Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Submitted by Rebecca Thompson

(Make ahead!)

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Original recipe sausage
8 large eggs
1 24 oz. loaf of good, dense white bread, cubed
2/3 cup half and half
1 ½ cups milk
Maple Syrup
2 tsp. Mulling Spice
¼ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp good vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
Butter for baking pan

Place package of cream cheese in freezer for about 15 minutes, or while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the casserole (makes it easier to cut). Brush sides and bottom of 11x13” baking pan generously with butter. Slice bread into cubes and set aside. Brown sausage and drain well; set aside. In a med. bowl, beat egg until well blended. Add cinnamon, milk, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla and 1 tsp of the mulling spice. Whisk together and then add about 3 Tbsp. of maple syrup. Whisk again. Place half of the bread cubes into your prepared pan followed by half of the sausage. Remove the cream cheese from the freezer and cube it into ½ inch cubes. Dot the bread and sausage in the pan with cream cheese, then add another layer of the rest of the bread, sausage and cream cheese. Give a final whisk to your wet ingredients and pour it over the entire pan, making sure you get the edges well. Press the bread cubes into the pan so that you can see there is custard in each bit of bread. Cover with plastic and set in refrigerator for 2 – 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and bake in a *350 preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. For serving, heat 2 C. maple syrup, stir in remaining 1 tsp. of Mulling Spice and enjoy!