Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding with Sausage and Cheese

This is such a useful recipe for holidays or when you have company who plan on staying overnight (at our house, usually because they are too drunk to drive home). It can be made a day ahead of time and kept refrigerated until ready to bake. After 20 minutes in the oven you have a light and fluffy, and yet hearty breakfast. The perfect thing to go with a Bloody Mary, a Champagne Mimosa, a cup of Irish coffee, or ALL of the above

I have made this with regular bread, but I must admit that it is much much better when made with croissants from your favorite bakery. The croissants make the pudding very light and buttery.

Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding with Sausage and Cheese
Serves 8

4-5 large croissants
1lb breakfast sausage
1 small onion, diced
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, grated
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. Tear croissants into bite sized pieces and place on a large baking sheet. Toast croissant pieces in oven for 10 minutes, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In a large skillet crumble the breakfast sausage, add diced onion and cook over medium high heat until sausage is thoroughly cooked. Add hot sausage and onions to toasted croissants in bowl. Add Cheddar cheese and toss.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, cream salt and nutmeg, whisk to combine. Pour egg mixture over croissants and sausage and toss lightly to combine. Transfer to a 9x9 square baking dish that has been well-buttered. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese. At this point the dish can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.

Bake 20 minutes at 400F. Serve hot.