Savory Bread Pudding Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups milk
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 cups diced stale bread
• 1 lb spinach, well rinsed and wilted
• 1 cup corn kernels, preferably scraped from cob
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Lightly oil bottom and sides of high-sided 9x13 pan or soufflé dish.
3. Beat eggs until light and fluffy.
4. Add milk, hot sauce and salt, and mix.
5. Depending on size of dish, pour ⅓ to ½ of milk mixture into pan, add ⅓ to ½ of bread cubes, and push down into milk mixture.
6. Layer in about ⅓ to ½ of spinach, then corn, scallions, bell pepper and 1 cup cheese.
7. Repeat layering, reserving 1 cup cheese and some milk mixture.
8. When complete, pour last of milk mixture over top, making sure it soaks all bread.
9. Bake 1 hour.
10. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese, and return to oven to brown, about 10 minutes.
11. Remove from oven, and serve while hot.