SERVES 8

This casserole has been made at Ole Miss tailgating parties since the 1980s. You can substitute a pound of cooked bacon for the pork sausage.

1 tsp. butter
2 lbs. loose fresh pork sausage meat
8 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, cut into
   large cubes
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9" × 13" baking dish with butter and set aside. Break sausage into chunks and put into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, breaking it up with a slotted spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer sausage with the slotted spoon to paper towels to let drain.

2. Scatter bread cubes in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Scatter sausage meat over the bread cubes and sprinkle the cheese on top.

3. Lightly whisk eggs together in a large bowl. Add milk, dry mustard, and salt and mix well. Pour custard evenly over sausage mixture in casserole. Bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent casserole from becoming too brown and continue to bake until center is barely set, about 15 minutes more. Uncover and set aside to let firm up for 20–30 minutes before serving.