Baked Egg and Potato Casserole

Our daycare had "Breakfast with Santa" just before Christmas, and served this dish.  It's fantasatic!  Great variation on an egg bake!  I've made it twice now, and wonder if it could be made with 1/2 the cheese and egg-substitute to lighten it up a bit.  Some expiramenting will be done with this one, for sure!

• 10 oz. frozen shredded hash browns
• 9 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 oz (2 cups) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup whipping cream or half and half
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper (which I left out - gross!)
• 1 lb sausage, ham or bacon (I had ham at Sharon's house, made it with bacon once and once without meat at all.  I think the ham was my favorite)

Spray bottom and sides of 9x12x2" baking dish with vegetable spray.  Line bottom of pan with hash browns.  Crack eggs on top of hash browns and break yolks (do not scramble).  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then half the cheese.  Pour cream over layers in pan.  Sprinkle with onion, green pepper, meat and remaining cheese.  (Optionally, cover; refrigerate overnight. I didn't do this either time and it was fine).  Heat oven to 350 F.  Bake about 40 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes, cut into 8-12 slices and serve.