Ask A Chef: Best Breakfast Casserole Recipes

Sometimes the options for breakfast foods seem a bit limited. You've got eggs, bacon, sausage and some kind of bread. If you're really adventurous, you might throw fruit or yogurt into the mix. To liven up the breakfast menu, we've asked a couple of Baltimore-area chefs to share some of their personal recipes for casseroles that can be enjoyed in the morning. Look them up, cook them up and start your a.m. right!

Chef Tim Dyson
Dooby's
802 North Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 702-5144
www.doobyscoffee.com

Chef Tim Dyson works at Dooby's, the popular Baltimore coffee, bakery and sandwich stop. Dooby's does breakfast right with some unique dishes and breakfast sandwiches. It also has a clean and well-stocked bar, making it a popular after-hours location. Tim Dyson grew up in the kitchen. His mother was a chef while he was a boy, and he followed the tradition by going to the Le Cordon Bleu program in Pittsburgh. Since then, he has worked at a few notable establishments around town, most recently Bluegrass Tavern until his move to Dooby's. His philosophy is to cook with integrity and craftsmanship, and leave the rest to the TV personalities.

Chicken Sausage Frittatta

• 1/2 lb chicken sausage
• 1 1/2 cup large diced rustic bread (day old is fine)
• 6 eggs scrambled with a splash of water added
• 4 tablespoons sliced scallions
• 4 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers
• 3 tablespoons butter
• salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat large cast iron skillet.
3. Melt butter and brown the chicken sausage in dime-sized pieces.
4. Add bread and brown lightly.
5. Add eggs and shake the pan lightly to distribute sausage and bread.
6. Top with peppers and scallions.
7. Bake in oven until eggs are set (roughly 10 minutes).

Sweet Potato And Bacon Scramble

• thick-cut bacon cut into 1/4-inch pieces (so they look like little flat batons, the fancy French term for this is "lardon")
• 8 eggs scrambled with a splash of water added
• 3/4 cup diced and cooked sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons sliced scallions
• 1 tablespoon minced chervil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons shredded gouda cheese
• 2 teaspoons sambal (southeast Asian crushed garlic chili paste)

Directions:

1. Heat large cast iron skillet.
2. Add olive oil (pan should be hot enough that the oil smokes a little).
3. Add the bacon and render the fat out, but do not pour off. Use it to cook the eggs in.
4. Add sweet potatoes and brown slightly.
5. Add herbs and let crackle for a second, then immediately add the eggs and stir constantly.
6. Once the eggs are cooked three quarters of the way you like them, add the cheese and sambal, and stir until cheese has melted. Season with a little salt. Pepper is not needed, that is what the sambal is for.

Related: Ask A Chef: Breakfast Recipes For Mother's Day

Chef Mark Miranda
Rusty Scupper
402 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 727-3678
www.selectrestaurants.com

A chef for over 30 years, Mark has served the famous Rusty Scupper Maryland crab cakes and oysters to some of the Monument City's most monumental appetites. A top graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Mark began his love affair with the culinary arts at age six. Mark is devoted to preserving both the ecology and the economy of Baltimore and its famed Inner Harbor. He is devoted to upholding the Rusty Scupper's commitment to local and sustainable sourcing of oysters and crab. When not serving the Rusty Scupper's guests, Mark is busily sharing his passion for the culinary arts with school children via programs of the Baltimore chapter of the American Culinary Federation.

Pancetta Brie Casserole

• 1/2 lb pancetta (bacon or prosciutto are acceptable substitutes)
• 1 yellow onion sliced
• 1/2 lb Idaho potato, peeled and diced (red bliss or Yukon gold are acceptable substitutes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 oz brie cheese (Swiss cheese is an acceptable substitute)
• 12 oz of sourdough bread
• 1 cup of parmesan cheese
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 lb crab meat (optional)

Directions:

1. Sauté pancetta, onions and potatoes.
2. Trim rind off of brie and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Grease 13x9 baking dish.
4. Place bread, Parmesan cheese, onion mixture and brie in the dish.
5. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
6. Pour over bread mixture.
7. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours.
8. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes or until light brown.
9. Serve.

Banana Pecan French Toast Casserole

• 16 oz French bread
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter (melted)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ripe bananas

Directions:

1. Cut 1-inch slices of bread.
2. Stir together brown sugar, butter, pecans and syrup and place in a mixing bowl.
3. Grease 13x9 baking dish.
4. Place bread in baking dish and top with pecan mixture.
5. Mix together eggs, milk, granulated sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
6. Pour egg mixture over bread, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours up to 24 hours.
7. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
8. Peel and slice bananas and place over casserole.
9. Bake casserole uncovered for 35 minutes.
10. Serve (Optional: drizzle warm syrup over top before serving).

Related: Best Hotels With Free Breakfasts In Baltimore