Italian Bread Pudding

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. 1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients until blended.
2. 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. 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.
4. *1 1/4 cups egg substitute may be substituted.
5. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Pepperidge Farm Mozzarella and Monterey Jack Texas Toast.
6. Texas Toast Bread Pudding: Omit dried basil, tomatoes, and bacon. Proceed with recipe as directed.
7. 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.
8. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Sister Schubert's Sausage Wrap Rolls.