Bacon and Cheddar Strata

Preheat your oven to 450ºF with a rack in the middle position.

Whisk together the milk, eggs, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in the cheese and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until browned but not quite crisp. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and browned. Add the cubed bread to the skillet and gently fold in using a spatula. Continue cooking and tossing for about 3 minutes, until the bread is lightly toasted. If the bacon and onions start smoking before the bread is toasted, the pan has gotten too dry, so add the optional tablespoon of butter.

Turn off the heat and pour in the egg mixture. Give it a gentle stir to ensure all the bread is well soaked, pressing down on the top if needed.

Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. When the strata is done, the egg will be completely cooked, the strata will look puffy, and the edges will have pulled away from the side of the pan slightly.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!