Southwest Breakfast Strata

Let's talk easy breakfast y'all!

So my boss/friend asked me to make some breakfast casseroles for a couple of gatherings.  I did not have any recipes so she pulled a few and I ran with them.  One turned out particularly good and popular.  The boss/friend found the original Southwest Strata recipe on the Jimmy Dean Sausage website.  I could not leave well enough alone.

What the hell is a "Strata"? Well, that is the plural form of "Stratum".  Latin for layer.  What does this mean to us?  We are LAYERING ingredients.

OK - sounded good anyway...

Southwest Sausage Strata (4-6 servings)

• 4 corn tortillas (for 6" square pan)
• 1 LB Ground Hot Sausage (Fried up)
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 Cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (divided into 1/2 cup portions)
• OPTIONAL - Chopped green onion and chopped up tomato

Large Southwest Sausage Strata (8-12 servings)

• 8 corn tortillas (for 9"x11"+-ish rectangular pan)
• 2 LB Ground Hot Sausage (Fried up)
• 8 Eggs
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin     
• 2 Cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (divided into 1 cup portions)   
• OPTIONAL - Chopped green onion and chopped up tomato

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees                                                  

  

  Overlap...

• Grease pan with Crisco, Pam, or etc.
• Arrange tortillas in pan
• Sprinkle the first portion of cheese over the tortilla layer
• Sprinkle the cooked sausage crumbles over top of the cheese layer 
• This holds the cheese down so it doesn't get moved around or float up when the egg mixture is poured in
• Break eggs into container     
• Add the cumin and milk
• Beat together
• Pour "evenly" over sausage crumbles
• Bake

Place in preheated oven and bake 30 minutes for small version and 35 for large version (or until knife inserted in center comes out clean). Top with remaining portion of shredded cheese and heat until it melts.  Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into squares for serving.
Top with the tomato and onion if desired.

Notes:                        

• Choose the 'hot' level of your sausage per your (or even your guests') liking  
• The green onions and tomatoes really do add to the visual and taste of this dish - Add!
• Serve with your choice of SALSA or Pico de Gallo!  Really, it adds.  Choose your heat level and flavor - or a smorgasbord of flavors! (I chose Pace Fire Roasted Tomato & Corn, Pace Mild Chunky , & Kroger's Private Selection Peach &Mango Salsa (mild)
• Consider serving with sour cream and/or guacamole
• This recipe was a BIG hit!

My plate at work today...