Ask A Chef: Top Breakfast Casserole Recipes

Casseroles generate feelings of warmth and nostalgia for home cooking. They are the lasagna of leftovers and nowadays you can put just about anything in them. In that spirit comes two breakfast casserole recipes sure to wake up your taste buds and fill you up until lunch. So get ready for a bit of the crispy mixed with cheesy and filled with a bit of the eggy.

Alexandria Guerra  
Caviar Chronicles
(305) 725-3381
www.caviarchronicles.com

Alexandria Guerra is an Public Relations entrepreneur, foodie, blogger and home chef. While she doesn't own a restaurant, she makes a mean dish. She was inspired by her uncle who is a Miami chef and also a lover of all things food. Now she spends her time dining at local establishments, sampling the best of what Miami has to offer ,and comes up with recipes of her own.

Bacon Banana French Toast Casserole

• 1/2 lb of Nueskies bacon
• 1 loaf of challah bread or any kind of thick stale bread
• 5 eggs
• 2 bananas finely sliced
• 3 tsp of maple syrup
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Fry bacon in a pan until slightly crispy. Drain and cut into fine pieces. Set to the side.
2. Cut the challah bread into thick chunks.
3. Spray 9x13-inch casserole pan with cooking spray.
4. Slice bananas and set to the side.
5. Crack eggs into a medium bowl and beat until well mixed. Add bacon and bananas. Add bread last. Mix until all ingredients are nicely coated.
6. Place in oven at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes. Serve with maple syrup and butter.

Related: Best Breakfast Joints In South Florida

Rosemarie Kimelman 
Personal Chef
12990 S.W. 56th St.
Southwest Ranches, FL 33330
(954) 812-1889

Rosemarie Kimelman is a personal chef and nutritionist specializing in Jamaican food. She's originally from Kingston, Jamaica and is inspired by her native island's local fare. Her recipes include low-calorie and low-fat dishes made with organic ingredients with a hint of Jamaican spice. When she's not cooking for clients, she spends her time as a local actress in South Florida working on commercials. She is truly a jack of all trades.

Low Cal Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (Modification of McCormick Cheesy Casserole Recipe)

• 8 frozen hash brown patties
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups skim milk
• Fat free plain greek yogurt
• 1 tsp McCormick cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp McCormick garlic powder
• 1 tsp finely chopped green scotch bonnet pepper
• 6 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups (8 ounces) of cheddar cheese
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place hash browns in a 9x13-inch casserole pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Hash browns should be a golden brown color. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl with a wire whisk. Add milk, greek yogurt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and bonnet pepper. Stir in bacon, 1 1/2 cups cheese and onions. Pour over hash brown patties and sprinkle with remainder of cheese.
4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. The center should be set and the edges should be golden and crispy brown.

Related: Ask A South Florida Expert: Best Workout Recipes

Niema Hulin was born in Newark, NJ but raised in Lexington, South Carolina for the bulk of her formative years. In 2002, she moved to Miami after graduating from the University of Florida. Since then, Niema has worked in film, television and commercials as a Production Assistant and Production Coordinator. Some of her films have included Bad Boys II and I Am Number IV. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.