Here's a recipe I make every Christmas Eve. You need to make it the day before and refrigerate at least 8 hours so the milk, bread and eggs all jive together. TIP: It takes an hour and a half to bake...so even before you brush your teeth that next morning, preheat the oven!
Pictures follow...
Ingredients:
8 eggs, 1 small loaf white bread (get a nice dense white bread--I used a buttermilk bread), 2 teasp. Dry Coleman's Mustard, 4 cups milk, 2 cups shredded cheese, 8 slices bacon (or 1-1/2 lbs. sausage Joe and Dan... :) 1 teasp. salt and 1 large (aprox.) 10" x 13" oven proof casserole dish.
Cook the bacon, drain well, blot and crumble into bite-size pieces (you can always leave out the bacon/sausage if you are vegetarian---what's a good substitute is a couple tablespoons of canned diced mild green chilies)
Toast the bread slices and cut into small squares.
Add the 2 Teasp. of Dry Colemans Mustard to the eggs. (My picture shows only 4 eggs but I doubled the recipe to 8 eggs after I took these pics)
Add the milk and salt to the eggs...
Whisk it all together...
Put all the cut up bread cubes & crumbled bacon in a lightly buttered casserole dish. Add the shredded cheese.
Gradually pour the egg/milk mixture over the top of the bread---try and cover all the bread so it's well soaked. You should be able to see the egg milk mixture float up around the sides of the casserole dish.
Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. In the morning Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keep the foil cover on the casserole and bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the foil, lower the temp to 325 degrees and cook an additional 30 minutes, or until set.
Well, that's it! (Joe...feel free to let Mr. Hand elaborate on this one if you'd like.)
P.S. If it's too late for this Christmas, then you should try it for New Years Day...it tastes great "The Morning After" hint, hint... I've also put a mixture of different white breads in this casserole. I usually love to add some sourdough bread, but I was out. :( I've also thrown in some toasted cut up english muffins etc. I wouldn't recommend using wheat breads or darker type breads, just because they add too much of a "different" flavor to this dish. I hope you get a chance to try this sometime!
Have a wonderful Holiday Eve--XOXO,
Lori
Wow that looks really tasty! I'm going to try that. And you also gave Mr. Hand such a great idea.
Thank you.
-Joe
Posted by: Joe on December 24, 2003 04:54 PMHey! I make that same casserole! Except I use chopped ham instead of bacon or sausage. I used to bring it to breakfast meetings -- everyone digs it. :)
Merry Christmas to you and Kip! :)
Posted by: Jen on December 24, 2003 05:45 PMI loved the step-by-step pics! And Sylvester really adds to the whole cooking process. ;~) You're so cute, Lori. I have a recipe like this too. It has a German name like Stratta? I make mine with sausage. I love sourdough bread and will have to try that next time...New Years Day sounds like a plan.
I added the wreath to my site with your link. :~)
Have a great Christmas to both you and Kip!
Posted by: Ann on December 24, 2003 09:09 PMMerry Christmas Lolo and Kip! Yummy looking recipe Scott might just propose to me again if I make him this on New Years =D Thanks you rock
Posted by: erikie parikie on December 24, 2003 10:39 PMjoe, i knew mr hand would see this and would want to muck it up. miss lori, don't let mr hand near this recipe! it looks too darned good, and i wish i had seen it last night! ah well, we will make it for boxing day morning, methinks.
merry christmas to you & kip, and lots of wonderful blessings your way for the new year!
xoxo,
-a
I'll have to put this one on my list! The boys are planning a sleepover for New Year's Eve.
Thanks, Lolo!
Posted by: dan on December 25, 2003 09:48 PMHey!!!! me tooo, me toooo, I make the same casserole.......but, use Italian/French bread instead and also put in ham and some green and red peppers. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm good!!!
I see that we all have very good taste here.........
Anyone for French Onion Soup!!!! I gotta make some for 18 hungry folks coming over saturday.........I'll be crying my eyes out for days.
Posted by: Edee on December 26, 2003 06:41 AMYikes Edee, 18 people? Good luck with the soup! I've heard that if you sing while you are cutting up onions you won't cry??
Lolo
Well then.........put your ear to the wind, and you will hear me singing some old french songs..................then again, singing a french song might not make me tooooo popular these days........but, from past experience no one ever refuses my French Onion Soup........
I'm off to peel 15lbs of onions......lalalalalalalal do re me.....oui oui.
Posted by: Edee on December 27, 2003 04:16 AM