This croque monsieur casserole has all of the elements of the amazing sandwich in a yummy croissant based casserole that works any time of day!
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 8 whole croissants diced into small chunks
- 1/4 pound deli ham diced small
- 5 whole eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 teaspoon herbs de provence
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ounces freshly grated gruyere cheese
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First, make the béchamel sauce. Get a small sauce pan on the stove and start to melt the butter in it over medium high heat. Whisk in the flour until you have a golden brown, thick roux. Slowly pour in the milk while you keep whisking. Add in the salt, then let the sauce gently simmer on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, whisking it occasionally, until it is thick and luscious. While it cooks, start to assemble the casserole. Get out a 9 x 13 baking pan and spray it well with cooking spray.
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Lay out the chopped croissants in an even layer on the bottom, followed by the ham. Spread the finished béchamel on top of that in a thin layer. Then whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, herbs de provence and garlic powder together in a bowl. Pour it over everything and gently press down the casserole so that the egg mixture really soaks into it. Finally, sprinkle the gruyere evenly over the top. Cover it and put it in the refrigerator to develop flavor for at least an hour or up to overnight. When you are ready to bake it, pre-heat the oven to 350. Bake the casserole uncovered for about 45 minutes, until it is set and the gruyere is almost brown and crispy. Cut it into 6 large squares or even 12 small squares. Serve and enjoy!