Potato Strata With Spinach Sausage And Goat Cheese Food

SPINACH & CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and drained spinach and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.
• Butter a 3-quart or 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread one third of the bread cubes in the dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. (Try to break it up as much as possible so there are no huge clumps of spinach.) Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice, ending with cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half-and-half, mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk until well combined. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the strata. Cover the strata with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until puffed, set and golden brown all over top, 70-80 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. It will settle a bit as it cools.
• Note: The cook time is based on the strata going immediately from the fridge to the oven. If it sits out at room temperature before baking, the cook time will be about 10 minutes less.

THE ULTIMATE BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: SAUSAGE AND SPINACH EGG STRATA

Steps:

• Defrost the spinach in the microwave, and then wring out any excess liquid.
• Heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown and crumble the spicy breakfast sausage, and then remove the crumbles to a plate. Return the skillet to the heat. Reduce the heat a little and melt the butter. To the skillet, add the onions and garlic and cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Then add the spinach and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Turn off the heat and combine with the sausage bits.
• Arrange half of the bread in a casserole dish.
• Whisk the eggs with the milk, Dijon and some salt and pepper.
• Scatter half of the sausage-spinach mixture over the bread, top with half the cheese, pour over half the eggs, repeat. Cover and store in the fridge.
• Bring the strata to room temperature for about 30 minutes before you bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the center of the oven.
• Set the casserole on a baking sheet and bake uncovered 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

EASY SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside.
• Layer bread cubes, sausage, and Cheddar cheese in a lightly greased 7x11 inch baking dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt, and mustard. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cube mixture. Cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SQUID STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut off tentacles so that you have just the body cavity.
• Make sure to keep it whole so you can stuff it without leaks.
• Reserve the tentacles.
• Mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, pepper, nutmeg,parsley and egg; set aside.
• Heat the oil at medium in a large heavy skillet or saucepan.
• Add the garlic.
• Stir and cook for a few seconds.
• Add the tomatoes.
• Bring to a boil and add tomato paste.
• Lower heat and add rosemary.
• Simmer sauce for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce is simmering, stuff the body of each squid only about 1/3 full of the spinach/cheese mixture.
• If you overstuff them, they will explode.
• You might also want to poke a hole or two in the body of the squid.
• Fasten the opening of each squid with a toothpick.
• After the sauce has cooked, place the stuffed squid in the simmering sauce.
• Add the tentacles to the sauce.
• Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Then turn carefully and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
• While the squid is cooking, melt the butter in a clean pan and toss the pine nuts in the butter until golden.
• Watch carefully; pine nuts have a tendency to burn.
• Lift out stuffed squid to a warm, flat serving dish with sides.
• Spoon sauce around and garnish with pine nuts.

STRATA WITH CHEESE, SAUSAGE AND ONIONS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy fry pan over medium heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are completely limp, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown, 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. You will need 2/3 cup caramelized onions for the strata; cover and refrigerate the remaining onions.
• Butter a 10-inch nonstick braiser. Put the bread in a large bowl. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with the bread.
• Return the pan to medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bread mixture.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture. Add the onions, cheese, salt and pepper and stir until well blended. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
• Preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. Bake the strata until golden brown and cooked through, about 55 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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.

POTATO STRATA WITH SPINACH, SAUSAGE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casings, and cook the sausage thoroughly, crumbling it into small pieces. Drain the sausage on a paper towel and set aside. Pour off the remaining fat, then add the spinach to the pan and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze the spinach so that excess liquid is removed.
• Place the butter in a 2-quart baking dish, and place in the oven to melt.
• In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, 2/3 of the goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, flour, salt and pepper. Add in the diced potatoes, spinach and sausage. Mix to combine.
• Carefully remove the dish with the melted butter from the oven, then pour the egg mixture into the dish. Crumble the remaining goat cheese over the top, then carefully place back in the oven.
• Bake the strata until the eggs are set in the middle, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

EGG AND POTATO STRATA #SP5

Steps:

• Butter an 11 x 7 inch baking dish.
• Evenly lay buttered bread in bottom of dish.
• Put 1/2 cup Simply Potatoes "Shredded Hash Browns" on each bread slice.
• Whip eggs and milk together and pour over bread and potatoes.
• Place shredded cheese on top of all.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered or until cheese is melted and lightly toasted.

STRATA IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Sauté shallots and garlic in butter for 4 minutes.
• Squeeze extra water from thawed spinach'til it is very dry.
• Mix together spinach, shallots and garlic.
• Roll out 2/3 of the puff pastry dough and line the prepared springform pan with it, letting pastry hang over the edge of the pan.
• Layer ham (or turkey or salmon), cheese, spinach mixture and peppers.
• Beat eggs, reserving 2 tbs, and pour the remainder over the peppers.
• Roll out the remaining puff pastry dough and place on top of the strata.
• Crimp the edges and seal.
• Cut slits in the top and brush with the reserved egg.
• Bake 45 minutes.

SPINACH AND CHEDDAR STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain, pressing with a rubber spatula to release as much liquid as possible. Divide bread and spinach among 4 small, shallow 8-ounce baking dishes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and 3/4 cup cheese. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divide mixture evenly among baking dishes and top with 1/2 cup cheese. Set dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until set in middle and golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes.