Easter Casserole: Cheesy Bacon Hash Brown Bake

Brunch is the plan for this Easter. We will be dining at my daughter & future son in law's home in Newburyport, MA.

One of the items on the menu is this Cheesy Bacon Hash Brown Bake.

I found this recipe from the Ore Ida site.  It called for their Southern Style Hash Browns, along with green, red peppers and a small chopped onion.  

My grocery store did not have the Ore Ida Southern Style Hash Browns but did have the Ore Ida Potatoes O'Brien.  The O'Brien potatoes also had the peppers & onions already in the package.  That was perfect!

The gadgets I used to help prepare this casserole were the Presto Microwave Bacon Cooker,a  red stoneware baking dish, a 10 inch balloon whisk, a wooden cheese slicer & my always handy Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet.  Except for the wooden cheese slicer & the cast iron skillet,

 everything else goes into the dishwasher for quick and easy clean up.  I demonstrate how to clean cast iron in one of my previous posts.  The wooden cheese slicer wipes clean, and the cutting wire gets a warm, soapy wash down with a paper towel. Don't forget to clean out any cheese left in the groove of the cutter, a toothpick works great for that job.

   Cheesy Bacon Hash Brown Bake

1 28 oz. package of Ore Idea Potatoes O'Brien
8 Slices of cooked bacon
12 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
12 ounces of Velveeta cheese thinly sliced

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Cook bacon & reserve drippings.
2.  Cook Potatoes O'Brien in the hot bacon drippings browning the potatoes, 10 to 15 minutes.
3.  Spread cooked potatoes into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
4.  Whisk eggs and sour cream until blended; pour over potato mixture.  Top with bacon and Velveeta.

Bake 40 minutes or until center is set and casserole is heated through.

Note: Always serve egg based dishes immediately after cooking to prevent bacterial growth. Be sure to cook until the eggs are completely set.
Make ahead:  Casserole can be assembled ahead of time. Refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking as directed, increasing baking time if needed until casserole is done.

Ingredients & Presto Power Crisp.  I saw this gadget while visiting
my daughter who lives in Sahuarita, AZ
 (Bargain Birdie is her blog, her link is on my page in the lower left corner).

                                                                                                    

Carando Apple Cider Cured Bacon

By the way, these parts come apart and are dishwasher safe!

Tip: Tap eggs on a paper plate for easy clean up.

                                                                

Ore Ida Potatoes O'Brien sauted in bacon drippings i
my well used Lodge Cast Iron Skillet.

                                                                   

Super handy cheese slicer.

                                                                                                  

Forty seconds per slice & it's done!

Cooked potatoes, scrambled egg mixture, cheese and bacon.
Ready to assemble.

                                                                       

Ready for the oven.

Finished casserole, yum!