The Salvation Army Breakfast Casserole

By Ruth Carey

Westminster women got started with the casseroles in the late 1900s. We volunteers would bake the casseroles at home and then – casseroles in hand, we would gather at an appointed place, climb in the back of a truck, and deliver them to designated areas, neighborhoods, or buildings at 5:00 in the morning. Husbands joined in at this point.

It was soon determined that lay people should not be going into these private places. It was decided that drivers for the Salvation Army would pick up the casseroles at churches. John Phillips, a member of Westminster, was on the Salvation Army Board at this time, and his wife, Louise, was involved with the women’s organization. They decided to ask PW and anyone else who was interested, to help bake all 40 of our casseroles at church, and the Salvation Army driver would pick them up. Then they were frozen for future use. Each casserole feeds 10 people and, as of July 2003, 75 casseroles fed 750 people every time the truck went out, which was at least twice a week.

Our first baking crew (pictured above) was comprised of Louise Phillips, chair, Doris Wiebold, Doris Troxel, Elsie Meeker, Mildred Hill, Betty Reichenbacher and Vivian Thatcher. After that, Vivian Thatcher became chair with Joyce Miller, Jeanette Brown, Linda Shelley, Eleanor Knee and Ruth Carey. The new co-chairs are Bob and Linda Railey, who by themselves have prepared and baked 40 casseroles every month during the pandemic! Amazing!

Below is the recipe – try it!

Casserole Recipe for Salvation Army Homeless Feeding Program

• 1 – 9” x 11” disposable aluminum pan greased or sprayed with Pam spray.

• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

• 1 lb. sausage or Italian sausage or hamburger, crumbled and browned or ¾ lb. (2 cups) chopped ham

• 4 eggs

• 2 cups milk

• 1 cup Bisquick mix

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• Salt to taste (use less salt if you use ham)

• 1 tablespoon Taco seasoning (optional)

• Paprika – very lightly as it burns and turns black

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place meat and cheese in the greased disposable pan

3. Combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and biscuit mix in blender; blend one minute on high.

4. Pour this mixture over meat and cheese. Sprinkle with paprika.

5. Bake at 350 degrees (convection oven or regular oven) for 34 to 40 minutes or until the casserole is firm in the middle. Baking time may need to be lengthened if you are baking more than one casserole at a time.

6. After cooling, wrap in aluminum foil and freeze.