Heather is a mom to three kids, who all love to cook! Together, they are the Kids in the Kitchen with Girl and Her Kitchen, creating food and recipes the whole family will love!

Ahhh … the holidays! Relaxing, sipping tea, gazing at your holiday decorations and just enjoying every blissful moment. Doesn’t this describe the holiday season perfectly? Has anyone actually had a holiday like that since having children? Not me! I love the holidays, but is it relaxing? Not exactly. I love entertaining around the holidays and doing special things for my family, but I am always looking for little shortcuts so I can actually enjoy the holidays (and possibly relax) a little more. Make ahead meals save me, and I love making breakfast the night before to enjoy the next morning. These recipes will help save your sanity, please your family, and are super tasty, too! Who says breakfast food can only be enjoyed in the morning? These dishes also work great for dinner. Hey–it’s the holidays!

Make Ahead Holiday Breakfasts

Sweet

Looking for something sweet? This Blueberry Crumble French Toast Casserole is so good and super easy to make. My kids helped me make it, and as we were doing it together, the thought crossed my mind that they can probably make this all by themselves!

This recipe should be made the night before, and is easily customized to your tastes. You don’t like blueberries? Substitute strawberries or raspberries instead. Want to swap in a few healthier ingredients? Use whole grain bread and whole wheat flour. It is versatile and really delicious, and tastes like it took hours. The buttery crumble topping is by far the best part, but the juicy blueberries in each bite make this dish outstanding.

Blueberry Crumble French Toast Casserole

1 loaf of your favorite bread, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
8 eggs
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
7 tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes

Butter a 13×9 baking pan and assemble bread cubes inside. Scatter blueberries over bread. Whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour over bread. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, gently pressing down on the bread to help it soak up the egg mixture. In a small bowl, mix together streusel ingredients, using your hands if necessary to create a crumbly mixture. Refrigerate in a small covered bowl.

The next morning, take out the casserole and sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Place in the oven and begin to preheat it. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve with fresh blueberries, toasted slivered almonds, syrup and butter.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

These Overnight Cinnamon Rolls will bring cheer to any morning, but especially around the holidays! The buttery cinnamon swirl in each bite of flaky dough will have you wanting to eat more than you probably should. Guess what? It is the holiday season! Calories don’t count. This recipe will wow everyone in your household. Do you like cinnamon rolls that are a little over the top decadent? Slather them with a bit of this rich and creamy cream cheese icing and you will never want a plain old bowl of cereal for breakfast again. The icing can be made the night before too, giving the cinnamon rolls an extra special touch.

Savory

Looking to indulge in cookies later and want to opt for a less sweet dish in the morning? These Easy Egg Cups could not be any … well, easier! Prep, and even bake them the night before to reheat them in the morning. Pop one on a plate with a slice of toast (or a cinnamon roll above!) and enjoy a hot breakfast on any relaxing, lazy morning. These can be made to any taste palette in your family and best yet, you can make them all at the same time because they are made in a muffin pan. Each and every one can be made specifically for each person in your family, which obviously in my family means plain as can be for my kids but filled with every vegetable in the fridge for me!

Easy Egg Cups

12 eggs
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup cooked, crumbled Italian sausage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and seasoning. Add in Italian sausage. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray and divide the egg and sausage mixture evenly among the cups. Top with shredded cheese. Refrigerate overnight, or bake right away at 350 degrees, for 15-20 minutes, making sure eggs are fully set in the middle of each cup. Let cool for 5 minutes and carefully lift each egg cup out with a spoon.

If you are looking for an egg casserole that you can make the night before, Italian Egg Casserole is one of my family’s favorites and it is so delicious. Once you pour the egg mixture on top, you can either pop it in the oven, or refrigerate it overnight and bake it the next morning.

What is better than a no stress breakfast during the holidays? Well, maybe a no stress lunch and dinner, too. A no stress bedtime would be nice. No stress shopping? Well, regardless, you get my point. Start your mornings out right with these sweet and savory make ahead recipes, and your day is sure to be better.

Looking for more great recipes? Check out Girl and Her Kitchen to find holiday recipes and so much more!