A Brighthill Christmas morning staple, this will fill you up until your holiday meal later in the day, and requires no preparation on Christmas morning. Goes well with champagne, mimosas, or a strong cup of coffee or tea. Open your presents while it bakes. Eating while ankle high in wrapping paper is essential to our tradition! Happy Christmas!

6 slices stale white bread (pre-sliced, full-bodied bread works best)
¼ cup butter, softened
6 cups shredded cheese (what you like, mixture of cheddars works well)
8 eggs, beaten
2 cups cream
2 cups milk
1 lb country sausage, crumbled and cooked (optional)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Spread butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Cut into quarters. Lay the bread, butter side down, in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with cooked sausage and shredded cheeses.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and milk. Stir in the brown sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne, onion powder, mustard powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the cheese, sausage, and bread. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. In the morning, preheat the oven to 325° F. Bake the strata uncovered for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.