Bacon N Cheese Strata Food

BACON AND ONION STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Put the bacon in a large skillet then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 6 minutes more. Set aside.
• Whisk the half-and-half, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Swiss, followed by the bacon-onion mixture. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the half-and-half mixture evenly over top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (This can also be assembled the day of; just let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.)
• On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Swiss. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

HAM 'N' CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Arrange six slices of bread in the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with ham and cheese. Cover with remaining bread. , In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir in onion and green pepper; pour over all. Cover and refrigerate overnight. , Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Pour butter over bread; sprinkle with cornflakes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

BACON & CHEDDAR STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon in batches until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble into a small bowl. Add red pepper, onions and tomatoes. In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer half each of the bread, bacon mixture and cheese. Top with remaining bread and bacon mixture., In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, mayonnaise and seasonings. Pour over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, covered, 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

BACON, CHEDDAR AND SPINACH STRATA

Steps:

• Oil bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish with about a tablespoon of bacon fat.
• Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
• Crack eggs into a separate mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Add cream and whisk mixture thoroughly.
• Pour egg/cream mixture over the bread cubes and mix to distribute ingredients evenly. Allow bread mixture to sit about 15 minutes to absorb the liquid.
• Transfer half of the bread mixture to the baking pan; spread evenly over the bottom and press mixture down a bit. Top with half of the grated Cheddar cheese. Add cooked bacon pieces in an even layer over the cheese. Place the cooked spinach over the bacon; top with half of the remaining cheese. Finish with the rest of the soaked bread cubes, spread evenly and pressed down slightly. Sprinkle with the rest of the grated cheese. Cover and let strata sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake strata in preheated oven until set, about 45 minutes. Optionally, you can broil the strata for a minute or two to brown the top.

BACON, EGG, AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Toss cubed bread with bacon, cheese, and mushrooms, and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and mustard until smooth, then pour evenly over cubed bread. Cover dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove plastic wrap from the baking dish, and bake strata in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, and the eggs are set, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

BACON, TOMATO AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Spray 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels; set aside. Add onions and mushrooms to drippings in skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes, or until onions are crisp-tender. Crumble bacon. Add to vegetable mixture in skillet along with the diced tomatoes; mix well.
• Layer 4 slices of bread, half of the vegetable mixture and 3/4 cup of the cheese in prepared dish. Repeat layers. Beat eggs, milk, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Pour evenly over ingredients in dish; press bread gently into egg mixture. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into 6 pieces to serve.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND CANADIAN BACON STRATA

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, and sauté 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat; cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
• Add bell pepper; cook for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat; stir in bacon.
• Arrange 3 cups bread in an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with half of onion mixture.
• Repeat layer with remaining bread and onion mixture.
• Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through eggs) in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk.
• Pour egg mixture over bread mixture, and top with the cheese.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375°F­.
• Let the casserole stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Uncover and bake at 375°F­ for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Trim crusts from 4 slices of bread.
• Cut slices into 2 triangles each (total of 8).
• Arrange trimmings and uncut bread slices to cover the bottom of a 9x9x2 pan.
• Place cheese slices over the bread.
• Arrange the bread triangles in 2 rows over the cheese - overlap the points slightly on the bases.
• Beat the eggs and blend with milk, onions, salt, mustard and pepper.
• Pour over bread and cheese layers.
• Let stand 1 hour at room temperature or for several hours in refridgerator.
• Bake uncovered at 325 for approximately 1 hour - until knife at center comes out clean.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SPINACH, BACON AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add onion sauté until vegetable are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and fold until wilted. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
• Preheat broiler.
• Off heat, coat same skillet with cooking spray. Arrange bread slices tightly in bottom of skillet.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, EggBeaters, milk, mustard, salt and pepper; pour over bread and allow milk mixture to soak in entirely (like when you make French toast). Sprinkle bread with 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.
• Place skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook, shaking pan frequently to promote even cooking, until almost cooked through to the top, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• Place skillet under broiler to set eggs, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from broiler; top with bacon-vegetable mixture, cheddar cheese and remaining tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Place skillet under broiler again until cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

BACON, CHEESE AND TOMATO STRATA

Steps:

• Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread bread in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese; mix lightly with bread. Sprinkle with tomatoes.
• In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, mustard, basil and salt with fork or wire whisk; pour over bread mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp; drain on paper towel.
• Crumble bacon. Sprinkle bacon and remaining 1/2 cup cheese over strata. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

BACON N' CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Coat shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
• Arrange half the bread in single layer in dish, cutting to fit.
• Cover with half the scallions, bacon, cheese and tomatoes.
• Repeat for a second layer.
• Combine eggs, milk, pepper and hot-pepper sauce.
• Pour over casserole.
• Cover.
• (Can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 hours).
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
• If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.