Casserole For Breakfast? Yes Please…

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_ _I have a statement of heresy to make: I do NOT like breakfast… Bring on the Spanish Inquisition. Well ok, I do like breakfast foods, just not before noon. If that means I have to sleep half the day, so be it; if it means I have to eat “breakfast” and lunch within an hour of each other, I’ll suck it up and suck it in; I’ll loosen the drawstrings on my $10 Target pajama pants—which I wear the majority of my time at home—and get cooking. Welcome to my world of lunch and dinner-breakfasts.

_ _This was a breakfast casserole that my mom made for Christmas this year. I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when she told me that what was coming out of the oven was “an egg and tortilla casserole.” My gag reflex may also have been triggered. But don’t let that terrible name dissuade you. It’s ridiculously light and fluffy and cheesy and… amazing. And that is a major endorsement coming from me. Although normally I would take a cheeseburger over pancakes any day, I got the recipe from her and have already made it twice since then.

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Makes: 6-8 servings

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Ingredients:

9 (5-6 inch) Tortillas

2 cups grated Cheddar

3 Eggs

1/2 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

1 small can Chilis (like Ortega), drained

Paprika

*Note: this is an extremely flexible recipe, along with the chilis you could add whatever else you want– mushrooms, bacon crumbles, tomatoes etc!

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Preheat oven to 350° F

1. Tear the tortillas into bite-sized pieces and layer half of them into an ungreased 7×11 dish. Layer half the cheddar on top of this and then half of the chilis (and whatever else you add).

2. Repeat step one on top of the first layer.

3. In a separate small bowl whisk together the eggs, salt and buttermilk. Pour over the tortilla layers and sprinkle the top with paprika.

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes.