Back of the Can: Breakfast Casserole

Evaporated Milk: It's what's for breakfast.

Carlsbad 5000 weekend! This annual race is a big deal in our town. Runners from all over the world come for the "world's fastest 5K" but the day before the big race, it's all about the kids. The Jr. 5000 is an annual tradition for many families here, including ours, starting when they register for the "diaper dash" and all the way up to age 12.

That guy on the left can't believe his eyes when my daughter flies past him. It's like a bolt of lightning!

Max and his buddy, collecting their first place medals (along with a zillion other kids).

Clashing mightily with the 5000 this year is Sean's favorite tradition, "good breakfast" day. I've somehow been suckered into making him some combination of meat, eggs, and potatoes once a week. So while he slept in (he's 15 now and has done his time at the 5000) and the little kids got ready, I mixed up a quick batch of this breakfast casserole from the back of the Carnation Evaporated Milk can.

I put it in the oven when I came home but what I didn't realize was how long it took to cook: one hour. We were starving by the time it was ready.

Rating: Not that great but has potential. Really, what is there to mess up? But the fat free milk gave it a really weird chemical taste. I think Carnation's recipe would have been great, had we substituted half and half or regular milk for the Carnation. Should I suggest it to them?

Hash Brown Casserole

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 large eggs, beaten
1 can (12 oz) Carnation Evaporated Fat-Free Milk (make it regular milk and you'll be a lot happier)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg (30 oz) frozen hash brown potatoes (I just used 4 potatoes, shredded)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped (I used a combo of different colored bells)
10 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped (I used sausage)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish. Combine cheese, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add potatoes, onion, bell pepper, and bacon. Mix well and pour mixture into baking dish. Bake 1 hour or until set.