Ah, breakfast. One of my favorite meals of the day! Weekends are my favorite time when it comes to breakfast, because you're not super rushed and busy trying to get out the door - more time to spend making the most important meal of the day the most delicious one, too!
This Bacon, Tomato & Cheddar Breakfast Bake with Eggs is a breakfast of champions that can feed a small army (or any weekend guests you may have over). This meal even works for dinnertime, or can be prepped the night before (up to the baking step) in a pinch!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (16 cups)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- One 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes"”drained, chopped and patted dry
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons snipped chives
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt
- 8 large eggs
- Hot sauce, for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13 glass baking dish.
In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.
Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
Serve the breakfast bake right away with hot sauce.