Overnight Breakfast Recipes
Make-ahead meals can be your saving grace during the holidays, especially for breakfast! The last thing anyone wants on a busy morning in a house packed with relatives and guests and an even busier day ahead is a hectic scramble of making breakfast to order for the hungry hordes. Instead, think Creamy Slow Cooker Overnight Grits, Cheese Grits Muffins, Cheesy Sausage and Grits Breakfast Bake, and Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole with Caramel Apples.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Who wants to stand at the stove stirring grits or making French toast or pancakes? With everything going on Ill admit to getting distracted more than once and scorching a pot of grits! Of course, you know I can always get behind whipping up a batch of biscuits, but I dont really dont want to babysit a waffle iron. Make-ahead breakfast is key to success or at least to preventing a meltdown. Ive got you covered for both Make-Ahead Holiday and Overnight Breakfast Recipes. Set the pot of coffee on a timer and you are good to go!
Make-Ahead Merriment
These easy, make-ahead recipes are perfect for a laid-back Christmas morning. From a Cheesy Sausage and Grits Breakfast Bake to a rich and gooey French Toast Casserole with Caramel Apples, Ive cooked up some delicious dishes that are sure to bring down-home comfort to the entire family. The best part? These make-ahead breakfasts leave you free to hang in your PJs, open presents, and spend time with family while enticing, mouthwatering scents and aromas like warm cinnamon and spicy sausage fill your home.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and best wishes to you and yours during this holiday season.
Bon Apptit, Yall!
Virginia Willis
Slow Cooker Overnight Grits
I often will use equal parts milk and water when cooking grits but you can't if you are cooking in a slow cooker as the milk will burn. If you want, you can add a splash of heavy cream at the end of cooking for extra creamy grits.
- 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits
- 6 cups water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, (more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, (more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
- Grits toppings: Grated Cheese, Chopped Green Onion, Cooked Bacon, Cooked Sausage, Chopped Herbs, and Butter
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Heat the slow cooker: Set a large slow cooker to HIGH. Place the grits in the slow cooker and whisk in the water. Reduce the heat to LOW. Add the butter and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours. (You can stir them after the 1st hour or so.) Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Add optional cream. Serve grits with an assortment of toppings.
Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole with Caramel Apples
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup brown sugar (divided)
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 1 loaf brioche, challah, or rich white bread, cubed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and diced)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
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In a heatproof bowl, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds and pour into a loaf pan. Set aside.
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In a 2nd bowl, whisk together eggs, cinnamon, salt, 12 cup of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and milk. Add the cubed bread and stir to combine. Soak until bread is saturated, about 15 minutes, tossing and pressing occasionally to submerge the bread. Transfer the soaked bread into the prepared loaf pan and press down slightly. Top with pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
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The next morning, heat the oven to 350F. Let the chilled casserole stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bake until set and browned, about 45 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until lightly browned. Add apples and remaining brown sugar; stir for 5 minutes until sugar dissolves. Add remaining teaspoon of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground cardamom. Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Simmer for approximately 3 to 5 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.
Cheesy Sausage and Grits Breakfast Bake
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces mild pork or turkey sausage
- 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar, about 4 ounces
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, (plus more for the dish)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 large eggs, (lightly beaten)
- 2 green onions, (white and green parts, chopped)
- 1 jalapeno chile (seeded and finely chopped)
- In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 2 cups water and the milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the grits and return to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the sausage, until no longer pink and the meat is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly.
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Remove the grits from the heat and add the cheese and butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the reserved sausage, cayenne, eggs, green onions, and jalapenos and stir until well incorporated.
- Butter a large (9-by-13-inch) casserole dish. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. At this point, the casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight (bring to room temperature before baking), or baked immediately.
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Bake at 350F from room temperature until bubbly and golden brown, about 1 hour. Remove to a rack to cool slightly before serving.
Cheese Grits "Muffins"
I made these grab-and-go "muffins" a few years ago at the Southern Foodways Alliance yearly symposium. They were a huge hit! Use extra stiff paper liners for these and understand they don't actually come out of the paper like a baked muffin, and still need to be eaten with a spoon. The mixture can be made ahead and scooped into the muffin liners the next day just before baking or they can be made ahead and cooked completely, then reheated the next day in a warm oven or microwave.
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup stone-ground grits
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 16 ounces turkey sausage
- 2 slices whole wheat bread (cubed)
- 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
- 4 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 green onions (white and green parts, chopped)
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In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water and milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the grits and return to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to low, and simmer until creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes.
- While the grits are cooking brown sausage in a skillet until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, breaking up the meat with the edge of your spoon.
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Remove the grits from the heat. Add the cheese and 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the sausage, eggs, cayenne, and green onions and stir until well incorporated. This mixture can be now refrigerated overnight. When ready to bake, line a jumbo muffin tin with cups. Heat the oven to 350F. Scoop a heaping 1/2 cup of the mixture into each cup.
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Top each cup with a couple of tablespoons of the cubed bread. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly before serving.
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