Country Sausage, Cheddar and Fresh Herb Breakfast Strata

I love a good breakfast casserole.  I made this and a vegetarian one for a family brunch I hosted.

Country Sausage, Cheddar, and Herb Breakfast Strata

Ingredients:
4 thick slices of bread (I used homemade bread)
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups whole milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. bulk country sausage, cooked and drained
1-2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
2-3 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs–rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, or a combination
2 tsp. Dijon mustard (or 1/2 tsp. dry mustard)

Instructions:
Butter an 8″ square baking dish. Cut the bread slices to fit on the bottom of the dish, using any scraps to fit into the empty spaces.

Sprinkle cooked, crumbled sausage over the top of the bread. Top with shredded cheese and herbs. Whisk eggs and milk together. Add Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the top of the sausage, cheese and bread. Cover with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, remove casserole from the fridge and let come to room temperature.

Set oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake casserole until brown and bubbly, about 45 minutes. (You may need to cover it with foil to prevent it from becoming too brown on top.) Let stand a few minutes before serving.