Easy like Sunday morning

It's nice to be able to wake up in the morning and pop breakfast in the oven without all the prep work.  Especially when you're having guests over.  It frees up time to enjoy your coffee, set the table, make a nice fruit salad, mix some mimosas...

A strata is great because, like a frittata or omelette, you can use whatever you have on hand and it'll work.  That's what prompted me to make an Italian strata this past weekend.  Zucchini, sausage, peppers...the combination was delicious.

Make-ahead Italian Strata
1 pound Italian sausage
8 eggs
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 loaf french bread, cubed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
8 scallions, chopped

Spray a 9x13 pan.  Cook sausage in a skillet until brown.  Remove from skillet and chop into bite size pieces.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and spices together.  Add bread and mix so all pieces are soaked in egg mixture.  Add sausage, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and vegetables.

Pour mixture into pan and top with remaining cheese.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to bake, uncover, and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife cleanly comes out of center of pan.  Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Serves 12.

Linked to: Mangia Mondays
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