Plan-ahead Breakfast Casserole

Let's be real, hangovers are not really something that you plan for -- unless you're expecting two guy friends to crash at your place the Saturday night of your husband's late-night birthday bash.  This all happened last weekend, and since I was given enough notice, I did us ALL a favor and made: Plan-ahead Breakfast Casserole.  Healthy whole-grain carbs, an array of flavorful veggies with organic eggs and yummy italian cheeses to hold it all together.  Paired with a healthy fruit salad and you have the perfect hangover cure.  The best part is that you can put it all together the day before and so all you have to do is pop it in the oven the next morning!

Ingredients (though you can totally change this up and use any combos you want!):
- olive oil
- onion
- prosciutto
- portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 loaf multigrain ciabatta, cubed (about 8 cups)
- 9 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- salt
- black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1 package italian shredded cheeses
- handful sundried tomatos
- 1-2 cups thawed/cooked frozen spinach
- 5-6 sprigs of fresh basil

Instructions (day-before!):
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent, transfer to large bowl for mixing with the other ingredients.  Cook portobellas thoroughly and add to mixing bowl. Chop all remaining dry veggie/meat ingredients and combine all-together in bowl.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt pepper and dry mustard.

- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with oil.  Add half of the cubed bread.

- Top with mixture and sprinkle evenly with cheese, add remaining bread cubes to the top.  Pour egg mixture over the entire dish and press down with hands or a large spoon on the bread gently to make sure everything is coated.

- Put casserole in the fridge overnight to allow the bread to absorb the egg mixture.


NEXT MORNING:
- Preheat oven to 350F.  Bake the dish, uncovered, for 50-60min or until puffed and golden.  Let stand 5min before serving

1/4 tray of the final product.
Bad news: completely missed the opportunity to take a better photo while in a hangover-stuper.
Good news: post-casserole I felt like a new person!

Enjoy! :-)