Christmas Strata: a Photo Essay

We have this every Christmas morning, occasionally for Easter brunch or house party breakfast, but typically it's a Christmas thing. (Download with only 1 image at Google Docs.)

Ingredients
• 12 slices bread (I use multi-grain)
• 6 eggs
• 1 lb. bulk sausage (not shown)
• ½ stick unsalted butter (don't melt it yet)
• 2 c. shredded cheese (lowfat okay; don't use fat-free)
• 1 can evaporated skim milk
• ¼ t. dry/ground mustard
• ½ t. salt

Also: 9"x13" glass baking dish, large mixing bowl

Brown the sausage and break it up well. While it's cooking, follow the next few steps.

Note: you can use other meats, or go meat-free, but may need to adjust the amount of butter used. The original recipe called for ¾-1 stick of butter, plus the amount used to butter the dish, but we've found that it's far too much when using sausage.

Butter the dish using the amount set aside for the casserole, then melt the remainder.

(I've used this same casserole pan for at least ten Christmases.)

Cube the bread & toss it into the large mixing bowl.

(I just got this bowl, and love it!)

Drain the sausage and add it and the cheese to the bread.

Toss the bread, cheese and sausage.

I use my hands because it's not nearly as messy as an upcoming step.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add evaporated milk, salt and mustard; mix well.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture.

Thoroughly mix.

Wow, that is a very unflattering angle for my hand (which is fat, but not really shaped like that).

Dump mixture into buttered pan and pat mixture into corners.

Then, wash your hands.

Pour butter over assembled strata, then cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, or at least several hours later, preheat oven to 325º and bake for one hour.

We usually serve it with canned peaches. Not sure why... we just always have.