Mother's Day Brunch - Sausage and Egg Casserole with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

 

My parents were driving through the D.C. area on the way home from picking up my brother from his first year in college, so they decided to visit me. Mother's Day (according to my mother it's Mothers Weekend) happened to coincide with their visit, and since I haven't been home for most Mother's Days, I wanted to make sure we celebrated. I had originally hoped to take my family out to brunch at the Tabard Inn in D.C. They have an amazing brunch, and I love the atmosphere of the homey inn. As expected, they were booked the entire day, so I decided to make my own brunch instead. 

My mother is an amazing cook herself (I regret being a picky eater in my younger years), but I didn't want to use one of her own brunch recipes. My roommate Nicole made this Sausage and Egg Casserole a couple months ago for a brunch at our house. I expected a typical casserole, but was shocked with the unique flavor of the dish. My family was just as impressed with the casserole, and my mom wanted the recipe by the end of the meal. 



The DC metro area inhabitants LOVE brunch. Whether you go to Chadwicks for champagne brunch or one of the great restaurants in Clarendon, you can expect the restaurants in the area to be packed on a Sunday morning. If you are looking to avoid a wait and a potentially hefty bill, call up a couple friends, make this dish and provide your own bottomless mimosas. 

Sausage and Egg Casserole with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Recipe from epicurious.com

ngredients
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup half and half
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
Slices of Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt



1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.

2. Sauté sausage in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of fork into small pieces, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons parsley; stir 1 minute.

3. Spread sausage mixture in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

4. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, half and half, whipping cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and salt in large bowl to blend well.

5. Pour egg mixture over sausage mixture in dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese, slices of Gruyere cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley over mixture.

6. Bake until top of casserole is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.