Sausage, Egg and Cheese Strata for Christmas Morning

Continuing our month of family traditions, Meg starts her Christmas morning by baking a sausage, egg and cheese strata.

This year we simplified this festive brunch and adapted it for our slow cookers so that while we’re busy sitting around the tree opening gifts, drinking coffee and enjoying one anothers company, the eggs are fluffing up nicely without requiring any attention.

What’s even simpler is if you put it all together the night before and refrigerate it so that all you have to do is put it on in the morning.

Ingredients

10 slices white bread, cubed
1lb bulk sage sausage is Meg’s family favorite ( Italian Turkey works too) rolled into 1 inch meatballs
12 eggs
4 cups 2% milk
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Spray the insert of your slow cooker with non stick spray. Put the cubed bread into the bottom of your slow cooker.

In a skillet, brown the sausage meat for 2-3 minutes and add it to the bread in your slow cooker. (If you are choosing to prepare this the night before and refrigerate, do NOT brown the sausage.)

Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar over the bread and sausage mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and add the milk, mustard, basil and pepper. Pour over the bread, sausage and cheese mixture. Using the whisk, push the bread firmly into the egg and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Cheddar over the top.

Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Once cooked, serve immediately or remove the lid and brown the top under the grill.

We ate this for brunch recently served with grainy mustard and dressed salad leaves. On Christmas morning, Meg suggests a big bowl of fruit and coffee cake.

Zen Moment

 “Traditions are the guideposts driven deep in our subconscious minds. The most powerful ones are those we can’t even describe, aren’t even aware of.”

-Ellen Goodman