Recipe: Elegant Company Strata

ELEGANT COMPANY STRATA
This the perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch or casual dinner entr e to serve to guests - it can all be done ahead and popped in the oven while you cut up fruit and put the coffee pot on.
Source: recipe has been triple-tested by the Virginia Egg Council Home Economist.

8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch green onions (light green portion), chopped
10 oz. breakfast sausage (links or bulk)
4 roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeded, sliced
16 eggs
1 lb. Asparagus, ends trimmed, stalks cut into 1" pieces, steamed
4 cups milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups grated Fontina cheese (Mozzarella can be used)

Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Place bread cubes in a large bowl.

Cook sausage (crumbled the bulk as you cook, slice the links after cooking).

Drain on paper towels. Add to bread. Whisk together eggs in a blender.

Add eggs and milk to bread in bowl. Add remaining ingredients, reserving 1 cup of cheese - stir until well blended. Transfer to prepared baking dish - cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle top of strata with 1 remaining cup of cheese and bake in preheated 350F oven until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 12-15