Very Veggie Breakfast Casserole (and gluten free too!)

Every Tuesday we have a small group meeting through our church.  It's called a neighborhood group because the city is so large that they break the small groups into neighborhoods so that it is more convenient to get together.  These Tuesday nights are something that I look forward to every week.  It is a chance to meet in someone's home, come together to create a meal, enjoy food and time with friends.  For only having lived here about six months, this is amazing to me.  That I can share my heart, my life and my cooking with these people that I feel so comfortable with in such a short amount of time.  Last week I had to work and I felt a huge void in my week where this Neighborhood Group should have been.  Well, and that void of email, Facebook, blogs (this week's Lenten sacrifice) and church on Sunday.  Needless to say, it was a pretty rough week so this Tuesday night was something that I was really looking forward to.

I had signed up to bring a savory breakfast casserole and I wanted to bring something that was a little different (and gluten free) than the typical bread soaked in egg with meat and cheese.  I looked at a few different kinds of breakfast casseroles and then decided to take a peak in my fridge and at the Lebanese store down the street.  I have to say, I thought that it was delicious, and completely guilt free!

So to make this was kind of an all day thing.  Not that I worked on it all day, but I did a little bit here, a little bit there.  I chopped and washed the vegetables, set them out to drain and dry. Then went to pick Munchkie up and go to the store for a couple things that I couldn't find in our local stores.  While Munchkie was napping I threw the veggies in the oven to roast while I cooked the bacon and lightly sauteed the swiss chard while whisking the eggs.  Assembled it all, hopped in the shower and then let it bake in the oven while I got ready and played with Munchkie.  Meanwhile, I had three other projects going in the kitchen as well, making a gallon of liquid soap (for hand soap and body wash), date paste (to use as a natural sweetener), and cinnamon struesel coffee creamer.  It was a very productive day!  I was also very excited to wear my new Whole Foods apron.  The lady who does stories and snacks that Munchkie and I go to every week gave this apron to me saying that she knows how much I love Whole Foods.  Munchkie very happily took my picture wearing the apron.

Very Veggie Breakfast Casserole (gluten free!)

20 oz shredded hash brown potatoes

Mixed vegetables (I had 2 small zucchinis, a huge red pepper and broccoli)

Small drizzle of olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

One bunch Swiss Chard

Small handful fresh parsley

1/2 red onion

12 oz bacon

12 eggs

1/2 cup light cream

salt and pepper

4 plum tomatoes

Goat cheese

• Turn the oven to 425 degrees, chop the mixed vegetables, toss them in a small amount of olive oil and garlic powder and roast them in the oven for 15-20 minutes, mixing halfway through.

•  Cut bacon and onions into small pieces.  Start to cook the bacon in a skillet and once grease starts to form in the pan, add the red onion to saute in the bacon grease.  Cook until the bacon is light brown. Pour out onto a plate with paper towel to absorb the grease.
• Cut the Swiss chard and parsley into small pieces, put in a medium heat pan, lightly cook until slightly wilted.
• Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray, spread potatoes in bottom of pan to form a crust of sorts.
• Layer the mixed vegetables over the potatoes, then the Swiss chard/parsley and bacon/onion.
• Vigorously whisk together the eggs, light cream, salt and pepper. Pour eggs over layers.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the center is solid when pan is jiggled.
• Slice the tomatoes and lay out on a plate covered with paper towel to drain the extra liquid off.  Layer sliced tomatoes on top of the casserole and bake in 425 degree oven for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle goat cheese over top of tomatoes and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Slice and serve.