Terry's Breakfast Strata

Terry’s made this for many family occasions over the years, most notably at the brunch the day after Carson and Derek’s wedding -- 50 people squeezed into our City Front condo.

ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. bulk pork sausage
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 large loaf day-old Italian bread, cut into 18-20 slices, crusts removed 1-1/2 cups grated swiss or cheddar cheese

directions

1
Butter a 2-1/2 quart casserole. In a heavy skillet brown the sausage for about five minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook for five minutes more, stirring frequently. Set aside.
2
In a large bowl combine the eggs and milk. Butter the bread slices. Place a layer of the bread slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with half the sausage mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat another layer of bread, the other half of the sausage, and another 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with a third layer of bread. Slowly pour the milk and egg mixture over the top and sprinkle with the last 1/2 cup of cheese. Let the strata stand for at least an hour, but preferably cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
3
Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven to catch any drips and bake the strate until the top is nicely browned and bubbly, about one hour.

Source: Terry