By Susan Benton, 30AEats.com
The strata, essentially a savory bread pudding with eggs, sausage, and cheddar cheese, is made the day before, and easily baked on Christmas morning.
Serves 4 to 6 people.
Ingredients:
8 slices bread, preferably an
Italian style deli loaf, cut 1/2 of an inch thick
1 pound plain, sage or hot pork sausage, your preference
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 and 1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of cayenne
Preparation:
Place bread into a 10 by 16 baking pan, sprayed with non-stick spray or rubbed with butter. Brown sausage and drain off any excess fat. Stir in mustard, and spoon sausage evenly over bread. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Combine remaining ingredients (eggs, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce), pour over cheese and sausage.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Note: This is best if made the day before and refrigerated overnight. Warm to room temperature before baking.
Also, a pound of bacon cooked and crumbled, or 2 cups of good ham chopped, can be substituted in the recipe.
