| 1 | Cut the bacon slices into square pieces. |
| 2 | Fry the pieces until well-cooked, then drain on paper towels. |
| 3 | Peel the potatoes, then grate them. |
| 4 | To prevent the grated potatoes from discoloring while you prepare the other ingredients, you can put them into a bowl of cold water. |
| 5 | When you"re ready to use them, be sure to drain well and squeeze them dry. |
| 6 | Grate the cheese. |
| 7 | Mince the onion. |
| 8 | Butter a 9x13 inch shallow baking dish. |
| 9 | Preheat the oven to 350 °F. |
| 10 | Beat the eggs in a large bowl. |
| 11 | Add all the other ingredients and stir. |
| 12 | Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked. |
| 13 | Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. |
| 14 | Notes: * a brunch casserole with potatoes, eggs, bacon and cheese -- this is a very easy brunch dish, similar to a fritatta in texture, but full of traditional breakfast ingredients. |
| 15 | The recipe comes from a cookbook published by the _contra costa (california) times_ newspaper, called "tastes of the times." yield: serves 4-* it really does make a difference if you use good meaty bacon for this. |
| 16 | I find the best bacon at my local butcher shop. |
| 17 | * you can prepare part of this ahead. |
| 18 | I think egg dishes are better if they haven"t been refrigerated. |
| 19 | So if you want to work ahead, you can cook the bacon, grate the cheese and potatoes and mince the onion the night before. |
| 20 | Store all these things separately in the refrigerator, covering the potatoes with water. |
| 21 | Then in the morning just mix it all up and bake it. |
| 22 | : difficulty: moderate (tedious). |
| 23 | : time: 30 minutes preparation, 1 hour baking and cooling. |
| 24 | : precision: approximate measurement ok. |
