Italian Breakfast Bread Pudding

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside.

Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions green and red bell peppers 1 teaspoon black pepper garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook stirring until vegetables are soft 5 to 7 minutes. Add parsley stir and remove from heat. Let vegetables cool.

Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until lightly browned 5 to 7 minutes. Drain sausage on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add milk half-and-half Italian seasoning remaining 1 teaspoon pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and whisk to combine. Add bread cubes and let sit for 5 minutes. Add cooked sausage bacon vegetables Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven until almost set 50 to 55 minutes.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons melted butter and remaining 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Remove pudding from oven leaving oven on. Uncover and sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over the top. Return to the oven and increase heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue baking until pudding is completely set in the center puffed and golden brown on top about 20 minutes more.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.