Egg and Bacon Strata

This was added this year for Christmas Morning. The great thing about it is it makes a huge dish and is great re-heated. The substance of the egg, bread and bacon makes it very filling. Add a hashbrown casserole (and maybe some bubble bread like I did) and you have enough breakfast to serve a three teenage boys or a small army!

4 cups ½” cubes hearty white bread
2 cups (6 oz) shredded mild cheddar cheese
½ cup finely chopped onion
8 large eggs
¾ cup half and half
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
6 thick cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12X9X2 baking dish.

In a large bowl, toss bread cubes, cheese and onion together, and then arrange this mixture evenly in baking casserole. In the same bowl, beat the eggs, half and half, mustard, salt and pepper to blend. Pour egg mixture over the bread cubes. Sprinkle the bacon on top. Bake until knife inserted into the center of the strata comes out clean. About 25 minutes.