Breakfast Bread Pudding

Oh this is so good! Breakfast Bread Pudding 1 pound pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean) 6 cups cut up french bread - about 1/2" - I hand tear the slices 3 cups milk 8 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 4 sage leaves 4 ounces cream cheese 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons maple sugar butter for the pan The night before - cook the pork sausage until it is nicely browned (if it's in links, remove the casing). Mince the sage and toss it with your torn up bread in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper, then pour it over the bread. Stir it around several times, let it sit, stir again. Butter a 9 x 9 baking dish. Stir the bread again. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. Spread half of the bread mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from its pan and spread it over the bread. Now dot the cream cheese in with the sausage. Top with the remaining bread and pour any unabsorbed custard over the top. Cover and stick it in the fridge overnight. Pull the pudding out of the fridge and drizzle the maple syrup over it, then sprinkle the maple sugar. Put it into the oven and turn the heat to 350. Bake for about an hour and 20 minutes. It will turn dark golden brown and crunchy on top and puff up into a nice dome when it is ready.