You might remember not too long ago, I was going through some of my “old-school” recipes and came up with my Corn Patch Corn Casserole? Well, not too far from that recipe was my recipe Green Chile Egg Bake. This is another recipe that was popular at any work food day when I lived in Denver, although it screams breakfast and/or brunch to me.
Green Chile Egg Bake
Given today’s standards with combining all kinds of food together, the more the merrier, this casserole seems a bit “plain jane” so it would definitely be more at home as a family breakfast or brunch. It’s just really tasty, not over the top “wow” in the way so many of today’s recipes are.
About Green Chile Egg Bake:
This casserole is drop-dead simple. It’s easier than scrambled eggs! It’s kind of like a quiche, but to my mind, not as rich and without a crust, as you can see. It kind up puffs up a bit like a short souffle just out of the oven, then shrinks down a bit, leaving the top a little wrinkly. And speaking of the top, I forgot that I usually save out a bit of cheese from the recipe and sprinkle it over the top, but as you can see, that error did little harm.
The recipe uses those little cans of diced green chile, which makes it incredibly simple, but those canned green chiles seem to have a bit of a flavor of their own. I’m not sure how to describe it – they’re just a bit tangier than a fresh chile that’s been roasted or peeled so they add a bit of magic to the recipe. They’re super mild, so there are no worries about serving this to the kiddos. At least my kiddos, even when they were very small ate this with no problem.
As far as the cheese, just about any cheese or combo you want is fantastic in the Green Chile Egg Bake. I happened to have just a bit of this & that. There was a little yellow cheddar, some white cheddar and I filled that out with a bit of mozzarella I happened to have. The original is usually made with Colby Jack, which is probably more at home with the green chiles. It goes to show that a little make do riffing doesn’t do this recipe any harm.
Green Chile Egg Bake – just look at how fluffy and creamy this is!
Making Green Chile Egg Bake:
There really is nothing to making this recipe. Put your green chiles and cheese in the bottom of the casserole so they don’t all float to the top (and don’t forget to save some of the cheese back for the top) and in a bowl, stir up the flour, eggs, and milk. Add a bit of salt and pepper if you want (though the cheese and peppers are a little salty, so if you’re watching your sodium intake, I think you’ll be happy with no additional salt at all.) Pour the egg mixture over the top, sprinkle with cheese and bake. It’s ready in 35 to 45 minutes.
Ya gotta love a five-minute prep with one bowl to wash, right? Ok, 10 minutes if you grate your own cheese! Even I, #notamorningperson could pull this off. But I used to make this for dinner, too!
Now, I resisted doing any tinkering because I hadn’t made this for so long that I wanted to make it as is. I sure can’t see anything wrong with adding a little ham or cooked and crumbled bacon to the mix if that’s your jam. And consider serving this with a bright red salsa! I thought about whipping up some salsa, maybe my super easy blender “Salsa from Nothin” but my morning persona got grumpy and said, “No, Mollie. You should have done that the night before!” Check out my Salsa recipes under my Condiments page if you’re so inclined. You can’t miss them – they’re right at the top. I did have a little green salsa in the fridge, so that was a “make do” again.
Green Chile Egg Bake
Saving Money on Green Chile Egg Bake:
This little dish is super inexpensive to make. The Green Chile’s are the most expensive part and they usually run about a dollar a can in my area. Look for them at Aldi or a Mexican market for better pricing if you have one nearby. They do go on sale now and then but I never see them actually advertised. Check around Cinco de Mayo and stock up if you use green chiles regularly.
Eggs and milk and other staples are generally a great price at Aldi, too. I also picked up my cheese there, for about the same price as the “regular” on sale cheese at the regular grocery, $1.99 for 8 ounces. If you watch your coupon matching site, you might find better deals. Stock up and chuck it in the freezer if you aren’t going to use it in a few weeks. It will be a bit crumbly, so not so good for eating out of hand but is still fine for casseroles and such.
Green Chile Egg Bake
Green Chile Egg Bake
- 2 to 3 small cans of diced Green Chiles
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, divided Colby Jack preferred (6 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Scatter green chiles and 1 cup of cheese in the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole (no need to grease casserole.) Add the flour to the bottom of a medium-sized bowl. Slowly whisk in milk. Crack eggs into bowl and whisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper as desired. Pour over green chile and cheese mixture. Using a fork, scrape the bottom of the casserole in several places, allowing the egg mixture to seep down. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until puffed and lightly golden brown. Check with tip of a knife. It should come out with no particles sticking to it – a little clear liquid is fine. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
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I’ll be posting Easy Cheesy Broccoli Skillet and co-hosting at Fiesta Friday Blog Party #238 with Mikaela @ Iris and Honey. If you have a minute, do stop by and check out Fiesta Friday and Mikaela’s very lovely site! I know you’ll love them both!!
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