Chicken Apple Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast and Brunch and Breakfast for Dinner are always popular at our house.  So much so that both our children choose some sort of breakfast treat (chocolate chip pancakes with homemade raspberry syrup, stuffed french toast, pumpkin pancakes with homemade apple syrup) with bacon for their special birthday dinners every year!

This particular breakfast casserole I will be making and taking to my Christian Mom's annual Christmas Brunch tomorrow morning!  What's better than a spread of delicious homemade food surrounded by a wonderful group of friends?  This recipe is always a crowd pleaser for me.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Chicken Apple Sausage Breakfast Casserole
1 1/2 c. French Baguette cubes (preferably from Panera)
1 pkg of Aidells Chicken Apple Sausage, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
12 oz. package of frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and drained
2 c. shredded Cracker Barrel vermont sharp-white cheddar cheese
8 eggs
1 t. dried mustard
1 c. whole milk or heavy cream or half and half (whatever you have on hand)
salt and pepper to taste

Butter a 9x13 baking dish and place the bread cubes in an even layer on the bottom.  Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium high heat, add about 2 T. of butter and begin cooking onions until transluscent.  Add the sausage and cook until starting to brown.  Add the spinach and cook until all liquid is evaporated.  Let cool and spread the sausage, onion and spinach mixture over the bread cubes.  Top with the shredded cheese.
Whisk together the eggs, mustard, milk or cream, salt and pepper, and pour evenly over the casserole.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake casserole, covered, for 40 minutes.  Uncover and broil until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.  Serve immediately.