When I was growing up, my family lived beside my grandparents.  I had an aunt and uncle that lived about two hours away in the country.  I remember that whenever there was a big snow, though, they were always at our Grandma’s.  I really didn’t think about it much at the time, my cousins and I were having too much fun playing and sledding and being out of school.  But when I got older I realized that they must have heard the forecast and started frantically packing everyone in the car to head to Grandma’s house so they wouldn’t be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no power, no neighbors, and worse yet, no one to play with in the snow.

The most fun was when it got dark and the top of the snow had frozen over and we would sled down the hill behind our house.  We only had one actual sled, so we used the metal Coke signs my father had (from a yard sale, I’m sure) and used them as sleds (we didn’t have any cafeteria trays).  Those things would fly!

When you find you have a houseful of guests snowed in with you for a few days, fix up a hearty Breakfast Casserole to feel them all.  This one that I made recently came from the Whole Foods Market site (I miss you Whole Foods!).  After you put this together the night before, you can go back outside for some more fun in the snow.

Savory Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

from Whole Foods Market

serves 6-8

Ingredients

5 cups (1-inch) cubes sourdough or white bread
1/2 pound loose breakfast sausage, cooked (about 1 cup cooked)
1 cup spinach leaves
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Layer bread, sausage and spinach in an 8-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, salt, pepper and sage then pour over contents in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover dish and bake until cooked through and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes then serve.