The theme of Wednesday's potluck was Breakfast at Sunset. Our canyon association had a lot of pancake mix and ham left from their annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser so this was how to use it up. We were supposed to bring dishes that would go well with the pancakes. I expected there to be a lot of those breakfast casseroles, but the only egg dish was this:

Deviled Egg Casserole

EGGS
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon mustard
2 teaspoons parsley
SAUCE
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cream
1 teaspoon onion flakes
2 tablespoons sherry
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

SAUCE
In a small saute pan, melt butter. Stir in flour and salt. Saute on medium heat until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Add cream, onion flakes and sherry. Return to heat and cook until mixture thickens.
Stir in mushroom soup, curry powder and shredded cheese. Stir until all is melted and well blended.
EGGS
Hard boil eggs. Remove shells, cut in half and remove yolks. Set whites aside.
In a small mixing bowl, mash the yolks with mayonnaise, ricotta cheese and mustard. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Refill the whites with the mixture, filling flat. Place halves back together.
Place eggs in lightly greased casserole baking dish. Pour sauce over the eggs and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350 Degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Here is one of the casseroles I thought someone would bring:

Breakfast Casserole

8 to 10 slices Bread
Butter
8 Eggs or Egg Beaters
3 cups milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups Cheese
(Cayenne Pepper)
Sautéed, crumbled, and drained sausage, bacon, or ham; diced, canned, or fresh chilies; sautéed mushrooms; fresh corn sautéed briefly in butter with a dash of cumin; or freshly chopped cilantro or basil. Fresh salsa is also nice.

Butter a 10 x 15 Pyrex dish or a four-to-five-quart round soufflé dish. Then lightly butter about eight to ten slices of bread (this is easier if the bread is frozen), and tear or cut each piece into three or four pieces. Distribute half of the bread over the bottom of the casserole. Grate one and one-half to two cups of Cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Fontina, or Jarlsberg cheese, or a combination of several cheeses. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread pieces. Add the rest of the bread, and top it with the rest of the cheese. Dust with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Mix eight eggs or the equivalent in Egg Beaters with three cups milk. Add one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, three or four chopped scallions, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red cayenne pepper, if desired. Slowly pour this evenly over the top of the casserole, pushing bread down into the liquid. Cover the dish with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. This allows the bread to absorb the eggs, creating a fluffy, puffy casserole. If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step and bake the assembled casserole right away, with good results.

The refrigeration method is handy if you want to prepare this dish in advance. If you do refrigerate, let the casserole sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before baking so that the dish won't crack when it's put in the hot oven. Remove plastic wrap from the dish and place the dish on a cookie sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown and puffy. The result is much sturdier than a souffle and, though it does deflate a bit when you spoon into it, the aroma that follows is heavenly.

Many embellishments can be added to this dish. Pick one or more and sprinkle over the first layer when assembling. I've used sautéed, crumbled, and drained sausage, bacon, or ham; diced, canned, or fresh chilies; sautéed mushrooms; fresh corn sautéed briefly in butter with a dash of cumin; or freshly chopped cilantro or basil. Fresh salsa is also nice. When you serve Bread Casserole for supper, a crunchy green salad with a pungent mustard vinaigrette alongside is the perfect accompaniment.