Ham Dish #1 -- Hash brown and Ham Bake

The other day I posted about the meals I would make using the ham and I said I would share the recipes.  This is the first meal using 1 cup of the ham.

 My sister and her boyfriend have a family and friends brunch on Sunday mornings.  My contribution this week is a hash brown and ham bake -- aka breakfast casserole -- and some orange zest muffins.

  I like this casserole recipe for two reasons.  First and foremost, you prep it the night before and leave it in the refrigerator until morning.  I can let the oven preheat while I drink a cup of coffee and then once the casserole is in the oven I can shower and get ready.  Second of all, I love that it used dried hash brown shreds.  I like to keep some in my food storage and this is a great way to use them up.

 Hash brown and Ham Bake (Makes a 9 x 13 pan) (This must be refrigerated a minimum of 5 hours for the potatoes to rehydrate.  Overnight is great.)

 Grease your pan and set aside.

 In a large bowl mix:
 6 cups of dried potato shreds
1 cup of diced ham (I minced my cubes a little smaller.)
3/4 cup of diced bell pepper (Any color will work, but the green pops!)
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (You'll need a second cup for the topping.)

Spread this out evenly in your pan.

In the same bowl you just used, whisk the following:
3 cups of milk (I use reconstituted powdered milk that has been chilled.)
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. Of onion powder (I do this since my daughter won't eat onions, but you could easily add some diced onion when you add the bell pepper.)
4 large eggs
1 cup of Bisquick (Homemade works fine.)

Pour this evenly over the potatoes.
 At this point I mash them down to make sure all the potatoes are covered.

Spread 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.  

In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 F.  Set the casserole on the counter to begin to warm up while it is preheating -- to avoid shattering the dish.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

The recipe says it makes 12 servings and I am believe that is about right.  6 of us ate about half a pan -- with muffins and fresh fruit to round the meal out.