Many nutritional experts assert that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It provides early energy and satisfies the hunger that is built up during the nighttime sleep hours.
Throughout the ages, breakfast has been the foundation of tradition in the military, whether cooked over a campfire or in a mess hall. Armies are said to "travel on their stomachs." For sailors breakfast is a test of the body's tolerance for a stormy day at sea. The Navy has traditionally added fish and other seafood to the menu.
A simple breakfast casserole can be a meal in itself or the center of a larger morning feast. It furnishes an abundance of protein, dairy products and cereal needs in the form of bread.
The foundation of this casserole is eggs, milk and cheese, but it can be enhanced by any other ingredient that might be included in an omelet.
On Valentine's Day, why not make it as a special breakfast in bed for your significant other?
Simple Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:
4 slices of bread, crusts trimmed
3 large eggs
One 8-ounce package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese or other favorite cheese (Gouda or Edam make this dish elegantly richer)
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Optional ingredients can be bacon, peppers, onions, mushrooms, ham, sausage, tomatoes or bacon bits.
Whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper and any other optional ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Trim the bread of crusts. Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish. Float the bread on the liquid and cover it with the shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees until top of casserole starts to turn brown and mixture begins to firm. Serves four.
The casserole can be prepared ahead and reheated in the microwave. It is great the second or third day.