Overnight Breakfast Casserole - Savoury Bread and Butter Pudding

Overnight Breakfast Casserole makes a nice change from the usual breakfast fare, and it can be assembled the evening before. Making an Overnight Breakfast Casserole means you can be a guest at your own breakfast!

I love getting all the mess out of the way the night before. Just take the casserole out of the refrigerator an hour before baking, preheat the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes. To make 8 servings, just double all ingredients and use a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

I came up with this for my latest Limey Day (and before you get your knickers in a twist, I am not using the term "Limey Day" in a pejorative way--one of the husbands, a bit of an Anglophile himself, came up with it). It's the day every three months when three of us (sometimes we invite a fourth) get together for a day of British films and television. And we do make a day of it, going from 10:30 am to about 6:30 pm.

Of course, all that viewing time is broken up by lots of chinwags and food. I always try to have a British theme for the food. Like this Shepherd's Pie. Tea and scones, of course. I was in charge of breakfast this time and thought, "How can I have a British-themed breakfast without standing at the stove doing the Full English?" Answer: a savoury bread and butter pudding!

Overnight Breakfast Casserole - Savoury Bread and Butter Pudding

(Makes 4 servings)

10 to 12 ounces hearty white bread (such as Italian, a few days old is best)
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

8 ounces bulk sausage, browned and drained (or 8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips and cooked crisp)
2/3 cup lightly squeezed and drained diced tomatoes (or same amount of sauteed diced red bell pepper)

1/2 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

1 1/2 packed cups (about 6 ounces) coarsely shredded cheddar

5 large eggs

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 crushed red pepper flakes

Note: If making more than an hour or two ahead, it is especially important to use a sturdy bread, such as an unsliced round Italian loaf. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 3/4-inch slices, arrange on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 10 minutes on each side to dry it out a bit. Cool before buttering and cutting.

1 Spread the bread slices on one side with softened butter. Stack and cut into about 1-inch squares.

2 In 1-quart bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper, marjoram and red pepper flakes.

3 Butter an 8x8x2-inch baking dish (a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, if doubling the recipe).

4 Put a third of the buttered bread cubes in the casserole. Sprinkle with a third of the sausage or bacon, tomatoes, chiles and cheese. Pour on a third of the egg mixture. Repeat twice. Press it down evenly, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5 Take casserole out of refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake casserole at 350 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.