Shelly's Recipe

MUSHROOM, BACON AND SWISS BREAKFAST STRATA

Category: Breakfast Casseroles

12 oz ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 7 cups)
2 tbsp butter
2 cups chopped onion
2 (8 oz) pkg presliced mushrooms
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
8 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups egg substitute
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange bread in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bakefor 20 minutes or until toasted. Place bread cubes in a large bowl and turn off oven.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms to pan; saute 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates and vegetables are tender. Add onion mixture to bread; toss well to combine. Arrange half of bread mixture in a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of cheese and half of bacon; top with remaining bread mixture, cheese, and bacon.

Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk. Pour milk mixture over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove strata from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bake strata, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Serves 8