CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Like most stratas (layered egg brunch dishes), this one is better made the night before and baked in the morning. If you’re in a hurry, go ahead and throw it in the oven without the chilling. You can easily sub chopped ham for the cooked bacon or add cooked mushrooms or asparagus to the bell peppers. Look through the recipe before making; you’ll need to cook the bacon, onions, and garlic before combining the rest of the ingredients. If you fry the bacon first, you can then pour out most of the fat and cook the onions and garlic in the same pan.

6-8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon fried very crispy and chopped
1 small yellow onion -- chopped and sautéed
1 clove garlic -- minced and sautéed a minute with the onion
6 eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper--optional
6 slices good quality white sandwich bread or rustic loaf, cubed (somewhat stale is fine)
2 cups grated pepper jack cheese (can use jalapeño jack or sharp white Cheddar or Gouda)
3/4 cup diced red and green bell peppers-can sub jalapeño or poblanos for the green bell peppers--to be added on top just before baking

Instructions

Set aside the cooked bacon, onions and garlic. Beat eggs alone in a large bowl and then beat in milk, mustard, salt, black and crushed red pepper. Stir in the cubed bread, cheese, and the reserved onions, garlic, and bacon. (You'll add the bell peppers later.) Mix well. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight if possible.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove casserole from fridge and top with bell peppers. Grate a little more black pepper over the top of the egg mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until firm and crispy brown at edges. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 5 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold. Reheats well in the microwave or in hot oiled skillet, covered.

Notes

This casserole goes from spicy to mild depending on whether you add crushed red pepper, pepper jack cheese, and jalapeño on top or choose to go with the milder options like skipping the crushed red pepper and using Cheddar cheese with all sweet bell peppers on top.