Slow-Cooker Breakfast Casserole

For the last few years, I've made these amazing Sticky Buns for Christmas morning breakfast. This year I wanted to try something different. It was a success!! It smelled delicious and was just perfect when we woke up.

If you have a big crock pot (6 quarts or so) you will probably want to follow the original recipe. But the site said you can't make it in a smaller crock pot because it won't fit. I think my crock pot is somewhere around 3-4 quarts, so I just (kind of) halved the recipe. Below I posted how I made the casserole in my crock pot.

20 oz hash browns (I used a bag of the shredded "Simply Potatoes" hash browns, near the eggs - you can also use frozen, shredded or cubed)
12 oz ground sausage, browned (we used the reduced fat kind)
1 c shredded 2% cheddar cheese
1/2 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 of an onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
8 eggs
1/4 c skim milk
1 tsp salt/pepper, each
additional seasonings (use whatever you like, I also used some seasoning salt, this stuff called bacon salt, and some parsley)

Spray a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of slow cooker. Top with half everything else: the sausage, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, onions, and red peppers. Repeat the layers again, and then top with the last 1/3 of potatoes.

Beat eggs, milk, and salt, pepper, and other seasonings in large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour egg mixture evenly over potato-sausage-veggie mixture.

Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or on high setting for 4 hours or until eggs are set. Sprinkle a little cheddar over the top, let it melt, and enjoy! Top with green onions, salsa, tomatoes, mushrooms, avocado- whatever you like!

Original recipe found here.

Saucy Italian "Drunken" Noodles with Spicy Italian Sausage

Oh my! This was fabulous. Restaurant quality for sure. Will ate several helpings. The recipe calls for Pappardelle noodles, which I couldn't find. I really wanted those wide, flat noodles, but I just went with a three pepper fettuccine noodle (below). DELICIOUS.

extra virgin olive oil
4 spicy Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 large onion, quartered and sliced thinly
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic
½ c white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
¼ c fresh basil leaves, sliced-thin, divided use
8 ounces Pappardelle noodles, uncooked

Place a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat; add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and once the oil is hot, crumble the spicy Italian sausage into the pan in small chunks (you want to keep the sausage fairly chunky), allowing it to brown in the oil for a few moments on each side; once the crumbled sausage is browned, remove it from the pan/pot with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl to hold for a moment.

Next, add the sliced onion into the pan with the sausage drippings, and allow it to caramelize and become golden for roughly 5 minutes or so, stirring to keep it from burning; once the onion starts to become golden, add the salt, Italian seasoning and cracked black pepper, and stir to combine, then add in the sliced bell peppers, and allow those to saute with the onion for about 2 minutes until slightly tender and golden. Add in the garlic, and once it becomes aromatic, add in the white wine and allow it to reduce for a few moments, until almost completely reduced; Then, add in the diced tomatoes with their juice, and return the browned spicy Italian sausage back into the pan, and gently fold the mixture to combine; allow it to gently simmer for about 3-4 minutes to blend the flavors, then turn the heat off. To finish add in the chopped parsley and about half of the basil; stir, and keep warm while you prepare the noodles.

Prepare the Pappardelle noodles according to instructions on package; then, drain the noodles very well, and add them directly into the sauce, using tongs to gently toss and combine the Pappardelle noodles with the sauce and all of the ingredients in it; check the seasoning to see if you need to add any additional salt or pepper. To serve, garnish with a sprinkle of the remaining basil!

Original recipe found here.