It’s the perfect time of year – summer is here and there’s still plenty of time to enjoy it. We are looking ahead to family gatherings, the 4th of July celebration and cabin trips with friends.

This week on Minnesota Live, I shared an egg bake recipe that will feed everyone at the lake and ensure the host isn’t doubling as a short order breakfast cook. The trick here is to assemble the egg bake the night before, leave it covered in the fridge and just pop in the oven in the morning. Set this out with some lightly dressed greens, fresh fruit and coffee and it’ll be a hit, I promise.

Sausage & Mushroom Egg Bake

Gather this:

1 lb breakfast sausage (I used Lunds & Byerlys)

1 tsp olive oil

5 ounces mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp chopped fresh sage

3 large croissants, chopped or torn into 1 inch pieces

12 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 cup shredded cheese (I love a white sharp cheddar but feel free to use a milder gruyere or cheddar)

salt & pepper

Do this:

Heat a medium to large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking up with a wooden spoon while it’s browning. When cooked through, remove the sausage (leaving the fat behind) and place in a large bowl to set aside. Add the olive oil and then the onions and mushrooms to the same pan. Saute for 3 minutes and add the chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and browned on the edges – about 3 minutes more. Add to the same bowl as the sausage and fold together. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and mustard together. Add 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.

Butter a 9×13 baking dish and place the croissants in an even layer. Add the sausage and mushroom mixture and spread evenly. Pour the milk & egg mixture over the top and sprinkle cheese over the entire pan. Cover tightly and put in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, take the casserole out the fridge and sit at room temp while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the foil-covered casserole in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden and the egg custard is set. Remove from the oven – let stand for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving!