Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own.
This Savory Bagel and Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is the perfect Mother’s Day brunch item! This savory French toast casserole recipe is so simple to make, and only calls for a few ingredients!
Happy (almost) Mother’s Day! (Hi, Mom!)
When I was younger, my sister, brother, and I tried a couple of times to surprise my mom with breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day. Sounds like such a sweet idea, right?? (We were such little angels all of the time…)
The truth is, my mom is a very, very early riser–even on days when she can sleep in (I don’t think any of us kids inherited that trait). As such, we learned that it is actually pretty difficult to surprise someone with breakfast in bed if they’re already awake and about the house. 😉
So, plan B: Brunch!
As a self-proclaimed brunch-lover, I love plan B! What better way to celebrate your mom than by making all of her brunch favorites and having a leisurely meal shared with loved ones?!
In truth, I think I love brunch so much because I love the stories behind the dishes that are shared. Every dish has a story to tell, and the love and memories behind each one are so special. Even if it’s a new recipe you’re trying out, because you know your mom is going to love it, there is a story just beginning with that dish.
This Savory Bagel and Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is actually born out of a story involving my mom (appropriately since it is Mother’s Day and all!).
She is very involved in a mother mentoring program (and is the perfect person for the job!). There is a brunch put on by a different table each week, and each person gets the chance to vote for their favorite dish. The dish with the most votes wins the ‘golden spoon’ and gets their recipe featured in the next newsletter. When it was my mom’s table’s turn, she and I made a French toast casserole, which ended up winning for that week.
In honor of our win and collaboration, I decided to try a different spin on the casserole, and instead went the savory route. It was a total win! So, I’m sharing it with all of you in case you want to try something new for your Mother’s Day brunch!
This Savory Bagel and Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is made with Thomas’® Pre-sliced Plain Bagels, cream cheese, sharp shredded cheese, bell peppers, eggs, half & half, and milk. While I made this vegetarian, Jimmy Dean® Regular Premium Pork Sausage, or Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage Beef, would be a perfect addition to this casserole!
It’s such a simple dish that is made the night before (the casserole needs to sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours or so before being baked), and baked up in the morning. It’s a bagel-and-cream-cheese meets egg-casserole kind-of-dish. It’s the best of both worlds! We also always have Thomas’ The Original Nooks & Crannies English Muffins on hand for brunch, a potato dish of some sort, fruit, a salad, etc.
And for dessert? Oh yeah—Sara Lee® Pound Cake (Sara Lee Pound Cake All Butter) with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries! Sometimes I sprinkle a little lemon zest on top for a bit of extra zing!
Also, Tyson Foods is doing a “Tyson Loves Mom” sweepstakes! Shoppers who want to participate in the sweepstakes can enter by posting a picture of your mom, brunch with your mom, or breakfast in bed for your mom on Twitter or Instagram, with the hashtags: #Sweepstakes #TysonLovesMom and tag @TysonFoods.
Anyone who enters has the chance to win a $200 Walmart gift card (you can win 1 of the 5 prizes available). Visit www.tysonlovesmom.com for more info!
Be sure to head over to Walmart to grab all of your favorite Tyson Foods and Thomas’ ingredients, including the ingredients for this casserole!
Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there!
- Thomas’ Pre-sliced Plain Bagels, 6 ct.,
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, cubed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
- 1 cup bell peppers, diced (I used red, green and orange)
- 7 eggs, large
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tsps dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 tsp salt, or seasoned salt, if you want to add a little kick to the dish
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Jimmy Dean Regular Premium Pork Sausage, 16 oz. (cooked to the package’s directions)
- or
- Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage Beef (12 oz.)
- 1. Line a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick foil, or coat in baking spray.
- 2. Tear 3 Thomas’ Pre-sliced Plain Bagels into bite-sized pieces, and place on the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer.
- 3. Sprinkle half of the bell peppers (1/2 cup) over the bagel pieces.
- 4. Sprinkle half of the cream cheese cubes on top of the bagel pieces.
- 5. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese (3/4) on top of the bagel pieces.
- 6. Tear the remaining 3 Thomas’ Pre-sliced Plain Bagels into bite-sized pieces, and place on top of the shredded cheese. Sprinkle the remaining bell peppers, cream cheese cubes, and shredded cheese on top of the bagels.
- 7. In a blender, blend eggs, half & half, milk, and all seasonings until well incorporated. Pour egg mixture over the casserole.
- 8. Cover the casserole with foil, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- 9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered. Tent a piece of foil on top for the remaining 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into the casserole.
- Enjoy!
*If using sausage, sprinkle the sausage into the casserole as you would the bell peppers, cream cheese, and shredded cheese.
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