I Love {Paula Deen}

Having spent the week in Savannah with the littles, guess who has been on my mind?  PAULA, of course!

Paula’s Hash Brown Casserole
With Gruyere cheese and grated nutmeg, this hearty meat and potatoes breakfast dish far surpasses all other breakfast casseroles I’ve had the pleasure of dining on.  Seconds?  Yes please! 

Ingredients
3 T. butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cups frozen shredded hash browns (though my mother’s notation says “I use more”)
8 cups cubed French or Italian bread
1 pound bulk sausage
2 cups (1/2 pound) grated Gruyere cheese
2 cups (1/2 pound) freshly grated Romano cheese
2 1/4 cups milk
6 large eggs (recipe calls for 8 but my mom uses 6)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 T. dijon mustard

Instructions
1. Spray 13×9″ casserole with cooking spray.  Melt butter in large frying pan.  Add onion and saute over med-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the hash browns and break apart.  Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Place the bread cubes in the bottom of the casserole.  Spread the onion and hash browns evenly over the bread cubes.
2.  Saute the sausage in the same pan as the potatoes, breaking apart large clumps.  When the sausage is cooked through, remove it with a slotted spoon and distribute it evenly over the hash browns.  Distribute the grated cheeses evenly over the sausage.
3.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and mustard, whisking briskly to blend.  Pour over the cheese.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or at least 8 hours.
4.  Remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before baking.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

This divine dish quickly became a fam fave when my mother prepared it on Christmas morning, and we’ve been gobbling it up ever since!

I Spy Paula’s Place
My parents live just down the street from Paula.  Like the a mile away kind of down the street.  And while we always hope to catch a glimpse of the goings-on inside her compound as we drive by, sadly we rarely see a thing worth mentioning.  However, I did run across this view of the house and boat house from the river.  Yes, please!
 

 
I do love everything Paula.  Her restaurant, her books, stalking her home, and eating her food.  Now, I’m off to dine on homemade biscuits with blackberry-lime butter (thanks again, Paula) and a cup of Paris tea before heading downtown to my fave Savannah must-shops!

xoxo
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