Sausage and Egg Loaf

I AM EXHAUSTED.

I have tried for two days to load these pictures in order - but Blogger has changed the way the load order actually posts the pictures. I am not sure I even like this casserole anymore! Not after what I went through to get it uploaded!!

This recipe is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. When I was growing up, breakfast wasn't a meal that happened on a regular basis at our house. Dad and I weren't especially morning people, so we were more of a "cereal on your own" household. (At least that is my version. Maybe my parents were actually scared of morning Bekah so they opted to eat on their own. Hmmmm....) Anyway, holidays were about the only time we had "real breakfast" together as a family. But when we did, this was a dish Mom would make, and it was a special treat.

And when I exited the world of college and entered the world of work and therefore office carry-in meals, this was the first recipe Mom gave me as a suggestion of something to take to work. It has somewhat become my trademark in the office, though I do have an actual rotation of dishes that I now make for work. This is beyond easy to assemble, it makes the house smell incredible while it's baking, and it rarely has leftovers. (Although if there are any, they do warm up nicely!) This is perfect for brunches, Sunday School, the office - or just for home!

The Recipe:

9 slices bread
2 cups grated cheese
1 pound ground sausage
9 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk

Cube bread and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Brown the sausage and drain. Place a layer of sausage on top of the bread cubes and add a layer of grated cheese. Mix eggs and milk, beat together, and pour over mixture. Leave overnight in the refrigerator. Bake the next day at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Cut and serve.


No, I don't have to buy name brand meat. I hunted high and low for the store brand but all they had was the real thing. Please note, though, if you are not a frequent buyer of ground sausage - it comes in all heat ranges. I accidentally bought the hot and spicy kind one time because I didn't know there were degrees...that was a clean-out-your-sinuses casserole!! The word you're looking for is MILD!! I have also discovered that I prefer white bread to wheat bread in this. Well that is true in my life across the board, but I've switched to wheat bread for my daily use in an attempt to be healthier. But I still buy white bread for this.


I work on other parts of the casserole while the sausage browns. I try to chop it up into fairly little pieces for even distribution across the entire dish. I've also discovered that sausage normally doesn't have enough grease to really drain, so when it has fully cooked, I just remove it with a slotted spoon or spatula, put it on a plate lined with paper towel and pat the grease out with more paper towel.

I cut the bread into about one inch cubes. I usually do 3 slices at a time. Though you can use fresh bread for this, it cuts more easily if it's a day or two old. Please note that this is one of life's rare recipes that does not require the dish to be greased or sprayed with cooking spray.

I try to evenly spread the sausage over the bread so that no one gets an all-bread piece when it is served. That is heartbreaking if you're a meatatarian!

As for the cheese...I use whatever kind I have on hand. Normally I use a monterey-jack blend or a pizza blend, but all cheddar or all mozzarella would be okay too if that's what you have. And by the way - my friend Lois told me that she also adds a can of green chilies to this step. I never would have thought of it - but it sounds good!

Here's all nine eggs! Large or extra large - either one would work fine.

Normally I use an electric mixer for this step to make sure I get to all the eggs. Either I was lazy this particular time - or the beaters were in the dishwasher. Could go either way. If you do mix by hand, make sure you get it mixed up really well. I use 1% milk and it works fine. Whatever kind of milk you like!

Pour the milk/egg mixture as evenly as you can over the pan so that all the bread soaks it up. It's okay if you have little chunks of egg left. They will cook right up.

Cover it with foil or a lid to the pan if you have one - and just put it in the refrigerator. The next morning, preheat the oven and put this in to bake (take off the foil or lid) while you get ready - or continue to sleep. Someone told me once that they skipped the overnight step and just baked it right away - but it wasn't as good because the egg and milk hadn't had all that time to soak into the bread. Here is the finished product!

I should have taken a picture of this too - but I didn't. For Christmas a couple of years ago, someone gave me a 9x13 Pyrex dish with lid and insulated carrier. That was an awesome gift. No more carting food to work wrapped in bath towels! The carrier came with a heat/ice pack that you could stick in the bottom to keep your dish hot or cold as needed.