Some of the things I love most about the holiday season are decorating the house, shopping and cooking for family and friends. And funny enough, those are the things that can also be the most time consuming and stressful! So this year, let’s spend more time relaxing and less time scrambling in the kitchen by trying a few time saving tricks!

#1: Decorate as a family. Pulling boxes from the attic, untangling lights and decorating the house is a lot of work for one person. So choose one designated day to do it all as a family and make it fun! Play holiday tunes, set out some yummy treats and do it as a team. Before you know it, your home’s halls will be decked and ready for Santa!

#2. Meal prep! This time of year every second counts. On the weekends we’re often at holiday festivals or with extended family and if we are home, we’re often baking or sending holiday cards. But in between all that, it’s still important to feed your family nutritious meals and that’s why meal prep is my favorite time saver.

For a stress-free holiday morning breakfast that will save you some time and have your guests begging for more, serve this Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole from Eggland’s Best. It’s a great way to ensure your guests are getting nutrition this time of year.

Prep Time: 8 hrs 35 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Yield: 12

Recipe by: SallysBakingAddiction.com

For vegetarians, leave out the meat and use more veggies in its place!

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 pound uncooked sausage, casings removed

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary to give the sausage more flavor

• 2 bell peppers, diced (any color you prefer; about 2 cups)

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

• 1 cup fresh spinach

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• salt and fresh ground black pepper

• 4 slices day-old gluten free bread (or whole wheat, white, sourdough, etc)

• 10 Eggland's Best eggs (large)

• 1/2 cup milk (I use almond milk, any milk works)

• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

PREPARATION

Set a large skillet over medium heat and coat it with nonstick spray or a drizzle of olive oil.

Place sausage in the skillet and begin to break it up with a spatula or fork.

Stir in the rosemary and brown the sausage, about 6-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a 2nd skillet over medium heat and coat it with nonstick spray or a drizzle of olive oil. (If you have a skillet large enough to fit both the sausage and veggies, you can just add the veggies to the sausage that is browning in step 1.)

Add the peppers, mushrooms, spinach, onion, garlic, and a sprinkle each of salt and pepper.

Begin stirring and cooking the veggies down until tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Set sausage and veggies aside.

Generously grease a 9×13 baking pan. Break the bread into pieces and place in the pan in an even layer.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and 1/4 cup shredded cheese together. Pour half of this egg mixture over the bread.

Top with the sausage and vegetables, then the remaining egg mixture and remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper on top.

Cover casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight– or up to 1 day. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the top is golden, edges are crisp, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean– about 40-45 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave to your liking.

Make ahead tip/Freezing instructions:Obviously this is a make ahead recipe! However, you can brown the sausage and cook down the veggies up to 2 days in advance– simply put the two in a tupperware in the refrigerator until ready to use in the recipe. Also, you can freeze this breakfast casserole. Prepare through step 5, then cover the casserole with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature, then continue with step 7.

Additional Notes:

The onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cheese are key to great flavor! Don’t leave them out.

Instead of sausage, try browning ground turkey, ground beef, or ground chicken instead. Or vegetarians, leave out the meat and use more veggies in its place.

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When you hit the grocery store, remember that ordinary eggs are on the naughty list and Eggland’s Best eggs are on the nice list, here’s why...

By swapping in Eggland’s Best eggs you’ll notice they have better taste, nutrition and freshness compared to ordinary eggs. Plus, they have more than double the vitamin B12, which is important for turning food into the energy you’ll need during this busy holiday season.

Eggland’s Best eggs are a natural source of many vitamins and minerals and double the Omega-3s compared to ordinary eggs. Omega-3s are classified as “essential” fatty acids because they are important for maintaining good health and the body cannot make them on its own.

As you can see, not all eggs are created equal. Eggland’s Best eggs are the ONLY eggs that offer superior nutritional benefits such 10 times more vitamin E, six times more vitamin D, 38% more lutein and 25% less saturated fat.

Independent testing has confirmed that Eggland’s Best eggs stay fresher longer than ordinary eggs due to a wholesome, all-vegetarian hen feed – a fresh egg equals a fresh recipe, like this casserole we have here. So make sure to look for Eggland’s Best eggs this season - they have a distinctive “EB” stamp you can’t miss!

#3. Shop online! Use your precious time watching holiday movies with the family and less time stuck in mall traffic. Shopping online is the way to go this holiday season.

So happy holidays to all of you and truly enjoy the season!

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