SAUSAGE & VEGGIE BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SHALLOT & CHIVE BOURSIN & CHEDDAR

PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 375°F

SERVINGS: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound ground regular pork breakfast sausage

8 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups cubed bread (such as French bread or sourdough)

1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking)

1 small onion, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup crumbled Boursin cheese (any flavor you like, I used the entire 5.2 oz block of Boursin Shallot & Chive)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, brown the breakfast sausage over medium heat. Once cooked, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and set aside.
• In the same skillet used for the sausage, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell peppers, cooking until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until mushrooms start to brown. If desired, you can cook the mushrooms separately to achieve a deeper brown color while the onions and peppers cook. 
• Add the cherry tomatoes and baby spinach leaves to the skillet, cooking until the spinach wilts slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sausage back to the pan and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Remove the skillet from heat.
• In a large casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, spread the cubed bread over the bottom. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and gently press down to help it absorb the liquid. Next, evenly spread the vegetables and sausage mixture over the top, ensuring they are nestled into the bread and egg mixture.
• Crumble the Boursin cheese over the top of the strata, followed by the shredded cheddar cheese.
• Transfer the casserole dish to the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown.
• Once cooked, remove the casserole dish from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve the strata warm as a main dish for brunch or a hearty side dish for any meal. Enjoy!