It’s week two of the Texas Beef Council recipes for the holidays (or any time of the year for that matter!). Of all the recipe options that the Texas Beef Council is giving me, I am trying to pick the simplest and most down home recipes I can find and that’s why this week I chose the “Southwest Breakfast Casserole” which I changed to “Texan or Texas Style Breakfast Casserole.” My soul just won’t let me categorize Texas with the Southwest y’all. So wrong. Plus I had to change their recipe up a little bit to my liking, aka improve it Texas style.
This week we’re using beef sausage as the beef of choice for Texan Beef Casserole. In case you have trouble finding beef sausage at your local grocery store, I highly recommend my own beef sausage recipe to use instead.
Personally, I thought the recipe the council gave me was just a little over the top on fat content (probably because I ate at Long John Silvers earlier in the day), so I’ve trimmed the fat content way back. Instead of using half and half, my recipe calls for skim milk. Instead of using 4 cups of cheese, 3 cups will do just fine. My sausage uses 93% lean ground beef so if you can make your own you’ll cut down on fat even further. Although I’ve increased the amount of eggs by 50% (9 eggs instead of 6), I’ve also increased the amount of protein by doing so. I personally didn’t like the idea of using white bread as the base of my casserole (bland), so I used crushed Santitas corn chips instead; to cut even more fat out, try using prepared instant grits. I completely omitted the margarine/butter from the recipe.
Warning: Your casserole will be mild or spicy depending on what type of chilis you use!
Texas Style Breakfast Casserole
Half an 11 oz bag of Santitas corn chips, lightly crushed
1 lb. beef sausage
3 cups Fiesta blend shredded cheese
9 eggs
1 can or two cups chopped green chilis
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. prepared mustard
3 cups skim milk
bottled picante sauce or salsa
Method: Spray a medium hot pan with cooking oil, then brown sausage. Drain on paper towels.
Spread a thin layer of lightly crushed Santitas corn chips on a greased 9×13 casserole dish OR two 12 muffins tin OR two 8-9 inch pie plates OR one 12 muffins tin and one 8-9 inch pie plate. Spread beef sausage over corn chips. Spread chopped green chilis over beef sausage. Sprinkle with cheese.
In a medium bowl combine the eggs, skim milk, salt, pepper, and mustard. Beat until everything is incorporated (by hand 2 minutes). Pour over other ingredients (fill to tops of muffin tin).
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 40 minutes (muffin tins need only about 30 minutes). Cool five minutes to allow the eggs to set. Serve with picante sauce or salsa on the side.
During the next four weeks I (as well as nine other Texas Beef-loving Bloggers) will be featuring dishes from the Texas Beef Council to help you get cooking this Holiday season.
Be sure to join us on Tuesday evening, December 13 from 8p to 9p CST for the “Beef Tweet Exchange”! We’ll be featuring great tips and information to help you create the perfect holiday menu! Follow hostess @TexasHolly for all the details. We will be joined by experts from the Texas Beef Council – Chef Tiffany, Jason the Butcher and Nutrition Expert Lerin – who will be available to answer all your questions. Over 20 prizes will be awarded, including a Tom Perini Fully-Cooked Tenderloin Roast, a $100 gift card, and a variety of beef items like a “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” apron, a meat thermometer, a cutting board and steak seasonings! Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. All winners will be chosen at random from those using the #TxBeef hashtag during the event. Let us know that you’re planning to attend by tweeting @TxBeef! Hope to see you there!
Disclosure: I am participating in a four week campaign promoting Texas beef and am being compensated for my efforts. All opinions are my own. Recipes are courtesy the Texas Beef Council.
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