Cheesy Chorizo Strata

Monday, I taped Oprah because her show was taped at our State Fair. Peter Clarac's delicious recipe won Best of Show in the cheese contest at the 2009 State Fair of Texas. I can not wait to try this recipe, but I will probably try to figure out how to bake it in a 9x13 casserole dish.

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cooked and drained
1/2 cup mild green chilies, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 cups French bread crumbs
4 eggs
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 2/3 cups milk
1/2 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 300°Generously grease four 10-ounce ovenproof ramekins. Spread an even amount of chorizo over the bottom of each ramekin and top with the chilies and jalapenos. Spread half of the cheese cubes evenly among the ramekins, reserving the rest for later. Top with bread crumbs.In a medium bowl, whisk the egg with the cumin, salt and pepper, followed by the milk. Drizzle each ramekin with the melted butter, then divide the egg mixture evenly among them. Top with the remaining cheese. Chill at least 2 hours, but its best if chilled overnight.

Set ramekins in a bath of hot water and bake at 300° for 45 to 50 minutes, or until puffed and set. Set the ramekins under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes to get a nice, crispy, cheesy top. Watch carefully. Serve with your favorite salsa.