I used to make a breakfast casserole ages ago before starting this WOL that called for bread. I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to find anything to compare, nor would anything be so filling.

I was wrong.

I found a recipe in The Ultimate Low-Carb Diet Cookbook by Donna Pliner Rodnitzky called "Eggs and Italian Sausage Casserole" that I modified even the first time I tried it.

This particular recipe called for the eggs to be layered and not beaten. I wasn't sure I would really like that, since I was needing a change from the every day egg as it was, so decided to mix everything together in a manner much like my old breakfast casserole.

The basic recipe I use now follows:

1 dozen eggs
1 cup sour cream
Dash whipping cream
Small chunk of cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs shredded cheese, separated
Various meat and veggies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9"x13" pan with non-stick spray. Spread one pound of cheese (any kind, really) on the bottom. Beat eggs together and add in sour cream, whipping cream, cream cheese, and spices. Add meat and veggies. Pour over cheese. Spread remaining pound of cheese on top and bake roughly 30 minutes or until set.

I have made so many combinations of this I can't keep track of them all.

Meat options: Breakfast sausage crumbled and cooked is good, as is bacon that is crumbled and cooked. Also, cubed ham makes for a good meat filler. I'm sure there are other options, but these are the choices the SO and I prefer for breakfast.

Veggie options: Mushrooms! Can't get enough mushrooms, really!! I know they're not a veggie, but we have to include them somewhere, right? Fried onions work well, especially green onions. Fry them for just a little release on the flavor before adding to the mix and they're a wonderful addition. We've also added spinach (especially to the ham casserole) as well as red and green bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini.

Cheese options: We will try just about any combination of cheese and have found that swiss is a bit too strong to be in the casserole alone, although it is good with ham and spinach along with a little dill and mustard for flavoring. I think his favorite combo of cheese is Monteray Jack, Cheddar, and Mozzarella, which words perfectly fine for me.

Spice options: I normally don't change up the spices in this too often since I do use this as a breakfast food and I don't know many people who want that garlic breath to linger all day. Sometimes I will toss in dill and mustard, sometimes a little sage and rosemary. I try to let the combination of veggies and meat to flavor the dish.