Breakfast Casserole

September 2, 8:40 PMDenver Food ExaminerAndrea Spikes

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I just spent the last nine days holed up in a vacation home deep in the mountains. Of course, the place wasn't exactly rustic and had all the comforts of home like a kitchen and several bathrooms. That's my kind of wilderness experience!

Sunday morning, I decided to cook this up for the four of us, and we ate the leftovers over the next two days. The layers of flavor come from bread, eggs, milk and sausage. If you can't find turkey sausage, use pork and strain the cooked sausage as well as you can.

This recipe is from Eating Well Magazine and is designed to feed 12 hungry mountaineers. A fruit salad balances the richness of the dish.

Sausage Strata

1/2 pound turkey breakfast sausage, casing removed
2 medium onions, chopped (2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (1 1/2 cups)
12 large eggs
4 cups 1% milk
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
6 cups cubed, whole-wheat country bread (about 7 slices, crusts removed)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese (4 ounces)

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Add onions and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl until blended.
4. Spread bread in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the sausage and the onion mixture evenly over the bread. Brush with mustard. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour in the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight (which I highly recommend).
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the casserole uncovered until puffed, lightly browned and set in the center, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving hot.