![Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich Casserole - a delicious, make ahead breakfast casserole (or brunch casserole), that's easy to make and perfect for lazy mornings. #MiddleSisterWines [ad]](https://www.theflavorbender.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Grilled-Cheese-Casserole-150x150.jpg)
This Bacon Grilled Cheese Casserole is perfect for a relaxing and satisfying brunch on weekends! Slices of soft brioche bread, filled with bacon and American cheese, and soaked in an egg custard, and baked until brown and crunchy on top. I’ve also made this focaccia bread as another mega flavorful sandwich option.
A quick update
So we moved into a new apartment guys!
If you wondered why I had been quiet for a few weeks, we went on a trip in late April, came back, packed all of our stuff, and moved into a slightly bigger apartment the following week! Not that the trip had anything to do with the moving, it was just the sequence of events. 🙂
Even after moving houses ELEVEN times in the last 15 years, which also happened to include 4 countries across three continents, I still loathe packing and moving.
I definitely have enough training for it by now, but it never gets any more agreeable. On the upside though, I love our new apartment so much more than the old one! The light is so much better here – can you tell I’m a food blogger with a taste for photography? 🙂
So once we got all of our stuff organized and boxes put away (ah, who am I kidding? The place is still a mess. But it’ll get there eventually, I’m sure. Pretty sure.), we were hungry!
That’s where this super easy grilled cheese casserole came in real handy – a Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich Casserole!
If you like grilled cheese sandwiches, or bacon or French toast, then this casserole has your name written all over it. If you like all three, well then, you’ve just hit the jackpot!
Slices of brioche bread (I’ve also made this with focaccia) filled with bacon and American cheese, and soaked in an egg custard, and baked until the bread is crunchy on top. It’s one of the more epic breakfast recipes you can make with minimal effort on your part!
After an exhausting few weeks of moving and cleaning, wine is the perfect way to unwind! Middle Sister wines had me covered, with 6 varietals to choose from – K’s favorite was the Middle Sister Red Blend, while mine of course was the Middle Sister Wild One Malbec.
Making a sangria was also an easy choice. A smooth red wine blend from Middle Sister Wines, mixed with elderflower syrup, mandarin juice, and gin was a great twist on a traditional sangria and the PERFECT summer drink for the scorching hot days we were having.
Middle Sister Wines was founded by the women of the Wine Sisterhood (why didn’t I get my invite? That’s a sisterhood I’d LOVE to be a part of!).
The founder, Terry Wheatley created this range of wines for middles sisters all around the world, after being inspired by her friend’s middle daughter, a larger than life free spirit. As the eldest of two, now I demand a range of wines for us too! 😉
As for the bacon grilled cheese casserole – a special “YOU day” isn’t complete without great food and delicious drinks! That’s why I love this easy casserole. It’s no fuss, perfect for brunch, and you can have the leftovers for dinner!
Recipe tips to make this grilled cheese casserole
- I cooked the bacon in the oven, so that I could cook it all at once. But you’re welcome to cook the bacon any way you like.
- I do prefer bacon. But to make this even easier, you can buy some ham instead. You can even use roast chicken slices, or turkey slices. Since lunch meat requires no prior cooking, you can assemble the casserole with more ease.
- Buy pre-sliced bread. I used pre-sliced brioche bread, but regular sandwich bread is also OK. You save a little more time and effort when you use pre-sliced bread, and I’m all about less active time cooking when I’m planning for a relaxing day.
- However you feel about processed cheese, you can’t deny that a grilled cheese sandwich made with American cheese slices is AWESOME! It’s not a fancy cheese, but it tastes delicious when melted, and it’s the foundation of a classic grilled cheese! Plus, it’s already pre-sliced, so you don’t have to spend time slicing and grating.
- Pour the egg-milk mix into the dish as well, and keep the dish covered in the fridge overnight! So all you have to do the next day is to bake the dish in a preheated oven until the top is nice and golden brown.
So go ahead and make this easy and oh-so-satisfying bacon grilled cheese sandwich casserole and pair it with a few bottles of Middle Sister Wines (available in stores across the USA and online), and celebrate like it’s a party! 🙂
Recipe
Bacon Grilled Cheese Casserole
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
- 1 loaf brioche bread about 12 slices
- 1 lb bacon about 12 slices
- 12 slices American cheese
- Unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cup milk
- 6 eggs
- kosher salt
Elderflower Sangria
- 1 bottle Middle Sister Red Blend wine
- 6 mandarins
- 1/2 cup gin
- 1/2 cup elderflower syrup
Instructions:
- Cook the bacon slices to your liking. To cook in the oven – Preheat the oven to 400°F / 190°C. Place a wire rack over a foil wrapped baking tray. Lay out the bacon strips on the wire rack. Cook the bacon in the preheated oven for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until they are cooked to your liking. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon. Remove the bacon from the oven and let it cool. Cut the bacon slices in half.
- Butter a 9 x 13 dish. Place 6 slices of bread inside the dish. You can choose to cut the edges or not. Butter each of the bread slices.
- Place the bacon over the bread slices. Top with the cheese – about 2 slices over each slice of bread. Top with another slice of bread, and butter the top of each sandwich.
- Whisk the milk and eggs together to make a smooth egg – milk mix. Add a generous pinch of salt and whisk to combine. Pour the egg mix evenly over the sandwiches. The egg mix should come half way up the sandwich casserole.
- Leave for at least 20 minutes before baking. OR cover the dish with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for no more than 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Place the casserole in the oven (without the plastic wrap!), and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Cut and serve while warm.
Elderflower Sangria
- Juice 3 mandarins and remove the seeds. Slice the other 3 mandarins, and then transfer the juice and the slices into a large jug.
- Add the gin and elderflower syrup into the jug. Pour 1 bottle of Middle Sister Red Blend wine into the jug and mix well to combine. Place the jug in fridge to chill overnight.
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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