Just recently, someone said to me that the hash brown bake that I once did on Food in a Minute saved their life when they were a university student. I recalled the recipe with great fondness and also because I had just added it to my son's cookbook - a book I hand wrote for him to go flatting with. I have added some milk or cream to the egg mixture that adorns the top of the bake, but you can omit it if wished.

Ingredients

• 4-5 frozen hash browns
• 400 gram can baked beans
• 4-6 eggs
• 1/2 - 1 cup grated cheese
• 1/2 cup milk or cream, optional
• 2-4 slices bacon, diced (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
2. Place the hash browns in one layer, or just slightly overlapping 6 cup-capacity oven-proof dish such as a lasagna dish or an enamel dish. Spread the baked beans on top and then scatter over half the grated cheese.
3. Beat the eggs together with a good seasoning of salt and pepper, adding the milk or cream if using. Pour on top of the baked beans. Scatter over the remaining cheese and bacon if using.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes until the bake is well-risen, the centre is firm a it has a lovely golden crust.