Introduction: Egg Crescent Casserole

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Love classic breakfast foods? This combination of eggs, crescents, bacon and cheese melts in your mouth. Perfect for any brunch, lunch or dinner this flaky wonder will please both picky taste buds and the eating machine of hungry teenagers. My sister and I created this recipe as a 4-H project years ago and it has been a staple of our family ever since. But enough of how good it is you will judge for yourself at the end. Let's get started.

Step 1:

The first step is to collect all the ingredients and necessary cookware for this project:
2 packages of crescent rolls
6 eggs
2 tbsp milk
Dab of butter, margarine or cooking spray to grease bowl
Dash of salt & black pepper
5 strips of bacon (can substitute 1/2 cup chopped ham)
1/4 cup diced onions (optional)
1/4 cup diced mushrooms (optional)
1/4 cup diced green pepper (optional & not shown in this instructable)
1 cup hash browns
1 cup shredded cheese
1 9x9 inch baking pan
1 large microwave safe bowl or container
1 spatula
2 measuring cups (1 cup and 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp measuring spoon
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 fork

Step 2:

To start preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Open 1 package of crescent rolls. Roll contents into the 9x9 baking pan. You only need to cover the bottom of the pan. Any extra dough can be saved for the top crust or a side of crescent rolls for you dinner. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Don't worry if they are not "golden brown" when you pull them out. This step is just to help the bottom layer to be fully cooked at the end. Without partially baking them now the bottom layer ends up being doughy...even if the top crust is burnt to a crisp. Set aside while you finish preparing the other ingredients.

Step 3:

While the crust is in the oven, grease the bowl or container with the butter, margarine or cooking spray. Combine the eggs, milk, salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork. 
Microwave for 5 minutes on high. Scramble with a fork and set aside. 

Step 4:

If you are using fresh mushrooms, onions and/or green peppers like I am, dice them with a knife and set aside.  I used about a 1/4 of a yellow onion & half a portobello mushroom. I prefer yellow onions for their sweet flavor. I didn't have any green peppers in this recipe because of my own personal taste. If you decide to use canned mushrooms be sure to drain them before adding them. These are optional ingredients if you or some of your household has a distaste of one or more of these.  

Step 5:

In your skillet fry the bacon to your preferred crispness. When done set on a paper towel & dab excess grease off. Leave the grease in the pan to use to fry the mushrooms and onions. Chop bacon and set aside.
If you decide to use 1/2 cup of ham instead of bacon:
As long as it's refrigerated or warmer just add it directly to the egg mixture. The baking time will be sufficient to heat it up. 
I used applewood bacon for this recipe.

Step 6:

Fry mushrooms, onions and or peppers in bacon grease. The they should be tender and the onions should be a light brown when done.  If you use ham for this recipe, and therefore have no grease, use 2 tbsp of olive or vegetable oil. Drain off the grease and set aside.  Of course if you decide to omit all mushrooms, onions or green peppers you also omit this step.

Step 7:

Combine the egg mixture, bacon, mushrooms, onions, peppers and hash browns together in the mixing bowl. Alternate pouring the contents of  the bowl and sprinkling the shredded cheese into the 9x9 pan.   

Step 8:

With the remaining package of crescent rolls, cover the top. Once again you only need one layer to cover the the baking pan as shown in the figure above. Any extra dough can be used for a side of crescents (great for those family members or roommates that can't get enough of them). Put the pan back in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown.

Step 9:

Let it cool for 3 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve and enjoy. Suggested sides include your favorite salad or cooked vegetables such as green beans.  Refrigerate any leftover portions. Makes 6 servings. Bake any leftover crescent rolls according to the directions on the package.