things I changed in this recipe was the bread type and ham.  I used a rustic round loaf of white bread my mom and I grabbed from the Bread Oven while we were out shopping.  Oh, and it was the best bread I've ever had.  So if you're in Omaha, GO THERE.  Or don't, so there's more bread for me.  And then I used Turkey Ham in place of the ham steak.  Maybe those are the same things, but I'm not quite sure...

From EatingWell.com

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

4 large egg whites

1 c. nonfat milk

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

5 c. chopped wilted spinach

4 c. whole grain bread, crusts removed if desired

1 c. diced ham steak

1/2 c. chopped jarred roasted red peppers

3/4 c. shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Directions:

1. To wilt spinach, rinse thoroughly with cold water.  Transfer to large microwave-safe bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in it.  Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted.  Squeeze out extra moisture; set aside.
2. Heat oven to 375°F.  Coat 11x7-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Thoroughly whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl.  Add mustard, rosemary and pepper; whisk to combine.  Toss spinach, bread, ham, and roasted red peppers in a large bowl.  Add egg mixture and toss well to coat.  Transfer to baking dish and push down to compact.  Cover with foil.
3. Place in refrigerator overnight or bake immediately for 40 to 45 minutes until custard has set.  Remove foil, sprinkle cheese and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes until casserole has puffed and top is golden.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition Facts (per serving): Calories 286 ; Fat 10g ; Cholesterol 167mg ; Carbohydrates 23g ; Protein 23g ; Fiber 4g ; Sodium 813mg ; Potassium 509mg