Southwest Breakfast Strata
Recipe Originated From: America's Test Kitchen
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3/4 Supermarket French Bread - Cut Into 1/2" Pieces (12 Cups - 12 Ounces)
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12 Ounces Reduced Fat Jimmy Dean Sausage
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1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
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1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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1 Large Yellow Onion - Finely Diced
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1 Red Bell Pepper - Ribs/Seeds Removed & Finely Diced
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1 Large Jalapeno - Half the Seeds Removed & Finely Diced
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2 Large Garlic Cloves - Minced
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1 Tablespoon Thyme - Finely Chopped
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1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
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2 Cups Pepper Jack Cheese - Shredded
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2 1/2 Cups Half & Half
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9 Large Eggs
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1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
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1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
(1) Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
(2) Use a large baking sheet and spread out the cubed bread. Make sure there is enough room in the pan so the bread can dry out. Bake for 40 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan, until bread cubes are dried out.
(3) Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little extra virgin olive oil and brown the sausage; remove from skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet over medium high heat. Saute onions, bell pepper and jalapeno (with a touch of kosher salt); until onions turn a golden brown color. Add sausage, garlic, thyme and cumin to the skillet; saute for 1 minute.
(4) In a medium bowl, whisk together half & half, eggs, salt and pepper. In a greased 9X13, toss together bread, sausage mixture and cheese. Pour egg mixture over the bread and press the bread into the egg mixture.
(5) Bake for 30 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven; bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the center is set.