Bagel Breakfast Casserole

Turn your favorite egg and cheese bagel sandwich into a make-ahead breakfast casserole!


Bagel Breakfast Casserole
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 5 gluten free bagels
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups lactose free skim milk
• 1 lb turkey sausage
• 3 cups shredded cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Using serrated bread knife, cut each bagel into bite-size pieces.
3. In large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until no yolk is visible and mixture is smooth. Add cut bagels to egg mixture and toss to coat. Set aside to allow bagels to soak while browning sausage.
4. In nonstick pan over medium-high heat, brown sausage and break into small chunks with wooden spoon as it cooks.
5. Once sausage is cooked through and no longer pink, add it to bagel and egg mixture. Add 2 cups shredded cheese. Stir until thoroughly combined.
6. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil.
7. Make-ahead step: At this point, place casserole dish into refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove casserole dish from refrigerator twenty minutes prior to baking, then proceed as follows.
8. Bake, covered with foil, in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then carefully remove pan from oven, remove foil, and return pan to oven. Bake additional 15-20 minutes, or until surface has browned and center has set.
9. Serve hot!

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

If you're looking for a meal that will warm you up both inside and out, you've come to the right place! Cooler weather outside means it's okay to turn your oven on for the afternoon to heat up your house while at the same time taking advantage of that bountiful harvest of squash you grew in your garden over the summer for a hearty, satisfying dinner.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 acorn squash
• 1 lb mild Italian ground sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (any color will work, red used here)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like, Mexican blend used here)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut each acorn squash in half and scoop out seedy inside. Place on baking sheet with inside facing up and skin side facing down. If squash halves won't lie flat, slice off a small piece of squash skin on underside to level it. Pierce inside flesh with fork. Lightly coat squash with nonstick cooking spray and tent with foil. Roast in oven for 80 minutes, until flesh is fork tender.
3. While squash is roasting, brown sausage on stove top over medium heat. Once sausage is no longer pink, add onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are translucent.
4. When squash is ready, remove foil tent and discard. Spoon sausage mixture into cavity of each squash half. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and turns golden brown.
5. Serve warm from the oven. All you need is a spoon!

Casserole Option

1. Follow steps 1-3 as stated above.
2. Once squash is tender, scoop flesh into large bowl and use potato masher to reach smooth consistency.
3. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon squash into prepared pan; level with spatula. Spoon sausage mixture on top of squash layer. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Cook in 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Simple Crustless Quiche

At only 4 ingredients, you can't get any easier than this! Whether you're looking for a hearty main dish to serve at brunch or need a simple weeknight dinner for your family, this quiche is sure to be a crowd-pleaser (and no one will even miss the crust!).

Simple Crustless Quiche
Yield: 9" pie dish

Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage
8 eggs
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9" pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Brown sausage, drain on paper towel, and set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add cheese and sausage; mix until thoroughly combined. (Mixture will be very thick!)
4. Pour into prepared pie dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until top is fairly brown. (It tastes yummy when it gets dark on top!)

Variations
• Try different varieties of shredded cheese. I used gouda in the quiche pictured above.
• During the holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, substitute leftover ham in place of the sausage.

Recipe adapted from His Mercy is New.

Taco Soup

January seems to be the coldest month of the year in South Dakota, so a warm bowl of soup for dinner is always the perfect answer! This recipe is best described as a soupy queso filled with smokey Mexican flavors.

Taco Soup
Yield: Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork sausage
2 small onions, chopped
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2 (10 oz) cans Rotel
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth

Directions
1. Place cream cheese, Rotel, and seasonings into slow cooker.
2. Brown ground beef until no longer pink. Ladle beef into slow cooker.
3. Brown sausage until no longer pink. Reserve about 1 Tbsp sausage grease (discard the rest). Ladle sausage into slow cooker.
4. Saute onion in reserved grease until tender. Ladle into slow cooker.
5. Pour chicken broth over mixture. Stir to combine.
6. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Stir before serving.
7. Garnish individual servings with shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Notes
* For low carb or keto version, omit sauteed onions.
* To serve as an appetizer: add only 1-2 cups of chicken broth instead of 4 and it becomes a warm dip.

Recipe adapted from Beyer Beware.

Eggroll in a Bowl

Egg roll wrappers are typically made with wheat, so if you're craving delicious Chinese takeout, try this low carb substitute to satisfy your taste buds!

Eggroll in a Bowl

Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage
16 oz bagged coleslaw mix
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce*
1 tsp ginger
sliced green onion, for garnish

Directions
1. Brown sausage in large, deep skillet over medium heat.
2. Combine garlic, soy sauce, and ginger in a bowl; set aside.
3. Once sausage is cooked through, add coleslaw mix and stir to combine.
4. Pour soy sauce mixture into skillet and stir for about 5 minutes, or until cabbage is wilted but still a bit crunchy.
5. Top individual servings with sliced green onion.

*WARNING! Did you know that most soy sauce is not gluten free? Every brand is different, so be sure to check the label!

Recipe from Mostly Homemade Mom.