If your family traditions are anything like mine, Thanksgiving weekend serves as the official kickoff to the holiday season.
Every year, 18 of us gather to enjoy a classic feast, including everything from Italian staples like cavatelli with homemade tomato sauce and meatballs, to turkey, sweet potato casserole, and my personal favorite: sausage-cranberry stuffing.
The best part about our stuffing is that it has a second life as the star ingredient in my mom’s leftover stuffing “brunch bake.”
Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or want something quick and easy to whip up, this recipe always comes in clutch. In fact, it takes roughly seven minutes to put together before popping it into the oven to bake.
When it’s done, I think it delivers an ideal blend of stuffing, egg, and melted cheese. Here’s how to make it.
This recipe calls for five simple ingredients, including leftover stuffing.
What I love most about this recipe (other than it being a family heirloom of sorts) is the simplicity. The main ingredient — leftover stuffing — is already made and ready to be placed in the casserole dish.
For Thanksgiving, my mom prepares a more elaborate stuffing, but for any cozy night of the week, you can whip up a simple stovetop option — with or without sausage and cranberries added to the mix.
As for the remaining ingredients, you only need eggs, butter, milk, and your cheese(s) of choice.
To start, I preheat the oven, grease a casserole dish, and add a layer of stuffing.
The first step is to preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit, and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish using butter or cooking spray.
Then, I spread 2 cups of leftover stuffing across the dish, making sure it’s perfectly distributed in one even layer.
Next, I whisk together eggs, milk, and cheese.
Next, I add 4 eggs, ½ cup of milk, and ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese to a large bowl and whisk thoroughly.
In addition to the stuffing itself, you can also customize the cheese(s) you decide to use. I think cheddar, muenster, or Swiss cheese also work nicely, but you can choose whatever your taste buds prefer.
Then, I pour the mixture over the stuffing and top with more sliced cheese and butter before baking.
Once the mixture is combined, I pour it over the stuffing, then top the dish with more sliced cheese and a few dabs of butter — 2 tablespoons to be exact.
To finish, I pop the dish in the oven uncovered and bake it for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs are completely cooked. However, keep in mind that the cook time may vary slightly based on your oven.
After giving the bake a few minutes to cool, it’s ready to enjoy.
Once the timer dings, I allow the bake to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Starting our day with this warm, hearty “brunch bake” truly makes the morning after Thanksgiving seamless. Plus, it’s something I look forward to as we celebrate the season with traditions like getting a new Christmas tree, decorating, and tailgating.
I love that recipes like this put leftovers to good use, help cut down on food waste, and take minimal time away from our weekend activities.
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