Eggs Benedict Bake

Sometimes things just make sense.  Like peanut butter and jelly, noodles and sauce, and putting your blinker on before you turn ahem, red trail blazer this morning.  I'm just saying.  

This is one of those things that just make sense.  I am a huge fan of eggs benedict.  Huge.  But, I am not a fan of the poached egg--unless it is on an egg mcmuffin but those really aren't poached are they?  When I order eggs benedict in a restaurant I order it with scrambled eggs.  I know that makes a few of you cringe but I love a scrambled egg.  

So when thinking of what to make a few weeks back for brunch to celebrate my lovely mother-in-law's birthday and father-in-law's father's day this little dish came to me.  Why not put everything I love into a breakfast bake?  I mean to celebrate two important people in my life, it should really be about me right?  Juuuust kidding.  Dave and Mary are probably two of the most unfussiest eaters and I knew they would enjoy this.  I think you will too.  

The day before, cut up a few English muffins.

Spray a baking dish and toss those little buggers in.

Crack a few eggs and whisk them together with a bit of

Milk...

and onion powder.  Set a side for now.

Chop up some ham and toss it on top of the English muffins.

Add some cheese.  I know, not usually on eggs benedict but I don't believe in egg bakes without cheese.  Not in my house!

Pour the egg mixture over everything in the pan. Pop this in the fridge over night.

The next morning all of the English muffins will have absorbed the eggy mixture. Fabulous.  Pop this in the oven for at least 45 minutes.  I know, egg bakes take a looong time to cook.  It's worth it.

When the egg bake is just about ready, make the Hollandaise sauce.  I know, you could actually make it from scratch but, why would you when you have a little green packet that does it for you--mostly.  Add some butter to a medium sauce pan.

Once the butter is melted, add that packet.

And milk.

Whisk until it becomes thick and perfect.  I basically made enough for an olympic team to swim in.  You only need to make one packet--and we still didn't use it all.

Take the egg bake out of the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes to set.

Cut into pieces and drizzle with the Hollandaise sauce

That's a winner.

If you like eggs benedict, I think you will really like this.

Trust me.

Eggs Benedict Bake
5 English muffins, cut into cubes
6 eggs
2 cups of milk
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 cups of ham, cubed
1 cup of cheddar cheese
1 packet of Hollandaise sauce plus the ingredients to make it--butter and milk

The day before, spray a baking dish with cooking spray and place the cubed English muffins in the bottom.  Add the ham cubes to the pan as well (on top of the English muffins).  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Whisk together the eggs, milk and onion powder.  Pour this mixture over the top of the English muffins, ham and cheese.  Cover and place in the fridge over night.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the cover of the baking dish and bake for at least 45 minutes or until fully cooked.  Check this by inserting a knife, when it comes out clean it is fully cooked.  If it starts to get too brown on the top, cover with tin foil.

In the last few minutes of the egg bake cooking, make the Hollandaise sauce according to the package instructions.

When the egg bake is finished baking, remove from the oven and set it sit for 5 minutes to set.  Cut into pieces and serve topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Enjoy!

Recipe modified from: here