Back-to-school: three little words that make kids cringe, knowing that they bring to an end the freedom and fun of summer.

But it won’t take long until they get back into the groove of classes and friends, of early-rising and chilly mornings, of falling leaves and football games.

When I was growing up, I hated getting up early, but knowing that mom would have something good on the table for breakfast helped make it a bit more bearable. Whether it was cheesy scrambled eggs and toast, cinnamon raisin oatmeal, cheese grits, or even just my favorite cereal,  Life (He likes it! Hey Mikey!), breakfast was always one of my favorite meals. The weekend breakfasts, with bacon or sausage, eggs, grits and toast, were the best! Those breakfasts were saved for Saturdays, when the schedule wasn’t so tight. (My little sis and I had to be out at the bus stop by 7:15 a.m.!)

I’ve got a recipe to share with you that actually is full of the warm, savory protein that mom’s Saturday morning breakfasts offered, but it’s faster to make (or make ahead) since you can assemble the night before or just before the kids wake up, and it’s even portable for kids to grab a slice or two as they dash out the door.  And the scent of the bacon cooking will help them wake up in a happier state of mind, trust me.

 

Here’s all you do.

Mama Steph’s Savory Breakfast Pizza

8 fresh eggs

1 tsp mayonnaise

Mrs. Dash or other flavorful seasoning with no salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

8 slices of bacon

3 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns

one can of crescent roll dough

one cup shredded pepper-Jack cheese

one cup shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a  9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Open crescent rolls, and lay them (there should be 8  in a can) in the bottom of the casserole dish.  Use your fingertips to spread the dough across the bottom of the dish as you would pizza dough, until you have one continuous sheet of dough.

Make egg mixture: in a mixing bowl, crack 8 large eggs, and add the mayonnaise and red pepper flakes, and about 1 tsp of Mrs. Dash. Whisk together until combined and bubbly.

Fry bacon, cool, and then roughly chop with a large knife, or, to save time, use pre-cooked bacon.

Grate the two cheeses together on a plate.

Assemble:

Spread the frozen hash brown potatoes evenly across the crust.

Sprinkle half of the cheese over the top of the hash browns.

(If desired, add veggies next: chopped green onions, thinly sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, etc.)

Pour the egg mixture evenly across potatoes and cheese.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, being careful not to over-salt.

Arrange bacon pieces evenly over the top.

Place in hot oven, and bake for about 35 minutes (until no longer jiggly and wet in center.)

Top with the other half of cheese, and stick back in the oven until the cheese is melted,  5-6 more minutes.

Remove from oven, and allow to set up for 5-10 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve.

TIPS: Time-savers include using pre-grated cheese,  pre-cooked bacon, and even Egg Beaters instead of cracking the eggs out one-by-one.

If your family doesn’t like the heat of red pepper flakes or pepper-jack cheese, feel free to omit or switch out with other cheese or seasoning.  Also, substitute turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon slices if you prefer.

This delicious “pizza” is actually very easy to pick up and take on the go, if needed. Because it uses fewer eggs than other similar recipes, it’s a bit more dense and sturdy, and of course, the flavors are wonderful!

 

 

Enjoy!

Copyright 2012 Stephanie Hill-Frazier. All rights reserved.