Cauli-Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

Just making a quick post this morning.  This is what we had for breakfast.  It turned out to be a real keeper.  I love a good breakfast casserole on Sunday mornings, or for a brunch during the holidays or whenever.  It takes some time to put together.  I haven't tried doing it the night before, and I was out later last night having a wonderful visit with some good friends, so I wouldn't have had time.  You can try doing some of it the night before.  I had the breakfast sausage already made ahead.  So you can buy breakfast sausage, if you can find some that is gluten free... I can't find any pork sausage that is.  I've found ground turkey sausage--Jennie-O brand, that is certified gluten free.  But I make my own homemade pork sausage that I like a lot.

                 

Cauli-Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

1 pound  frozen cauliflower -- thawed and shredded in food processor
   salt and pepper -- to taste
1/4 cup  butter
1 pound  Ginny's breakfast sausage (below)
6 large  eggs -- beaten
1 1/2 cups  fiesta blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup  So DELICIOUS® unsweetened coconut milk
4 ounces  chopped green chiles -- 1 can
1 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon  dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon  pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).

Melt the butter and toss with the shredded cauliflower.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Press into the bottom of a 10-inch (25 cm) pie plate.  Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 F (175 C).

While the shredded cauliflower is baking, Stir the ground sausage meat in a large skillet over heat and cook until it's crumbly and evenly browned.  Drain any grease.

Beat eggs until frothy.  Combine cooked sausage with eggs, shredded cheese, milk,  green chiles, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Pour egg and sausage mixture into the prepared crust.

Bake until eggs are set, about 45 to 50 minutes.  

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8 servings: Per Serving: 327 Calories; 26g Fat (71.3% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;

Ginny's Breakfast Sausage

1 pound  ground pork
1 1/2 teaspoons  fennel seed
1 teaspoon  onion powder
1/2 teaspoon  garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon  thyme
1/4 teaspoon  sage
1/4 teaspoon  crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon  pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until spices are well incorporated throughout the meat.

You can freeze this to use later, brown it for a casserole and add onions to it and/or minced garlic, or shape into patties for breakfast.

Variation:  Use the same seasonings in ground turkey to make turkey sausage.


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8 servings: Per Serving: 152 Calories; 12g Fat (72.5% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber;