Tomato and Sausage Breakfast Strata

 Breakfast Strata with Sausage and Tomato is something I grew up with. My Mom used to make this when I was a child at Christmas. Every Christmas morning she would make this mysterious egg casserole where the eggs had an odd, but delightful, fluffiness to them. I had no idea how she made it, but I loved every bite of it. Now that I have my own grown up self and can make my own food, I can eat this any time!

I did not realize what this mysterious egg casserole was until I watched the movie, The Family Stone, with Sarah Jessica Parker. In one scene, she is making a similar dish for Christmas morning breakfast. She is having a "tiff" with another character, and the unbaked casserole splashes up onto her and she is wearing chunky raw milk and eggs. Yum! It was then that I realized what a classic this dish was. 

Ingredients
4 cups cubed, day-old firm white or french bread (must be crunchy)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups milk
1 package of maple sausage links, cooked and quartered
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 can of Hunts Petite Diced Tomatos
a dash of pepper to taste

Directions
1. Generously spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray

2. Arrange bread cubes and sausage in the dish and sprinkle with the cheese 

3. Beat together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion powder

4. Pour mixture evenly over the cheese, sausage, and bread 

5. Sprinkle with the tomato

6. Cover and chill overnight
7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
8. Bake the casserole uncovered until set about 1 hour - 1 hour and 15 minutes. Tent with foil if it begins to over brown. 
9. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.