Tis' the season when people get busy - especially coming up to Christmas time. Too much to do and no time to do it in - and, who wants to stand at the stove and cook a three-course meal, when there's shopping to do.

Well, this Holiday Breakfast Casserole recipe is easy to make and a breeze to put together, then bake in the oven for approximately one hour while you wrap presents or put the finishing touches to the tree and then - voila! Breakfast and lunch all done and rolled into one tasty casserole.

This recipe was actually inspired by my freezer and an abundance of eggs in the refrigerator . So, I found frozen beef sausage, smoked bacon along with hash browns in the freezer, eggs, herbs and spice, plus a ton of cheese in the cold cut bin in the refrigerator - it seemed like a great idea - and it was.

This breakfast casserole can be altered for whatever you have in your pantry or fridge, so experiment - some of the best recipes come from making something out of nothing and this is one of them! You will need a 13 x 9 inch baking dish for this recipe.

Please note:- the sriracha sauce in this recipe is a hot chili sauce, but in no way imparts spiciness to the dish, it just gives a wonderful background flavor with no bite at all. Of course, if you want it to, then up the ante on the one tablespoon below or even add some fresh, chopped jalepenos! :)

Ingredients

5 - 6 frozen hash brown patties, defrosted
4 large cooked beef sausage, or whatever kind you have
6 large slices of smoked bacon, cooked
7 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
6 slices provolone cheese (approx. 1/4 lb.)
1 1/2 cups cheddar/jack cheese, shredded
1 tbsp. sriracha (hot chili sauce)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Method

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Start by greasing the 13 x 9 inch baking dish with pan spray and place the defrosted hash browns into the bottom to fit. If you have to, you can cut them to fit. Take a pinch of black pepper and sprinkle the hash browns and layer the provolone slices over them.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk well. Slice the cooked sausage into thin rounds and roughly chop the cooked bacon. Add these to the eggs along with the cheese, sriracha and cilantro. Mix together well and pour this over the hash browns.

3. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, turning once around in the oven for even baking. If the casserole starts to brown too early, then lightly cover with foil. Test with a fork after 50 minutes, the fork should be somewhat clean or really clean. If so, sprinkle a little more cheese on top and cook 10 minutes more for it to melt. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before portioning.