Hash brown sausage and veg breakfast casserole

 20 ounces frozen hash browns, defrosted

1 pound sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 bell pepper (I use red) diced

2 cups shredded cheddar (divided)

8 eggs

1 1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Optional add-ins

1 can mushroom stems and pieces drained or 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced and sautéd

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1-2 cups chopped fresh spinach 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan with spray. 

Layer hash browns, cooked sausage, onions, pepper and 1 1/2 cup cheese. 

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and seasoning. 

Pour over the hash brown mixture and top with remaining cheese. 

Bake 55-65 minutes or until set. 

Can cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking and may require additional 10-15 minutes. 

Can swap sausage for bacon or leave out the meat for a vegetable casserole.  

Red Lentil Soup

3 large carrots, shredded

1 medium yellow onion, diced 

3 celery ribs, diced

6 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

10 cups water

3 tablespoons vegetable base Better Than Bouillon

1 1/2 pound dry split red lentils

1 1/2 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp salt

Fresh ground pepper 

Sour cream for garnish

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add the carrots, onion and celery and sauté about 5 - 7 minutes until carrots are tender. 

Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. 

Add broth, vegetable base, lentils, paprika, salt and pepper. 

Bring to a low simmer then cover halfway and allow to simmer 7-10 minutes until lentils are just soft. 

Cook longer if you want a softer texture. 

You can use immersion blender if desired to make a smoother soup. 

 Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream. 

Can add chopped spinach or kale at the end.