Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
Hate Turned To Love
I don't know when it happened. I can remember hating anything hot while I was growing up in New Jersey. My friends would get the jalapeno cheese and I would pick the all green out. I would pick and pick and only eat it once all that hot green stuff was out. After eating the cheese (having picked out the chilies), my mouth would burn! I always had a big glass of water by my side while eating this cheese. How my friends would laugh and laugh. Then came my downfall. I moved to New Mexico. Slowly, patiently and without malice they addicted me to green chilies.
They fed me salsa, they fed me tacos, they fed me fajitas. They gave me breakfast casserole, green chili stew, menudo. Green chilies took over my taste buds. Now I find that I need green chilies. If I go too long without them, I crave them like a pregnant woman craves pickles and ice cream.
Chilies
New Mexican Chilies
New Mexico has the world's finest green chilies. At least in my humble opinion. "Hatch" green chilies are the cream of the crop. These are the best green chilies available. The town of Hatch, NM has something, maybe the climate, maybe the soil or maybe something in the water, whatever it is it makes their chilies rule supreme in the chili world.
I Love Green Chili
I love green chilies. They have a wonderful smokey, sweet, hot flavor that defies description. I must have my green chilies at least once a week! If I can't I start craving green chilies. I always keep a couple of 4 oz cans of green chilies on hand, just in case. Like last night, the cravings will come on unexpectedly.
When I lived in New Mexico, I always had the Hatch brand in my cupboard. I have not found these out east, so I have to make do with what I can find. I really miss the smell of roasting green chili's that occurs at the end of each summer in New Mexico.
You can go to any Walmart and buy raw green chilies. Once you get outside, you can roast them on the spot. Nothing smells so good as Walmart in chili season! It is so enjoyable to stand and watch the people turn the huge roasters and smell the chili's cooking over an open flame.
Roasted Green Chilies
Roasting Green Chilies
Chili roasting starts in mid to late August in New Mexico. Southern New Mexico grows 75% of the chili peppers you eat. Late summer and early fall will find New Mexicans everywhere gathering with friends and family for "chili parties". They will combine their resources to get a giant batch of roasted chilies, then donning gloves set about the task of peeling, chopping and freezing.
These gatherings are filled with fun, family and friendship. People know they will have to freeze enough chili's to last until the following year. Real New Mexicans frown down on using chili's from a can. They know that the only real green chili was fresh when they bought it. New Mexicans use green chili almost every day of the week, it seems. It is considerable work to prepare a year's worth.
Healthy and Nutritious
Green chilies are remarkably nutritious! One green chili pod has as much vitamin C as 6 oranges. Green chilies are an excellent source of vitamin A and have several necessary minerals. One of my favorite things about green chilies is that they increase your metabolism. That is why you will break out in a sweat while eating chilies.
Chilies and Cheese
Milk and milk products are the best thing to cure that "chili burn" in your mouth. Milk is a natural remedy. Did you ever wonder why milk works and water doesn't? It has to do with some of the chemical compounds found in milk and chilies.
Chilies contain a chemical called capaisin. This chemical is extremely irritating to the human body. Capaisin is the reason you see recommendations to wear gloves and to keep your fingers away from eyes, nose and mouth while cutting chilies. Capaisin is the reason your mouth burns after eating food with chilies.
Milk contains a chemical called casein. Casein is a fat-loving chemical. Capaisin is an oil. Oil and water do not mix and this is why water does not work to cure the "burn". However, capaisin binds well with the casein which allows milk to wash the capaisin down the throat, and the "burn" out of your mouth. Maybe this is why cheese is so often included in chili dishes.
Craving Green Chilies
Last night I was craving green chili's. I looked through my cupboards to find something to make. The cupboards were a little bare, I really need to go shopping. I did end up making a type of green chili breakfast casserole that turned out very good.
Most breakfast casseroles of this type that I have eaten are made with frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. I did not have any on hand, so I substituted some stuffing mix. The result was a dish halfway between breakfast casserole and strata. The kids and I loved it!
Breakfast Casserole
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Stuffing Mix, Your Favorite
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Onion, Chopped
- 8 Eggs, Large
- 2 cups Milk, Any Kind
- 1-2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- 5 slices Bacon, I use pre-cooked, but you can cook your own if you prefer
- 4 oz can Diced Green Chili, I use mild
- 1 teaspoon Salt, Or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper, Or to taste
Instructions
- Saute the onions in a pot using 1 tablespoon of butter until they begin to brown.
- Add the remaining butter and the water to the pot with the onions. Bring the water to a boil and let the butter melt. Remove from heat and add the stuffing mix. Stir as directed on the package.
- Spray a 9" X 13" pan with Pam or grease with whatever is on hand.
- Put the stuffing mix into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the stuffing.
- Chop the bacon and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cheese.
- Sprinkle the green chilies over the top of the stuffing, cheese and bacon. (You don't have to use the whole can if you think it will be to hot. Start with 1/2 the can and increase until you find the correct heat for your family. You can put the left over green chilies in a baggie and freeze them for another time.)
- Break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the milk, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Pour the egg mixture over everything in the pan.
- Cover and bake in an oven preheated to 325 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Casserole is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let sit 10 minutes, then cut and serve.
- You can do all except the baking the night before to make it easier in the morning. If you do, let the casserole sit out for about 30 minutes to an hour. The baking time will increase to about 2 hours if you put it in straight from the fridge.
Please Rate This Casserole
My Mouth Is Watering Just Watching
You Can Roast At Home Also
Hatch, NM Chili Festival
© 2009 Kari Poulsen
Comments
I bought my stuffing mix today... I thought the cornbread stuffing might work well with this.
Are the green chilies you are talking about like the Ortega Chili? -- The Ortegas are very mild, but flavorful.
I used to use them in a breakfast crustless quiche with either ham or bacon and cheese. Often served it on Christmas morning.
I'll bet the Stuffing mix makes it very tasty-- I think I will try this when the family comes up next week.
Your interesting article and recipe definitely make me want to explore green chili peppers! I do eat them at times, but only in small quantities. I need to try them in more dishes.
I'm definitely an addict. Green chile is amazing and the best is from hatch. You can buy them at http://hatchnmgreenchile.com for great authentic hatch green chile.
If you are ever passing by pretty much any town in New Mexico Stop at any McDonalds and get yourself a Double Cheese burger and ask them for green chili on it, its one of the best burgers you will ever get for around $1 or you can request it on the side for any breakfast or Dinner Item. Green chili from New Mexico is the Best and you can get it almost anywhere in New Mexico and the best thing is its very healthy you just cannot lose.
Love em'! Great hub k@ri...
Yum! I'm a chili head too! Totally addicted. Fun hub. :)
My stomach growled. I don't think it was from the chillis though...
...but stranger things have happened. ;) Interesting hub, as always kari...but no chilli for me! It just doesn't go well with my strange alien physics.
Great HUb! I love Hot food now and am putting up salsa tomorrow all the Tomatoes are ripening at once
Oh, I didn't tell you? I did that on my way out the other night.
Some friends who live in Vegas were dying to take us to this "authentic" Mexican restraunt there several years ago. We went, only to discover that when they ask you "red or green?" They meant ketchup or relish. We did have fun with the tortilla dough they gave us to play with while we were waiting for our food, though. We ended up having a few 'dough fights' out the car windows on the strip. Pretty sad when that's the excitement of Vegas.
Seriously, k@ri! Tell me how much you want. We planned a trip specifically to go get our own this year. I don't think we're going to DC again this year, but I'll roast, peel and freeze 'em then send them just for you.
Oh, and the wrist was doing great until too much time at Chuck E Cheese last night. I ended up having to take a couple of Demerols last night. Dang Chuck E Cheese!
I'm roasting extra this year just so I can send you a batch of Hatch!!!
Don't forget to wash hands after pick them fresh, before rubbing the nose.....
Excellent hub! I love spicy peppers of all types. I have a whole section in my garden every year where I grow my favs as well as some interesting sounding new ones.
I am a big chili pepper fan too. Here in Texas we have a wide range of choices, all fresh and wonderful. Can't wait to the recipe thanks!!
I need chili on everything but I really like green chili on my chicken tacos
Ahh k@ri, you need to make a trip to India, we're chilli freaks too!
Mmmm, I love chili peppers! You've got my mouth watering!
Here we have padron peppers, very small, green ones. spanish I guess.
In the frying pan with olive oil and salt.... nice!
Its like lottary, ones or hot and others not! lol
Kari,
I can smell them roasting from my computer. Good job. Save a cream cheese filled one for me. ?
I am too much of a wuss for chillis :)
I am only up to a few jalepenos, but I do like those. Great job on this piece. I enjoyed it.
I love green chillies!
Even the very spice ones, I used to eat them at bets!
40