Italian Bread Pudding

Prep: 15 min., Chill: 4 hr., Bake: 55 min., Stand: 5 min.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 5  large eggs*
• 1  cup  milk
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon  dried basil
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  to 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
• 1  (9.5-oz.) package frozen mozzarella-and-Monterey Jack cheese Texas toast, chopped
• 3  plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 8  fully cooked bacon slices, chopped
• 1  cup  grated Cheddar cheese
• Garnish: fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients until blended.

2. Layer half of Texas toast in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; sprinkle with half each of tomatoes, bacon, and cheese. Repeat layers once. Pour egg mixture over toast and cheese. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake casserole 50 to 55 minutes or until center is set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.

*1 1/4 cups egg substitute may be substituted.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Pepperidge Farm Mozzarella and Monterey Jack Texas Toast.

Texas Toast Bread Pudding: Omit dried basil, tomatoes, and bacon. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Sausage Roll Casserole: Omit dried basil, tomatoes, and bacon. Increase cheese to 1 1/2 cups. Substitute 1 (18-oz.) package frozen sausage wrap rolls for Texas toast. Break apart sausage rolls; cut each roll crosswise into thirds, cutting across sausage. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Sister Schubert's Sausage Wrap Rolls.