FREEZER BREAKFAST SANDWICHES is excerpted from THE WELL-PLATED COOKBOOK: FAST, HEALTHY RECIPES YOU'LL WANT TO EAT © 2020 by Erin Clarke. Reproduced by permission of Penguin Random House. All rights reserved.
Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 6 sandwiches (with enough leftover egg scraps to make 3 more sandwiches or snack on)
INGREDIENTS
Base recipe (a simple, tasty breakfast sandwich):
- 10 large eggs
- 2/3 cup nonfat milk
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce
- 6 thin cheese slices, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or Swiss
- 6 slices cooked meat of choice (ham, bacon, Canadian bacon, chicken or turkey breakfast sausage patties), optional
- 6 whole wheat English Muffins, split
Variation 1 - Mushroom Bacon Swiss. Add:
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
Variation 2 - Garden Veggie. Add:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 3 cups baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
Variation 3 - Denver Style. Add:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
DIRECTIONS
Simple, Delicious Breakfast Sandwich Base Recipe:
- Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, and hot sauce until combined and mostly smooth. The yogurt may have a few small lumps. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed at the edges and a thin, sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The eggs will puff up in the oven, then settle as they cool. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely.
- While the eggs cool, arrange the English muffin halves split-sides up on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the upper third of the oven and toast until the English muffins are lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully so that they do not burn. If serving the sandwiches immediately, leave the oven heated.
- With a long, flexible spatula, gently lift the eggs out of the pan and onto a cutting board in one big piece. With a biscuit cutter or drinking glass that is roughly the width of your English muffins, cut the eggs into rounds, saving the scraps for snacking or (if you aren’t too particular about the appearance of your filling) piece them together to form additional sandwiches. If you prefer not to have any scraps and don't mind some extra egg edges peeking over the edges of your English muffins, use a knife to cut the eggs into 6 large squares instead.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Top the bottom half of each English muffin with an egg round, slice of cheese, and meat. To enjoy immediately, place the sandwiches open-faced without their tops in the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted, then add the top prior to serving.
- To freeze: Let each sandwich cool completely if it is not already. Add the muffin top, then wrap the whole sandwich in a square of aluminum foil. Label with the flavor and date. Place the sandwiches in a ziptop freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reheat from frozen: Unwrap a sandwich and place on a paper towel-lined plate (the towel will help absorb some of the moisture). Microwave on medium power for 2 to 4 minutes depending upon your microwave, until the cheese is melted and the egg is warmed through.
For Mushroom Bacon Swiss Breakfast Sandwiches:
- Begin the recipe by heating the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are softened and have given up their liquid, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. Prepare the base recipe through Step 2, then fold the sautéed mushrooms into the beaten egg mixture. Continue with the base recipe as directed, using Swiss for the cheese and bacon for the meat.
For Garden Veggie Breakfast Sandwiches:
- Begin the recipe by heating the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the spinach a few handfuls as a time until it wilts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Prepare the base recipe through Step 2, then fold the sautéed vegetables into the beaten egg mixture. Continue with the base recipe as directed, using any cheese you enjoy (cheddar and havarti are my favorites for this version).
For Denver-Style Breakfast Sandwiches:
- Begin the recipe by heating the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. Prepare the base recipe through Step 2, then fold the sautéed vegetables into the beaten egg mixture. Continue with the base recipe as directed, extending the baking time by a few additional minutes as needed and using cheddar for the cheese and ham or Canadian bacon for the meat.
PRO TIP:
- If you’d like to make the sandwiches with bacon, you can bake the bacon in the upper third of the oven while the eggs bake: Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in until the bacon is as crispy as you like, 15 to 20 minutes depending upon the thickness of your bacon. Carefully transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and gently pat dry. The more crowded oven may extending the baking time of your eggs, so keep an eye on them and add time as needed.
NEXT LEVEL:
- These sandwiches are also delicious with a tablespoon or two of fresh herbs folded in. I especially love chives with the simple version, dill with the garden veggie version, and thyme with the mushroom Swiss.