When entertaining guests for the weekend it’s nice to prepare breakfast in advance, getting the bulk of the cooking and all the cleaning out of the way so you can enjoy your coffee with your guests without the stress of getting up early. Breakfast casseroles like this egg dish are wonderful since they can be customized to everyone’s palate or can be made with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Leftover roasted veggies, a combination of cheeses from last night’s charcuterie board, and stale bread can all be the basis for tomorrow’s hearty breakfast. Use this recipe as a guide then make it your own.

Tips:

• This recipe calls for leftover buttery croissants, but any sturdy bread can be used. French bread, sourdough, brioche or challah would be great substitutes, just remove any crust before assembling.

• If you don’t have stale bread, lightly toast fresh bread for 10 minutes on a low setting to dry out the bread without adding too much color to it. Avoid cranking up the heat, rather run two cycles if one doesn’t dry them out enough.

• This recipe uses an egg per person, so adjust accordingly, using a smaller pan if you are making less.

Breakfast Casserole

Serves 6-8

PREP 20 minutes plus overnight in the refrigerator

COOK 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound stale croissants (about 5 to 7), split in half lengthwise

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for baking dish

1 bunch scallions (6 to 7), white and light green parts thinly sliced

¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

8 large eggs

3 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 ½ cups + ½ cup of Swiss cheese like Gruyère, grated

1 ¼ teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and sausage, using the back of a wooden spoon to break up the clumps. When the sausage is cooked, about 5 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, 1½ cups cheese, salt and pepper.

3. Place the croissants in a lightly oiled 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Distribute the sausage mixture evenly throughout the baking dish.

4. Pour the egg mixture on top, pressing the croissants gently to absorb the liquid and saturate each croissant. Cover the pan and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.

5. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

6. Bake the casserole until the center is firm and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Try to let the breakfast casserole cool for a few minutes before diving in. Enjoy!