Cookout Leftovers Egg Bake

One of the best ways to save money in the kitchen is to make sure you eat your leftovers. My husband and I are usually good about eating leftovers, but sometimes we got bored or I want to turn them into something else.

The day after a cookout this summer when we had lots of leftovers (I’m famous for making too much food for a party!), I pulled everything out of the fridge that we had left so I could make an egg bake.  Egg bakes are incredibly forgiving and adjustable, plus they reheat well, which makes them perfect for make-ahead weekday breakfasts.  All you need are eggs, your “fillings”, and some spices, though I like to add a little milk to mine so it’s fluffier.  There’s no need to measure anything – just throw in handfuls of whatever you have on hand.  You can use any type of meat (broken up hamburger, sausages, hot dogs (if  you really love them) or no meat at all.  Safety note: you should always refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible and if there is any chance that they have been left out for too long and have possibly spoiled or been contaminated, DO NOT use them.  The recipe below uses the leftovers that I had on hand – use whatever combination of goodies you have.

Leftovers Egg Bake

6 eggs
1/2 carton of egg whites (or use 3-4 more eggs)
1/4 cup milk, optional (dairy, almond, soy, etc)
2 chicken sausage links, sliced
large scoop of chipotle corn and black bean salsa
large handful of spinach, torn
1 portobello mushroom, sliced
8 spears of asparagus, cut
1 red pepper, chopped
cheese (optional)
few shakes of each spice:  pepper, salt, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic (or your favorites)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.  In a mixing bowl, beat your eggs and milk until well blended.  Stir in your meat, veggies, and spices.  Bake in oven for 35-45 minutes, until eggs are set and no longer runny.  You can always add a little shredded cheese to the top during the last 5 minutes of baking if you’d like.

If you want a thicker egg bake, use a 9×9 pan and add 15-20 minutes to the baking time.