'DELICIOUS AUTUMN' ~ (FALL BRUNCH) ROASTED PEPPER & FRESH BASIL STRATA

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

~ George Eliot

ROASTED PEPPER & FRESH BASIL STRATA

~ Wondering what to do with your fresh basil harvest? A lovely easy recipe to tuck away ...
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10 cups dried (1/2-1 inch cubed) favorite hearty bread
(wheat, herb, sour dough, brioche, etc.)
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large thinly sliced red or sweet onion
1-2 cups thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice)
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
2 cups sliced roasted red and yellow peppers
(roast peppers yourself or try Trader Joe's jars of combined)
1/2 cup packed thinly sliced fresh basil
5 large organic eggs
1 cup whole milk or sour cream
1 healthy tsp. Coleman's dry mustard
1 tsp. coarse salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled feta or grated Parmesan cheese
freshly chopped parsley or dried parsley

• Melt butter in skillet and saute onions and mushrooms until soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Toss with dry bread cubes, feta, roasted pepper and fresh basil.
• Whisk eggs, milk (sour cream), dry mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over bread, onions and mushroom mixture.
• Spray baking dish or casserole with Pam. Shovel and pack bread & egg mixture into prepared pan. Top with additional feta or Parmesan and fresh or dried parsley. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and hide in refrigerator overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Remove plastic wrap and place baking dish on baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve with either a delicious seasonal salad (with grapes or pears) or simple thick sliced tomatoes, topped with a drizzle of good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coarse salt, freshly cracked pepper, and more sliced fresh basil. (serves 8-10)