Easy Cheesy Breakfast Bake

This is a delicious filling breakfast dish that you can easily make for brunches, playdates, lazy Saturday mornings or whenever you have a hankerin for a special (but simple) breakfast. You can put the whole thing together the night before and just pop it in the oven at your leisure in the morning. I absolutely LOVE recipes you can make in advance. You won’t believe how easy it is to throw together. You’ll be out of the kitchen in about 10 minutes flat.

Feel free to customize it to your tastes. If you like bacon or sausage, use it instead of the ham. Or, if you’re really a meat lover, in addition to the ham. You could use green onions instead of the bell pepper. Add some hot sauce to the egg mixture if you’re into foods with a kick. This recipe really is impossible to mess up. Enjoy! Oh, and please pardon the picture – I took this to a potluck breakfast and forgot my camera. Had to use the one on my cell phone. Which (obviously) is not up to my normal photo standards. It was so delicious and easy, I just had to share the recipe anyway…

16 oz cooked ham, chopped into cubes
1     medium bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1     medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
3     cups frozen hash brown potatoes
3     cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
*1     cup Original Bisquick® mix (I make my own Bisquick…recipe below)
2     cups milk
1/4     teaspoon pepper
5     eggs

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Cook bell pepper and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender. Stir in the chopped ham and blend together with potatoes and 2 cups of the cheese in baking dish.
2. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, pepper and eggs until blended. Pour into baking dish.
3.  Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until cheese is melted.

*Homemade “Bisquick”

6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt three times into a large bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Store mixture in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 months.
4. Use whenever your recipe calls for “Bisquick mix”.