Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Some of my favorite people gathered together last week for a family reunion and it was amazing.  We don't see each other often because we're spread out all over the country but once every 2 or 3 years, we meet somewhere and spend a week together.  We laugh a lot, we eat a lot and generally enjoy just being together.  

​I feel like the older I get, the more I value I place on togetherness.  I live 600 miles from my parents and over 1000 miles from my brother and niece.  Needless to say, we cherish the time that we get to be together in one place - regardless of where that is.  ​

Our most recent family gathering was in the North Georgia mountains.  And since organizing regular meals all 41 of us isn't practical, we decided to divide up into smaller groups for meals.  I still brought 6 coolers full of food to feed my crew!😅🧺 I took full advantage of the fact that our reunion was within driving distance from our house and I premade a lot of our meals. 

Having breakfast foods that were already prepped and ready to pop in the oven was ideal - after all - I was on vacation too.😂  My Hash Brown Casserole was a great, make ahead option for a tasty morning meal to feed my crew.  I topped mine with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes (my Italian flex🇮🇹)  but you can top yours with meats (bacon or sausage), fresh veggies (spinach or peppers) or kick up the heat with jalapeños, serranos or hatch green chilies.  

Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
16-oz. package frozen diced hash browns with onions
2 cups shredded mozzarella 
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 large eggs
salt and black pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup mozzarella pearls
8 basil leaves

Spread hash browns in a greased 9x13" baking dish.  

Combine mozzarella, milk, half-and-half, eggs and salt and pepper.

Pour mixture over hash browns.  

Top with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls.  

Cover with foil, bake for 30 minutes at 350. Remove the foil, and baking another 30 to 35 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.  

Sprinkle with basil before serving.  

Just in case you were wondering... I froze my hash brown casserole and defrosted it for 36 hours in the frig before I baked it.  It was perfect.  A good option for anyone who wants to prep their breakfast a few days in advance.   

Ciao!

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