Christmas

Wisconsin Breakfast Casserole

by:
November 24, 2011
4
4 Ratings
  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

This is a traditional Christmas dish from Wisconsin. If you have it for breakfast, you won't need to eat again until your late afternoon Christmas dinner. I serve berries and mimosas on the side. And toast, of course. It is nice to have someone to help you with the dishes. There will be pots and pans everywhere. You can vary it by using different vegetables instead of mushrooms, using wild mushrooms, using different cheeses (Brie is good but you feel that you should be in a monitored bed while you eat), etc. You have to use butter (on our license plates in Wisconsin, it says "Eat butter or Die") and include the cornflakes. This recipe is adapted from one served to me by Leota Ester, a family friend and dynamite cook from Appleton, my home town. —luvcookbooks

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 12 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons butter. divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • half onion, finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1.5 cups cream sauce, made with whole milk, warm
  • 3/4 cup sharp cheddar, grated
  • 1/2 cup cornflakes
  • 1 tablespoon chives
Directions
  1. Scramble eggs in 3 T. butter.
  2. Melt other 3 T. butter and saute onions and garlic until soft. Add thyme and cook a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. This will take a surprisingly long time, up to 15 minutes. The mushrooms should still be soft and the taste will be rich.
  3. Lightly butter a small casserole dish. Layer scrambled eggs, mushrooms, grated cheese, cream sauce. Sprinkle cornflakes over the top (You want them to remain crisp.) Bake at 325 for 20 minutes, just to warm through. Sprinkle with chives before serving.
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8 Reviews

inpatskitchen
inpatskitchen August 1, 2019
Yum!! Don't know how I missed this! Saved!
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks August 7, 2019
Hope you try it! Thanks!
 
aargersi
aargersi November 26, 2011
Holy Heart Stopping Goodness! I think the mimosas and berries are mandatory ... and the nap!!!
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks November 27, 2011
Yep, without the berries and mimosa you MIGHT feel the slightest bit bilious! I have a small serving and forgo the nap-- cooking Christmas dinner and no telling what the kids might do if I napped.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames November 25, 2011
I could easily see serving this for dinner. Love it! Will make it when my son returns from Madison next month with good local cheese in his luggage. Thanks for posting this!! ;o) P. S. Love the cornflakes in the topping. Perfect.
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks November 25, 2011
If he passes through the Milwaukee to Chicago axis, have him bring you cheese and sausage from The Mars Cheese Castle. Sounds cheesy and looks cheesy from the highway (heh heh) but has great cheese and not too expensive. Cheddar aged for ten years, bratwurst, dry sausage... and kitschy stuff. A great Midwestern experience.
Hope to hear what you do with the recipe.
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks November 25, 2011
Wisconsin is the dairy state, was proud to include three dairy products in one recipe-- cheese, cream, and butter!
 
boulangere
boulangere November 24, 2011
Heaven in a casserole! Love that you embrace the cream!