Do Ahead Sausage Souffle

This recipe has been around for several years in our family.  I didn't find this exact recipe in my Grandma's recipe box, but I know it is in there somewhere.  My mom originally came across this recipe several years ago in the Denver Post Newspaper.  There was a food editor by the name of Helen Dollaghan and this was one of her recipes.  A few years later, I even got one of her cook books autographed (I was pretty excited about that!).  This Do Ahead Sausage Souffle is standard fare for any holiday or brunch gathering in our family.  Over the years we have all tried variations, using different breads, different sausage, different baking dishes and I think we always come back to the original recipe.  This does cook up better in a glass baking dish than it does in a metal pan, but either way, it tastes really good and is one of Bubba's favorites.  (I am not asking him for a rating this time, cause his ratings aren't matching up with his consumption).

Do-Ahead Sausage Souffle
8 slices soft bread with crusts
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 lbs sausage links, cooked and cut in 1/3rds
4 eggs
2 3/4 c. milk
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1 can cream of mushroom soup


Spread evenly, bread cut in to cubes, in bottom of well greased baking pan (13x9x2). Sprinkle cheese evenly over top of bread. Arrange sausage on top.  Beat eggs with 2 1/4 c. of the milk.  Pour over bread mixture.  Mix together dry mustard and soup.  Add remaining 1/2 c. milk.  Mix well.  Spoon on top of casserole.  Cover tightly with foil.  Refrigerate over night.  Place in cold oven.  Set oven to 300 degrees F. Bake about 1 1/2 hours until puffy and brown.  Option: substitute sausage links with ground turkey sausage.  Add a little garlic and pepper when browning.