Apple, Bacon and Cheddar Breakfast Pudding

This was a very good and filling breakfast.  I got this recipe on bettycrocker.com.  We served it with Bloody Mary drinks.  You make this a day ahead and just bake it in the morning.   

Ingredients:

3T butter

3 medium apples, chopped (3 C)

3 T packed brown sugar

4 C cubed firm bread

1 # bacon, cooked and chopped

2 C shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8oz)

2 ½ C milk

1 t ground mustard

2 t Worcestershire sauce

¼ t salt

1/8 t pepper

5 eggs

Directions:

1.       Grease a 2 qt. casserole.

2.       In a 10” skillet, cook the bacon.  Wipe it clean and add the butter. 

3.       Cook apples in butter 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. 

4.       Stir in brown sugar; reduce the heat to low and cook an additional 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender. 

5.       Layer half each of the bread, bacon, apples and cheese in casserole. 

6.       Repeat with the remaining bread, bacon, apples and cheese.

7.       Mix all the remaining ingredients; pour over cheese.  Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer that 24 hours. 

8.       Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake uncovered 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

9.       Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

Recipe says makes 12 servings.  Not when feeding the Marler boys.  It served 4 nicely.