Parmesan And Roasted Red Pepper Strata Food

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PEPPER STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the bell peppers to the skillet with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, Parmesan, parsley, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, followed by the sausage and peppers. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the custard evenly over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour. (To make ahead, after adding the custard, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight and then let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.)
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake until slightly puffed and no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

FLUFFY STRATA RECIPE (OVERNIGHT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Set out a large mixing bowl and a 9X13 inch (3 quart) baking dish. Grease the baking dish. Chop all necessary ingredients.
• In the mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, salt, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Whisk well to break up all the yolks. Then stir in the cheeses, ham, scallions, and roasted red pepper.
• Tear the bread loaf into 1-2 inch chunks and place them in the baking dish.
• Pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread. Use a spatula to fold the bread over, gently, to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover and chill until ready to bake.
• Let the strata recipe rest for at least one hour, so the bread soaks up all the eggs. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (This is a fabulous make-ahead overnight recipe, so you can also preheat the oven in the morning.)
• Bake, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden-brown and puffy in the center. Insert a sharp knife into the center to check that the eggs are set. If not, bake another 5-10 minutes. Then cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm!

BELL PEPPER AND GOAT CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Brush a 9" x 9" pan with oil. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Add bread; toss until coated; ransfer to pan; let sit. Heat oven to 400°F. In a large nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sauté bell pepper, onion, thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 tsp black pepper until onion begins to brown, 10 minutes. Add bell pepper mixture to pan; spread evenly over bread mixture; dot with goat cheese. Bake until top is puffed and browned and center is firm, 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

ROASTED RED PEPPER BREAD

Steps:

• Place red peppers in a food processor; cover and process until pureed. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the red peppers, 1 cup cheese, milk, butter, salt and 1-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape each into an 18-in. rope. Place 3 ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour., In a small bowl, combine egg and water; brush over braids. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining cheese. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

PARMESAN AND ROASTED RED PEPPER STRATA

Steps:

• GREASE: 13 x 9 dish. Arrange 1/2 bread slices in single layer on bottom of prepared dish. Top bread with 1/2 peppers, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup green onions, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Repeat layers.
• COMBINE: eggs, milk, pesto, garlic, salt in medium bowl. Whisk to combine. POUR: egg mixture evenly over strata. COVER and refrigerate overnight.
• PREHEAT oven 375°F. Bake, uncovered, 30 min. or until hot and bubbly.

QUICK AND EASY ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped red peppers and cook until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor or blender. Put on the lid and puree the pepper mixture until totally blended (there will still be some texture to the peppers).
• Pour the pepper puree back into the skillet. Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper, and stir until heated. Splash in the cream and stir to combine. Add the parsley and basil and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Add the Parmesan, and then stir it together to coat the pasta.
• Serve in bowls with extra Parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley and basil on top.

ROASTED RED PEPPER AND PARMESAN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, the cayenne and a pinch of black pepper.
• Add the butter and blend the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.
• Add the roasted peppers, the Parmesan and the milk and stir the mixture until it just forms a dough.
• Drop the dough in 6 mounds about 2 inches apart onto buttered baking sheet and bake the biscuits in the middle of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are cooked through and slightly golden.

ROASTED VEGETABLE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Toss zucchini and peppers with oil and seasonings; transfer to a 15x10x1-in. pan. Roast until tender, 25-30 minutes, stirring once. Stir in tomato; cool slightly., Trim ends from bread; cut bread into 1-in. slices. In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer half of each of the following: bread, roasted vegetables and cheeses. Repeat layers. Whisk together eggs and milk; pour evenly over top. Refrigerate, covered, 6 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 40-50 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

SPICY RED PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare the pesto: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, tomato paste, garlic and red-pepper flakes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until mixture is toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to let cool for a few minutes.
• Add the roasted red peppers and Parmesan to a food processor. Top with the cooled tomato mixture and the remaining 2/3 cup olive oil, and pulse the mixture until you form a paste. (It makes 2 cups.)
• Season the boiling water generously with salt, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Return the pasta to the pot, along with about 1 1/2 cups of the red pesto and 1 cup of the pasta water, and stir vigorously until the sauce is glossy and the pasta is evenly coated. Stir in additional pesto or pasta water to taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide among bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and top with torn basil. Shave some fresh lemon zest on top, if using. Serve immediately.