Overnight Asparagus Mushroom Strata Food

OVERNIGHT SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Cook sausage, green pepper and red pepper in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until sausage is browned and peppers are crisply tender . Drain off fat, if necessary. Stir sausage mixture and bread cubes together in large bowl. Place into ungreased 2-quart round baking dish; set aside.
• Combine fat free half & half, Fresh Buttery Taste Spread, eggs and onion salt in same bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top.
• Cover tightly; refrigerate overnight.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Uncover; bake 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and cheese is browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

OVERNIGHT ASPARAGUS MUSHROOM STRATA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the mushrooms until their liquid has mostly evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside.
• Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, and arrange 8 muffin halves, cut sides up, in the bottom of the dish. Stuff pieces of remaining muffins into the spaces between the halves. Spread 1 cup of Colby-Monterey Jack cheese over the muffins in a layer, and distribute the asparagus pieces, mushrooms, red pepper, and onion over the cheese.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, dry mustard, and black pepper in a bowl, and pour the egg mixture over the muffins and vegetables. Cover the dish, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread 1 cup of Colby-Monterey Jack cheese in a layer over the casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

ASPARAGUS AND HAM STRATA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients until blended. Stir in bread, 1 cup cheese, ham and asparagus. Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. , Preheat oven to 325°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 40-50 minutes longer or until puffed, golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.Freeze option: After assembling, cover and freeze strata. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake strata as directed, increasing time as necessary for a knife inserted in the center to come out clean.

MUSHROOM, SWISS, & THYME BREAKFAST STRATA WITH OPTIONAL BACON

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and mushrooms until soft, about 5 - 6 minutes. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper until well-beaten.
• Spray an 8-inch x 8-inch x at least 2-inch deep baking pan/casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray (or grease with butter).
• Lay four bread slices on the bottom of the pan.
• Sprinkle bread with 1/2 of the sauteed vegetables.
• Add 1/2 of the cheese.
• Pour half of the egg mixture over the top.
• Add the remaining four slices of bread in a single layer, then the veggies, then the cheese. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight, or for at least three hours.
• In the morning, uncover and bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes, until the strata is set (it will no longer jiggle in the middle).
• Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.

OVERNIGHT EGG & CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Butter a small 4-cup/960-ml ovenproof baking dish.
• Remove the crusts from the bread and cut into slices; you should have about 3 cups. Lay the slices across the baking dish, slightly overlapping and allowing some edges to hang over the sides.
• Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Stir in half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour three-fourths of the egg mixture over the bread cubes.
• Peel the bottom half of the asparagus and break off the stem ends where it snaps naturally. Discard any woody stems.
• Layer the mortadella over the bread and top with asparagus spears. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top and finish with the remaining cheese. At this point, you can bake the strata immediately, or cover with plastic wrap/cling film and refrigerate overnight for a surprise breakfast in bed.
• Bake the strata until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly, sprinkle the top with chopped chives, and serve in the baking dish.

OVERNIGHT ASPARAGUS STRATA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., Arrange six English muffin halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, cut side up. Trim remaining muffin halves to fill spaces. Layer with 1 cup cheese, asparagus, ham and red pepper. , In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

OVERNIGHT ASPARAGUS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE WITH HAM

Steps:

• Rinse asparagus and snap off woody ends of the stems. Cut spears into 1-inch pieces.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus; cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add onion and red pepper. Cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Place bread cubes in a 9x13-inch baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with chopped ham, spoon on the cooked vegetables, and top with 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, basil, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over bread mixture in baking dish.
• Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours.
• Bake uncovered at 350℉ for 45-55 minutes, until set and golden brown.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes more, until cheese is melted.
• Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
• To break off the woody bottoms of the asparagus stems, just hold onto a spear of asparagus toward the bottom with both your hands. Bend the asparagus spear gently until it snaps. It will naturally snap apart at the best place to separate the woody end and tender tip. Or, just cut the spears with a knife, cutting where the green color fades if you'd prefer.
• If the asparagus is young and thin, you just need to trim off the very bottom of the spears -- no need to snap the spears because there's really no thick, woody part to them yet.
• I sometimes use a mixture of Swiss and Monterey Jack cheese, or a mixture of Swiss and mozzarella.
• It's important for this casserole to sit refrigerated for at least 12 hours. This allows the bread cubes to absorb the egg/milk mixture, and creates the casserole's fluffy texture when baked. I don't recommend short-cutting this step.

CHEESY HAM AND MUSHROOM STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Whisk the half-and-half, Parmesan and eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a 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 cheese, followed by the cooked mushrooms and the ham. 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 cheese. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

HOW TO MAKE A STRATA

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13 pan. Chop bacon into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Cook until crispy. Set aside on paper towels and pat to remove excess grease. Pour all but a couple of tablespoons of the bacon grease out of the pan. Cook shallots in remaining fat until softened. Set aside. Whisk eggs for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in reserved bacon, shallots, cheese, and parsley. Fold in the torn bread. Pour into the prepared pan and cover with foil. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, up to 24. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake strata for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until golden, puffed, and set in the center. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. (The strata will deflate as is rests.) Scoop portions with a large spoon rather than trying to cut into squares.

STRATA

Steps:

• Decide what filling option you would like to use.
• Option 1- Bacon, cheddar, mushroom and tomato: Sprinkle 2 cups grated cheddar cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup crumbled cooked bacon (6-8 strips), 1 cup sautéed sliced white or shitake mushrooms, and 1 cup chopped tomatoes over the egg mixture.
• Option 2- Chicken, broccoli, corn, chilies, and jack: Sprinkle 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup frozen corn kernels, 1 cup cooked broccoli florets, (2) 4.5 ounce cans (drained) chopped green chilies, and ½ cup shredded cooked chicken over the egg mixture.
• Option 3- Ham, Swiss and Asparagus: Sprinkle 2 cups grated Swiss cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup blanched asparagus pieces, 1 cup cubed ham and ½ cup caramelized onions over the egg mixture.
• Option 4- Fontana, Spinach, Salami and Roasted Garlic: Sprinkle 2 cups Fontana cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, 1 cup Italian salami (cut into match sticks) and ½ cup roughly chopped roasted garlic cloves (see below) over the egg mixture.
• Option 5- Vegetable-Blue Cheese: Sprinkle 1 cup crumbled blue cheese over the bread cubes. Distribute 1 cup cooked cubed celery root, 1 cup sautéed sliced zucchini and ½ cup sautéed sliced onions over the egg mixture.
• Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Put the bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle them with the cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Sprinkle the filling ingredients over the egg mixture and fold them gently. Cover and chill for at LEAST 4 HOURS AND UP TO 24 HOURS.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Uncover the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes, until the mixture has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top, and the strata doesn't shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan. Tent the dish with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve by the spoonful, using a large serving spoon.

PORTABELLA & ASPARAGUS EGG STRATA

Steps:

• Night before:.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and thyme, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, and half of the salt and cook for 5 more minutes. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, parsley, pepper and the remaining salt.
• Spread half of the bread cubes over the bottom of a 10x8x2-inch non-stick pan. Top with half of the vegetable mixture and a third of the crumbled goat cheese. Layer with the remaining bread cubes and vegetables, and pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Cover strata and refrigerate overnight.
• Supper time:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Remove strata from refrigerator while the oven heats. Sprinkle remaining goat cheese over top of strata, and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until firm in the center and golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.