This New Year's Breakfast Casserole is full of all your special, superstitious New Year's foods so you can eat them first thing after you get out of bed on January 1st
Let's take our minds off Christmas being in 4 days for a quick second to talk about the new year.
This month's Recipe ReDux post is about Good Luck Foods.
Every New Year's Day, my family always had pork, beans, and greens. Back in the day, none of those were my favorite, but I was always encouraged to take at least one bite of everything for good luck, good health, and good money.
My grandmother makes this soup in the crock-pot that she calls Good Luck Greens Soup. It's so good, you'll want to eat it all year long. It also happens to have pork, beans, and greens for your good luck, health, and money.
This year I decided I'd do a recipe for breakfast. What if you could eat all your special/superstitious foods first thing after you get out of bed?
Then I realized that suggesting you make breakfast after staying up all night ringing in the new year was silly. Ain't nobody got time fo that...
Which is why this Breakfast Casserole is peerrrrrrrfect! You can make it up to 24 hours in advance and just get the first person to wake up in the house to pop it in the oven. The smell of this delicious casserole will be enough to get you out of bed come January 1st.
Making a casserole that could knock out all those good luck foods right when you wake up was my goal, and I was successful fo sho.
Why you should make this new year's day breakfast casserole
I did a little research on good foods to eat for the new year and came up with a few additions to the pork, greens, and beans idea. I found one that suggested eating something round - hence the bagels.
So you've got bagels for "coming full circle," bacon for your pork for prosperity, wealth & progress, kale & spinach for your greens for money. I sorta just realized that I forgot beans or lentils, but you can totally eat those at lunch. {Here are some options: Salsa Lentil Soup, Lentil Chili, Lentil Hummus, Good Luck Greens Soup, Mexican Three Bean Salad, Black Bean Brownies, or S'mores Brownies}
Add a fresh, delicious, juicy pear and you've got a great meal for the first of the year. Apparently, pears represent immortality and prosperity {since the pear tree lives a long time}.
New Year's Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 slices center-cut bacon chopped
- 8 cups greens spinach, kale, mustard greens, etc.
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt divided
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 8 whole grain bagel thins
- 6 oz shredded cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk 2% or whole
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium low heat until crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside.
- Remove all but one teaspoon of bacon grease from the skillet {or use 1 tsp olive or canola oil}. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add about half of the greens and cook for a minute or two until they wilt slightly. Add remaining greens. Cook until wilted. Stir in 1/8 tsp salt and lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add diced onion to skillet and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened. Stir in garlic, 1/8 tsp salt, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl with greens. Stir together.
- Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray or grease with butter or oil. Layer half of the split bagel thins into the dish. Top with the onion-greens mixture. Sprinkle with half of the cheese {about 3/4 cup}. Top with the remaining bagels.
- Whisk together eggs, milk, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Pour over bagels. Sprinkle with bacon and top with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400*F.
- Transfer casserole dish to oven and bake, covered, for 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
*Use gluten free bagel thins to make gluten free.
What to use in this recipe:
Meme
Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably pin it for later:
Deanna Segrave-Daly says
Oh yum - this is my kind of breakfast casserole!
Meme says
It is delish 🙂
Serena says
My kids aren't big greens eaters...why have I never thought to put in a breakfast casserole? So wise...and lucky! I'm totally going to make!
Meme says
It is a great way to get greens in; I'm not a huge fan and I really enjoyed this casserole!
Glenda @ Healthy Stories says
That looks lovely Meme. I have seen lots of breakfast casserole recipes, but your recipe is the first one that makes me want to cook one.
Meme says
Thank you so much, Glenda! I hope you try it 🙂
Your Cherry, Coconut, and Chocolate Ice Cream looks delish!
Diane Boyd says
I like the fact you're not wasting any time getting your good luck foods! This casserole would also be a nice breakfast for dinner! It sounds kid friendly too! Thanks for sharing.
Meme says
Thanks! Trying to get it all in right when the day starts 🙂 Your black eyed peas look yummy!
Hope you have a great 2014!
Christina @ It's a Keeper says
This casserole looks so good! I'm always looking for new breakfast recipe. I'm pinning this now! Stopping by from the SITS Tribe Challenge.
Meme says
Thanks Christina! It's an easy way to get some veggies right when you start your day. Thanks for pinning and stopping by 🙂
Melissa says
This looks great! I am curious about why the recipe says to chill it for at least 4 hours. If able, is there a reason you shouldn't bake it immediately?
Meme says
Thanks, Melissa! The reason is so the bagels can absorb the egg mixture. Otherwise, it's more like bagels with an eggy layer. However, if you have really dry bread, it probably won't take as long. And in all honesty, it might be fine without the wait at all. I just like to make sure (because that's how I've always done it haha).
Happy new year!!