Loaded Italian Veggie Breakfast Bake Recipes

OVERNIGHT ITALIAN BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Generously grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside until needed.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add a Tablespoon of olive oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sausage to the skillet and, using a spatula, break the sausage up into small chunks. Add in the Italian seasoning and rosemary and continue cooking until the sausage is golden brown and no pink remains. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a clean plate and set aside. Discard of remaining grease and return the pan to the burner.
• Add a little more olive oil to the pan. Then add the onions and peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in the spinach, garlic, salt, and pepper and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Add in the sausage and stir to combine. Remove pan from heat and set aside until needed.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese.
• Spread half of the sausage and veggie mixture in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the egg mixture, then top with the remaining sausage and veggies. Shake the pan lightly back and forth to gently mix the ingredients.
• Cover casserole and refrigerate overnight, or place the baking dish in the oven and bake at once.

ITALIAN VEGGIE BAKE

Steps:

• Heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 5 min. or until tender. Stir in eggplant; cook 5 min., stirring frequently. Add mushrooms, zucchini and peppers; cook and stir 5 min.
• Stir in tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 15 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Pour vegetable mixture into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with cheese. Cover.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley.

VEGETARIAN BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Lightly mist a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
• Place the vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Divide the vegetables evenly between the two sheets and spread them into a single layer. Roast the vegetables until tender, about 20 minutes, tossing the vegetables on the pan so they cook evenly and switching the pans' positions on the upper and lower racks once halfway through. Transfer half of the roasted vegetables to the prepared casserole dish and spread into an even layer. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs together with the milk, garlic, and Italian seasoning until evenly blended. Gently pour it into the casserole dish. Scatter the remaining vegetables evenly over the top, then dollop the ricotta over the top in small spoonfuls (I like to add about 20 to 24 spoonfuls; you want to each slice to have a few dollops, but have them be large enough so that you can actually taste them).
• Bake the casserole for 35 to 40 minutes, until the casserole is golden on top and the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve warm.

ITALIAN VEGETABLE BAKE

Steps:

• Put the slow cooker onto the High or the browning setting and tip in the crushed garlic, canned tomatoes, half the oregano leaves, chilli and some seasoning. Cook, covered, while you chop the rest of the vegetables.
• Tip out most of the sauce and start layering up half the vegetables and herbs with seasoning - the aubergines, courgettes, red peppers, tomatoes, basil and remaining oregano. Layer in half the bread, rubbed with the whole garlic clove, half the mozzarella and half the tipped-out tomato sauce. Repeat vegetable, herb and tomato sauce layers, followed by the bread and mozzarella. Push everything down well to compress, then cook on high for 5-6 hrs.
• Flash under the grill before serving if you like (and your slow cooker pot is suitable), until golden and bubbling. Serve with the leftover basil leaves on top and a big salad on the side.