Wow, this is a good one to celebrate with on Christmas morning. Everyone has their own traditions and specialties for the magical morning whether it be a casserole, or French toast, or Christmas brunch out someplace (leave the dishes to someone else). This recipe is a winner.
This recipe comes to us from an Amish woman in Iowa and it just blends all the right flavors that you want to enjoy. Plus it's easy to make, you don't want some complicated eggs benedict recipe on Christmas morning.
You make this pie in a loaf pan or a 9" pie plate. The potatoes serve as the pie's "crust" and then all the egg-filled goodness goes on top.
A typical Christmas morning in a Midwestern United States Amish community, or perhaps one in Canada, would be punctuated with quiet. It’s a holiday, but you won’t find Christmas lights or brightly wrapped gifts under a tree. There’s none of that in an Amish home. Now, as secular traditions have seeped into Amish culture, I won’t say that in some really progressive Amish households there isn't some exchanging of gifts. But that’s rare. I just want to be clear that Amish culture can be found on a “spectrum “, from ultra-conservative no-indoor plumbing types to progressive with electric, and the more progressive, the more secular traditions tend to seep in. Same in the Mennonite church, as you get more progressive, you'll see more recognizable mainstream Christmas traditions.
But on a conservative Amish farmstead on Christmas morning, it will be quiet. Regular chores will be getting done, however. A cow doesn't suddenly stop needing to be milked just because it is Christmas morning. But you will often find a special breakfast being made. And perhaps family gatherings with one another. And a recipe like this Amish Christmas brunch pie would be the centerpiece, you also will likely find some cinnamon rolls and other goodies on the table.
Perfect seasoned hash brown potatoes are key to this dish. Now, frozen hash browns are in this recipe because it just seems on Christmas morning most people would want to go with quick and easy. But you can make your own, most Amish cooks would. This is an Amish recipe for hash browns that I found on another site.
This is the most "difficult" part of the recipe, cutting up all the veggies. That said, you can even cut corners here by buying pre-chopped mushrooms, peppers, celery, etc.
Pile the veggies on top of the hash browns in your loaf or pie pan.
Whisk the eggs until they are frothy and foamy.
This is the brunch pie before you pour the eggs on top, a delicious blend of cheese, bacon, veggies, and potatoes. You can, however, adapt this recipe in so many ways. First, you can easily double it. You can add more spices like rosemary, thyme, or parsley. And you can definitely swap out the meat. If you are not a huge bacon fan (really, those people exist?), then you can use sausage, ham, or even hamburger in this recipe (just drain the grease). Some Amish would even use venison in this recipe.
The pie, or loaf, slices nicely and you can sprinkle some chopped celery on top for added color and crunch.
True to tradition, this recipe doesn't have a lot of seasonings in it. But you can add your own flavors if you want: rosemary, thyme, parsley, or even red pepper flakes are good additions if you like heat. Use a cast iron skillet or frying pan to cook the hash browns if you can. Most Amish cooks would use stainless steel or cast iron for cooking.
🍳 Amish Christmas Brunch Pie
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups frozen hash browns
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- ½ cup chopped red pepper
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- ¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon
- 6 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
📋 Instructions
- In frying pan, melt butter and cook hash browns about 5 minutes until golden.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper and celery salt.
- Spread into greased pie plate or loaf pan and top with mushrooms, red pepper, onion, cheese and bacon.
- Whisk together eggs and milk and pour on top.
- Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.
🍳 More Amish Breakfast Recipes
🖨️ Full Recipe
Amish Christmas Brunch Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups frozen hash browns
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- ½ cup chopped red pepper
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- ¼ cup cooked, crumbled bacon
- 6 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- In frying pan, melt butter and cook hash browns about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper and celery salt.
- Spread into greased pie plate and top with mushrooms, red pepper, onion, cheese and bacon.
- Whisk together eggs and milk and pour on top.
- Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.
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