Recipe(tried): Hash Brown Casserole

This is an excellent breakfast casserole. I made it last week to take to a work potluck, and people were asking me for the recipe for two days.

Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

2 24-oz pkgs frozen hash browns, thawed
1/2 cup melted butter
12 oz hot pepper cheese, shredded
12 oz swiss cheese, shredded
12-16 oz cooked ham, diced
8 eggs
1-1/4 cup milk
1 tsp seasoned salt

Grease 9x13 glass baking dish. Thaw hash browns on paper towels on cookie sheet in oven at very low temperature, until defrosted. If you leave them in the oven for a while, they will dry out pretty well. Otherwise, press between layers of paper towels to get out excess moisture.

Turn oven heat up to 450 degrees. Press dry hashbrowns into 9x13 dish, including up sides, to form a solid crust. Brush with melted butter - brush top edges, too. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

Remove crust from oven and fill with layers of cheese and ham. Beat milk with eggs and seasoned salt. Pour over cheese and ham. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Slice into squares and serve warm.

NOTE: This recipe can easily be adapted to your taste. Sometimes I use Swiss and jack cheese and add diced green chile peppers; sometimes I use 3-4 slices of cooked bacon, cut into pieces; salt and pepper instead of seasoned salt, etc. Anything that you would put in an omelet would taste great in this casserole.