Basic Breakfast Strata

Ingredients:
-- 1 1/2 lbs. bulk sausage
-- 2 c. sliced mushrooms
-- 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
-- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
-- 2 c. milk
-- 1 large loaf day-old bread, cut into 18-20 slices, crusts removed, buttered if desired
-- 1 1/2 c. grated Swiss or Cheddar cheese

Butter a 2 1/2 quart souffle dish or casserole. Heat a large, heavy skillet over med.-high heat and add sausage. Brown the sausage for 5 mins., breaking it up with a fork as it cooks. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook for 5 mins., stirring frequently. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs and milk.

Layer 1/3 of the bread in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the sausage mix and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of bread, the other half of sausage, and another 1/2 c. of cheese. Cover with a third layer of bread. Slowly pour the egg mix over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let strata stand for at least 1 hour or cover and refridgerate for up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Set a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven to catch any drips and bake the strata until the top is nicely browned and bubbly, about 1 hour.

Serves 6-8

[taken from Joy of Cooking: All About Breakfast & Brunch by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker]