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Christmas Breakfast

I'll admit I've seen posts along these lines so don't be mad that I'm asking...

Traditionally I make Christmas Breakfast at my house (yes, I've been relegated to an "unimportant" meal since the mothers and mothers-in-law have dibs on the big ones and that's fine with me) and this year I wanted to make it a little more special (normally it's bacon and eggs.)

Since the family is very, let's say, traditional. (I want to say uncultured white folks who haven't been exposed to much food outside of casseroles.) while I want to make a delicious and even sophisticated breakfast, I don't want to serve smoked fish, or anything interesting basically.

Also, can't serve alcohol, so mimosas and the like are out.

With those restrictions, does anyone have a make-ahead breakfast recipe? I'm already thinking of two egg casseroles, one sweet and one savory, but I'm not married to this. It's what to serve along side that has me wondering. Anyone want to share a Christmas breakfast recipe?

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  1. Egg casseroles, like stratas, would be great. The best thing is you can doctor them up as much as you want, or take it low country with sausages and cheddar cheese. Those and cinnamon rolls can be made the night in advanced and refrigerated. In the morning, bring to room temp and bake. There's also baked oatmeal (tastes like a huge oatmeal cookie) that can also be made the night before and then baked the morning of.

    If you want to cook in the morning, biscuits and gravy are my go-to hits. Not sophisticated but delicious. For more work, I'll make bagels, starting a day or two before.

    1. I have a similar situation, iheartcooking. I stick to breakfast stratas with "non-threatening ingredients," such as browned/crumbled breakfast sausage, cheddar cheese, etc. I make two 13x9 pans the day before and pop it into the oven the next morning. I usually do a meat strata (bacon or sausage) and the other a veggie strata.

      1. This is my family's traditional Christmas morning strata.

        8-12 slices of bread, cut into cubes (I use inexpensive, commercial white bread)
        grated extra sharp cheddar cheese, about 1 8 oz. brick
        1 lb. breakfast sausage (preferably Bob Evans Sage)
        8-10 eggs
        1 cup milk
        1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard

        1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbells, Reduced Fat)
        ½ cup milk

        The night before:

        1. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish with oil.
        2. Spread cubed bread in a layer in pan, being sure that bottom is completely covered.
        3. Add layer of cheese on top of bread cubes.
        4. Brown and crumble sausage. Drain and spread sausage on top of cheese.
        5. Beat 8 eggs, 1 cup milk, and mustard. Pour over mixture in pan evenly so that all bread cubes are moistened. If any are dry, beat 2 more eggs and pour over dry cubes.
        6. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

        The next morning:

        1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
        2. Dilute soup with ½ cup milk, stirring so that all lumps are smoothed out.
        3. Score casserole lightly with knife so as not to disturb layers. Pour milk/ soup mixture evenly over casserole, using back of wooden spoon to evenly distribute.
        4. Bake for 1-¼ to 1-½ hours, until golden brown.

        It is certainly not sophisticated, given the use of condensed cream of mushroom soup. I generally serve it with a fruit salad, some OJ, and coffee. If you wanted to make a second, sweet style egg casserole, you might consider some sort of oven baked French toast, perhaps with apples.

        1. Like many others, a breakfast strata would probably be my "go to" dish in the circumstances you describe. A breakfast strata doesn't necessarily have to include bacon or sausage. But, IMO, the cheese ingredient is a necessity. Chopped Artichoke hearts in the strata might add a bit of sophistication to the dish. You might also want to consider grilling some pork chops the day before and reheating them in gravy on Christmas morning, then serve with eggs and country fried potatoes. The potatoes don't need to be "fried". You can roast cubed potatoes in the oven while you're heating up the pork chops and gravy and working on the eggs. A side of chopped mixed fruits in season would make a nice contrast to either approach.

          1 Reply
          1. re: todao

            This is interesting with the pork chops. I've never seen it in gravy. How long does it take to be heated in the gravy? Do you just put them in, after the gravy is thickened? Boneless?

            Oh, that reminds me, on the gravy--I've added eggs to it, they drop into their own little pockets and you get perfect poached eggs with raw yolk that ooze in the gravy. So easy and good.

          2. Baked Oatmeal! You make it the night before, and then put it it the oven to bake in the morning. It fact it is very casserole-like, a cross between oatmeal and a coffecake. The recipe calls for raisins, but you can have fun with it- vanilla, walnuts, craisins, dried cherries, cinnamon, brown sugar... And it is best served warm, with milk on the side. I have made this for family brunches before and everyone loved it.

            1/2 cup vegetable oil
            3/4 cup white sugar
            2 eggs
            1 cup milk
            1/2 teaspoon salt
            1 tablespoon baking powder
            3 cups quick cooking oats
            1/2 cup raisins
            2 tablespoons brown sugar
            1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
