Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, & Asparagus Egg Bake

Holy cow!  It's December?  The 10th, you say?  How did that happen?  I don't know.  What I do know, however, is that nothing beats an egg bake for breakfast.  (Except, perhaps, for these.)  So, in honor of December whizzing by (or maybe just because I like eggs...), here is:

Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, & Asparagus Egg Bake

Enough slices of baguette or crusty french bread to line the bottom of a casserole dish (about 6)

1 lb. ground sweet Italian sausage

1/2 bunch of slim asaparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1 - 1 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 c. grated Italian blend cheeses (parmesan, pecorino romano, fontina...)

3/4 c. diced and drained roasted red peppers (from 12 oz. jar)

6 large eggs

1 c. half and half

1 c. milk

salt and pepper

1) Place baguette slices in bottom of greased casserole.

2) Heat skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage.  Saute until cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Meanwhile, parboil asparagus, about 3 min.

3) In a medium bowl, combine asparagus, sausage, 1 c. cheese, and peppers.  Spread sausage mixture on top of the baguette slices.

4) Whisk eggs in a medium bowl.  Whisk in half and half, milk, and salt & pepper.  Pour over sausage mixture.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. cheese over the eggs.

5) Refrigerate overnight or bake immediately at 425 for 50-55 minutes.

ENJOY!

**We enjoyed our egg bake with leftover mashed potato patties.  (Whisk one egg into leftover mashed potatoes.  Season with garlic, rosemary, sage, salt & pepper.  Form into patties and fry in melted butter over medium high heat.  Let cook completely on the bottom before attempting to flip them.  Flip back and forth a few times to heat completely.  Amazingly delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.)