The recipe for Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole has all the perfect ingredients for a classic breakfast dish with one secret step for the perfect potatoes! Piper Sandstone is a confident detective who gives herself pep talks and refuses to be intimidated at work or in her personal life.
I have discovered the perfect poolside book series! Karen McSpade’s Piper Sandstone Savory Mystery series is a fast paced set of novellas that you can finish in one afternoon. A cozy mystery set in both Chicago and Savory, Alabama, main character, Piper Sandstone, is a former detective hiding out after a botched undercover job.
Hash Browns and Homicide by Karen McSpade
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
from a cozy mystery:
Hash Browns and Homicide
by Karen McSpade
Book Outline and Tone:
The main character, Piper Sandstone, is a new detective in Chicago. When tasked with an undercover job, she knows this is her chance to prove how valuable she is as a detective. This prequel to the series helps the reader get to know Piper, her hobbies, her personal life, and even her inner thoughts. Since it is a novella, I will not share many details. You can finish this in one sitting and then want to quickly move on to book one.
A few highlights in this release include the allusions to other popular entertainment pieces. See if you can find a reference to the tv shows Brooklyn 99 and Riverdale. There seems to be a reference to the Twilight series too. Making connections from this novel to other fun, contemporary pieces helps to hook you in as the reader. Another device that draws you to keep tapping for the next page is the pacing and they short chapters. Even if you do read this sitting pool side and get distracted by kids or talkative friends, you can easily jump back into the story and finish it in one day.
Hash Browns and Homicide is a free gift from Karen McSpade when you open the Kindle version of book one, Murder and Grits. The remaining books in this series (there are 5 other books) are available on Kindle Unlimited or for sale for $0.99-2.99 each.
The Best Quote:
“I stared right back, in what I hoped was a confident and fiery gaze, Which I may have overdone a bit. Because I had to remind myself to blink.”
Point of View:
The novel is told in first person from main character Piper Sandstone’s perspective
The Author: Karen Mc Spade
I am delighted to report that I discovered this series after seeing author, Karen McSpade, on TikTok talking about her books. Her videos are personable and drew me in, so I just knew her books would too!
Calling Northwest Arkansas home, her bio claims that she has been an active reader since she was a child and briefly tried her hand at breakdancing, influenced by her love of Michael Jackson music. Fortunately for us readers, she eventually began writing. As described in the Goodreads about her section, her books contain characters who are compassionate and strong-willed with a touch of humor added to stories. She is very active on Tiktok. You can also get updates about her books and thoughts on Instagram and Facebook.
What is not to like?:
My only complaint is the length. I find Piper Sandstone’s story intriguing and I need to know more!
The verdict:
As soon as I finished this book, I opened up the next book in this series. Being novellas, McSpade needs to capture our attention quickly and I think she does a fabulous job! I will be finishing this series and reaching for her other work as well.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Assemble the Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Lightly grease a 9X13 baking dish
and then line the bottom with hash browns to make the base. Bake in the oven until lightly browned, approximately 20 mins or until slightly dried.
To get these groceries, I did a pick up order. They accidentally gave me hash browns with chopped bell peppers and onions. Since the recipe called to add chopped pepper and onions, I just used what they gave me.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper, onion, and sausage and cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened.
Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes until spinach is wilted. Set aside and let cool slightly. I put the meat mixture on a plate with paper towels to drain some of the fat.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients
Eggs
whipping cream
cheddar cheese (leaving 1/2 cup cheese and the green onions for topping)
OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set LInk
Salt and Pepper
with the sausage and vegetables and mix until well combined.
Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and green onions.
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until the eggs are completely set.
Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pork breakfast sausage (mild or spicy)
- 12 eggs
- 2 cups spinach chopped
- ¾ cup onion diced
- ¾ cup red pepper diced
- 1 green onion sliced (tops only)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream or 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and another 1/2 cup for topping
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Lightly grease a 9X13 baking dish
- Line the bottom with hash browns to make the base
- Bake in the oven until lightly browned, approximately 20 mins or until slightly dried.Molly's note:[This is the secret to get the potatoes just right and for the casserole to hold together when cut into squares.]
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add red pepper, onion, and sausage and cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened.
- Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes until spinach is wilted. Set aside and let cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. (Lower from 400F)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (leaving 1/2 cup cheese and the green onions for topping) with the sausage and vegetables and mix until well combined.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and green onions.
- Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until the eggs are completely set.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
What would I do differently next time?
I think freshly sliced mushrooms might be a nice addition to the recipe.
So many cozy mystery books have sweet treats for recipes, but there are also some excellent savory recipes. Here are a few of my favorites.
Summer Corn Casserole from Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
Lemon Cornbread from Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs
Asiago, Bacon, and Caramelized Onion Dip from Death of a Wedding Cake Baker by Lee Hollis
Cheesy Polenta with Vegetables from Death with all the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette
