Superb and a Christmas tradition across Canada. Make it the day before and then simply pop it in the oven in the morning.
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Ingredients
- 16 slices white bread, crusts removed
- 16 slices Canadian back bacon or ham
- 16 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 mL
- 1/2-1 tsp. dry mustard 2-5 mL
- 1/4 cup minced onion 60 mL
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper 60mL
- 1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 5-10 mL
- 3 cups milk 750 mL
- dash Tabasco
- 1/2 cup butter 125 mL
- Special K or crushed Corn Flakes
Instructions
- Set 8 pieces of bread into a 9″ x 13″ (23 x 33 cm) buttered, glass baking dish.
- Cover bread with slices of back bacon. Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of bacon and then cover with remaining slices of bread to make it like a sandwich.
- In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in fridge overnight.
- In the morning, melt butter, pour over top. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes.
- Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350 deg.F (180 deg.C). Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Serve this with fresh fruit and hot cinnamon rolls.
The Best of Bridge https://www.bestofbridge.com/
What would you suggest as a substitute for Worchestershire? I have a guest who is allergic to seafood.
Hi Betty! you can leave out the Worcestershire, no problem!
Vegan Worcestershire is delicious. I prefer it to the regular Worcestershire, now.
What best of bridge has wife saver casserole
Hey Shar! It’s in Enjoy! (page 33) Holiday Classics and The Best of the Best and More!
Can you freeze the uncooked wife safer
No. Cook then freeze.
Can you make ahead 48hrs.
Refrigerate it for 48 hours? It should work fine – or bake, then refrigerate and reheat (add crumbs on top for the reheat).
I don’t see why not! ^JVR
Unfortunately this was a disaster for me. Even after one hour of baking it was soggy and wet. Cooked a bit longer, let it sit out for ten minutes, and it was still just a soggy, unpleasant looking mess..
Had company in to share it with so it was very embarrassing.
Would not make again….
So sorry it didn’t work out for you! I always make sure I use sturdy, days-old bread to ensure it has a good texture. ^JVR
Must use whole milk …my mom tried with low fat one year and had the same result.
I made this too, for this Christmas morning. I had to cook it for two hours and turn up the heat. I knew it was finally cooking as the eggs puffed up.
This recipe is amazing but I feel the cooking temperature and cooking times are way off.
My mom used to make this for me when I was I child so I remember how good it tasted and didn’t give up on it.
Mine would have been a soggy mess if I didn’t cook it for……forever!!
Luckily I didn’t have any company over and my family was ok with waiting.
Can you cook and the freeze it ?
Generally once baked things don’t freeze quite as well – but I’d think it would work – you’d need to thaw and bake it again to warm it through anyway though – I’d suggest freezing it unbaked, then baking it from frozen, adding about 15 minutes to the cooking time. And add the crushed Corn Flakes on top just before baking! ^JVR
Savoury cheddar biscuits in That’s Trump – no baking powder in the recipe, will they rise without baking powder?
Interesting – we’ll look into that! Yes, there should be baking powder in biscuits! I generally go for about 1 tsp. BP per 1 cup of flour. ^JVR
My mom’s wife saver recipe from 25 years ago, says to mix the crushed cereal with the butter. Pouring the butter on alone makes no sense and is disgusting. Her recipe is also 8 eggs to the three cups of milk, which would certainly help solve the issue of the soggy mess. I always use fresh wholewheat/wholegrain bread. Tthis Freezes well after baking in pieces for leftover use, but not for serving to friends. And my mother s best advice? For goodness sake, do not try anything for the first time when guests are coming. And soya Sauce can be subbed in for the worcestershire sauce
Everyone seems to do it their own way!
I knew soon as I saw cereal with no melted butter , just pour butter on the bread, it wasn’t right. The cereal needs to be coated with butter then baked and 8 eggs is the original recipe Now I have to take this off my page and find proper one.
It is correct that you pour the butter on the bread, then put the corn flakes on the top. I’ve made this for 30 years and it may seem odd, but it’s correct and delicious. The butter takes care of the cereal crisping up as it bakes.
can you make and freeze the wife saver breakfast
Hi Debbie,
Yes you can…. just be sure to wrap it tightly to prevent any freezer burn. Then the morning of, once it’s defrosted pour butter over the top and cover with the cereal. This prevents the topping from getting soggy.
This is now a tradition in our house at Christmas. The kids love it.
White bread (eg. wonder bread) is essential IMHO as it puffs up beautifully as the dish cooks. Tried a ‘healthy’ version one year with multigrain bread and it was voted a failure due to the texture.
I cook the peameal bacon gently (not crisp) and chop it up for easier serving.
I pour half of the egg/milk mixture over the first layer before adding the second layer of bread.
I also cover the dish in plastic wrap, place a piece of cardboard (cut to fit) on top of the plastic wrap and then add weights on top (e.g. chicken stock tetra packs or cans) to evenly soak the bread overnight.
So glad to hear we’re a part of your holiday tradition! 🙂
I have made the original recipe every year for Christmas Morning for about 20 years. As we are a small household, and don’t want to eat it for days, I make half the recipe and use an 8″x8″ pan, filling all the nooks and crannies with bread. I love this breakfast casserole.
Great idea – so glad to be part of your Christmas tradition!
I first started making this for residents in a multi-level care facility I worked in a dozen years ago and have made it for my family and friends every year since. It is a Christmas tradition at my home and everyone looks forward to it.
So great to hear Kelly!
This recipe is the cats meow, it’s a Christmas morning tradition every year we cannot wait till then so we suck another making at Easter..
I made this so often and when I made it first time yes it was soggy but it’s supposed to me like that , if you follow the ingredients let sit over night, en I always use special k and then I put the melted butter all over put in oven for 1 hour at 350 and it’s perfect every time. You need to let cool down a bit . I also use all colors of peppers to give color.. It’s actually one of my favourite foods..
There is a suggestion above by the B of B Editor to freeze the Wifesaver unbaked, and then baking it from frozen, adding 15 min cooking time. I’m wondering if anyone has tried that and how it worked out? I need to transport this in a cooler for 8 hrs before baking it, so the idea of freezing it appeals.
Yes you can…. just be sure to wrap it tightly to prevent any freezer burn. Then the morning of, once it’s defrosted pour butter over the top and cover with the cereal. This prevents the topping from getting soggy.
Xmas morning wife saver recipe
Can you make this recipe and bake it right away!
You can make it soon after assembly, but let the bread soak up the egg for at least half an hour for best results.
What could I use for dairy allergy??????
Hi Dan,
You can try using any dairy substitutes for this recipe – there are many options at the grocery store. Examples are soy-based and nut-based cheeses, soy or coconut based butter and soy, nut and rice milks. Happy baking!
Do you bake it covered or uncovered
Hi Linda,
The Christmas Morning Wife Saver is baked uncovered. Enjoy!
Oops sorry – that is stated in the recipe. Made it last night – yum! Baked it in a metal pan, as opposed to glass. What would be the difference?
Hi Linda, for this recipe, baking in a glass dish would help the casserole to bake more evenly, plus it keeps the food warmer once it comes out of the oven. As you have experienced, the casserole baked in the metal pan still tastes great!
Can you use sourdough bread for this recipe?
Hi Debbie, yes, you can substitute with sourdough bread. It will taste delicious, but the texture of the casserole will be a little denser. Enjoy!
Can this be made in aluminum pans? Making for a crowd and I don’t have enough glass pans.
Hi Brenda,
Sounds like fun to be cooking for a crowd 🙂 Yes, the casserole can be prepared in a greased or parchment lined pan. The aluminum pan might cook a touch faster as it heats up quicker than pyrex. Just keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
I use Crushed BBQ chips on top instead of cornflakes, tastes delicious
I cooked this recipe this morning in an aluminum pan and it turned our better than it ever has in a Pyrex dish for me! I also swamped the dry mustard for Dijon mustard and added a bit of salt and chili flakes. My husband has been eating this Wife Saver every Christmas morning since he was a boy and said this is the best one he’s ever had .
Perhaps a silly question but are you supposed to cook the bacon before assembling and baking?
Hi Kara, we are happy to clarify. Canadian back bacon is generally sold in a cooked form, so you do not have to cook before assembling in our recipe. To be on the safe side, check the package label to be sure. Enjoy!
This recipe has become a Christmas tradition – love it! Would it taste ok if I substituted coconut milk or almond milk instead of whole milk?
Hi Lynn, so glad this classic is a tradition at your home. As we have not tested this recipe with alternative milks, we can only tell you our best “prediction”. The recipe asks for 3 cups of milk, we think that you might try one 14 oz/400 mL can of coconut milk and make up the rest of the difference with almond milk so the flavor is more neutral. Let us know how this works out!
We did it with almond milk and we like it!
Hi Carmen – that’s fantastic – thanks for letting us know!
Forget the Corn Flakes………….Special K !!! So much better !..or so my wife says…and me too !
Forget the corn flakes………..Special K…!!
Can it be made two days in advance before baking?
Thank You
Irene
Hi Irene, yes, you can make this 2 days ahead, just leave the topping to be added just before baking. Enjoy.
Hello
I love this breakfast/brunch. I would like to offer it up soon with a gluten, dairy and soy free option. We have gf vegan Worcestershire and the earlier comments on dairy are helpful. My question is the gluten free. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Hello Drina, we’re happy that you love our classic breakfast casserole! it’s easy to create a gluten free version: swap the bread with gluten free bread, use crisp flake-style gluten free cereal such as ones made with rice, quinoa, millet or amaranth.
This is one of my favorite dishes any time of year…but I do wonder if you would consider changing the name from “Wife Saver” to “Life Saver”? Might be a better choice…
Hello! Yes, you can freeze it unbaked and add the topping just before baking, so it will be nicely crisp. You can also freeze the baked casserole. For both methods, cover the casserole with plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Place in a freezer bag for extra protection (if you have one that is large enough). Label and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking/reheating. Enjoy!