So I was supposed to be out in the mountains right now, unplugged from the world and toasting s’mores over the campfire. Sadly, the weather forecast was against us: the temperature is going down nearly to freezing overnight, and it’s supposed to rain on and off all weekend. Since we’re tent campers, we opted to stay home and stay warm.
I’m a bit disappointed in us – we’re not usually the quitting kind – but we’re okay with being wet or cold while camping, but not both. Anyway, being home this weekend provided the opportunity to make this breakfast casserole, so it’s not all bad.
I spent a few days in San Antonio this year, and the little taste of Tex-Mex food I had while I was there just wasn’t enough. We have a couple of good Mexican restaurants here, but no Tex-Mex that I know of. I mean, Chili’s, I guess. But really? No. Chili’s doesn’t count.
I picked up a cookbook entitled Foods and Flavors of San Antonio by Gloria Chadwick, and I’ve slowly been cooking my way through it. Essentially, most of the recipes are some variation on cheese/chorizo/salsa/beans/tortillas, but I am perfectly happy with that. This recipe, which I’ve adapted from that cookbook, results in a bubbling, hot, cheesy, satisfying casserole that makes an incredibly hearty breakfast, brunch, or anytime snack.
Baked in a 9×13-inch dish, the original recipe claims to serve 4 (!!!!). My goodness, I couldn’t have eaten a quarter of this recipe if my life depended on it. Not that it isn’t incredibly delicious, but it is incredibly filling. I cut it into 8 pieces and they were more than generous; served as part of a larger breakfast, you could even cut it into 10 or 12.
I topped mine with chopped avocado and green onions, and served slices with salsa and sour cream on the side. I had to make a special trip to a Latin market near my house to get the real corn tortillas I used for this, but it was totally worth it. The creamy, cheesy eggs layered in between the corn tortillas with mushrooms, salsa and crisp, spicy chopped chorizo make every bite delectable and indulgent. If you’re not a fan of spicy food, you can use ham or bacon in place of the sausage.
This would please a crowd for your next big gathering of family and/or friends over brunch, or you can do what I did and make one gigantic casserole for two people and feast for the next several mornings. Reheated leftovers are almost as good as fresh from the oven. Almost.
- ½ lb. chorizo sausage, crumbled or chopped
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- ½ cup half-and-half cream (10%)
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup salsa
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 4.5 oz. can green chiles, chopped
- 12 corn tortillas, cut or torn into 1" strips (the tortillas I used were small, about 6" across)
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- In a medium skillet, cook the chorizo until golden brown. Remove the sausage, and cook the mushrooms in the fat/oil remaining in the pan. Sauté mushrooms until they've released most of their liquid and started to brown. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream.
- In a large bowl, combine mushroom mixture, eggs, chorizo, green onions, cheddar, salsa, sour cream, and green chiles and whisk until blended. Stir in tortillas until no dry spots remain.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour mixture into pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the Monterey Jack cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (Note: Can be made ahead and refrigerated for 24 hours before baking).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring casserole to room temperature, then bake in preheated oven until cooked through and the cheese is bubbly and brown, about 45-50 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with chopped avocado, green onions, salsa and sour cream (if desired).
