Memories of Christmas Breakfast Strata (and a Recipe)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

I am not exactly sure what most people eat for breakfast on Christmas morning. There is often a lot of talk about dinner: roasts and hams, traditional side dishes, and glittering desserts. But the day has to start somehow; you can’t dig through stockings and unwrap presents on an empty stomach. And it’s Christmas, so it better be special. That means no bowls of cold cereal or skimpy slices of toast.

Ingredients

6 slices bread, preferably a dense Italian style loaf, cut 3/4-inch thick
1 pound pork sausage
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 ample cup shredded cheddar cheese (it's Christmas, go big with the cheese!)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Trim crust from bread and fit it into the bottom of a 10 by 16-inch baking pan. Brown sausage and drain off any excess fat. Stir mustard into sausage. Spoon sausage evenly over bread, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Combine remaining ingredients (eggs, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce) and then pour over cheese and sausage.
Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
This can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator. Allow extra time for baking if it has been refrigerated.