Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Casserole

It has been almost a month since I've written to you all - where did March go?! Spring break, midterms, and now nationals for swimming in Atlanta - it's a busy month. Thanks for being so patient; let me make it up to you with a super easy, gourmet tasting recipe: Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Casserole. For those in Bloomington, I've got leftovers, so come and eat them.

My family came down to visit this weekend, and I wanted to treat them to a good breakfast. I'd been saving this recipe for the right occasion and this was it. Mom, Ali, and I love goat cheese, so I figured they'd like it. I thought Kev would be a tough sell, but he enjoyed it too. Dad said it reminded him more of a quiche than of Mom's egg casserole (which is a classic); this is more of a ladies' brunch meal. Everyone was happy. 

The mustard and basil lend aromatic touches to the saltiness and tang of the prosciutto and goat cheese. I served it with watermelon, which complemented the goat cheese well. It was a great big breakfast to keep us energized for our hike in Brown County - it was beautiful.

Also, the leftover ingredients will make a great salad - prosciutto, goat cheese, watermelon, basil - my mouth's watering already!

Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

14 - 18 slices whole wheat (lite) English muffins

6oz prosciutto, thinly sliced

8 oz goat cheese, crumbled

8 oz shredded provolone or mozzarella

1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2/3 of a bunch)

6 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced (two big handfuls)

Wet Ingredients

5 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Halve your dry ingredients into two piles as you'll be making two layers: 
1. Line the bottom of your dish with English muffins, cutting the slices to fit if necessary. 
2. Place the prosciutto slices evenly over the bread.
3. Crumble the goat cheese and provolone, and layer half of each of the prosciutto. 
4. Sprinkle with half of the green onions and basil.
5. Repeat steps 2.1 - 2.4 for the second layer: bread, prosciutto, cheese, and greens.
3. With the remaining English muffins, tear into 1/4" pieces and sprinkle over the top. They'll form a crust when baked.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients (egg, milk, mustard, salt, pepper). 
5. Pour the wet mixture evenly over the dry layers. Cover and let sit in fridge overnight.
6. The next morning, preheat the oven to 350F. While it's preheating, uncover the egg bake and let it sit at room temperature.
7. Bake until the center is set, about an hour.
8. Serve with fruit (watermelon is a great choice!) and coffee. Enjoy (we did)!