Spinach Strata Food

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.

SPINACH STRATA

Steps:

• Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil. Sprinkle the baking dish with lemon zest and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper with a splash of the milk. Whisk in remaining milk and the eggs.
• Put the bread in the prepared baking dish and top with the spinach and half of the feta. Gently toss with your hands until combined. Drizzle the egg mixture over the bread and sprinkle with the remaining feta. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the top third of the oven.
• Bake the strata, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes, until the egg is set in the middle and the edges are browned. Brown the top under the broiler, if desired. Serve warm, drizzled with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled with the fresh oregano.

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.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.
• Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.
• Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture.
• Sprinkle with one third of each cheese.
• Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).
• Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata.
• Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
• note: Strata can be chilled up to 1 day.
• Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.

SPINACH FETA STRATA

Steps:

• In a greased 3-qt. or 13x9-in. baking dish, arrange French bread or croissant halves with sides overlapping. , In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, spinach, salt, nutmeg and pepper; pour over bread. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. , Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.

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.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.
• Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.
• Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).
• Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

ARTICHOKE SPINACH STRATA

Steps:

• Start preparation either the night or morning before (depending upon when you are serving, see note above in description).
• Spray a 9 x 13 rectangular glass baking pan with cooking spray.
• Place 7 ounces of freshly washed baby spinach in a microwave safe bowl, cover and cook for 5 minutes on high until wilted. Drain in colander in your sink and let cool. Then coarsely chop.
• Drain jar of artichoke hearts but do not rinse. Chop into small pieces.
• Mix the milk and wine in a shallow bowl. Tear the bread into medium pieces (a bit bigger than bite sized) and dip a few pieces at a time into the milk mixture. Gently squeeze as much liquid as possible from the bread without tearing it. Do not let the bread soak; dip and squeeze as quickly as possible or the bread will disintegrate! Spread the prepared bread in the 9 x 13 pan. Continue dip, squeeze and spread until all the bread is distributed nicely around the pan. Reserve any leftover milk mixture.
• Sprinkle the prepared spinach and artichokes on the bread - distributing evenly. Push the vegetables into the bread mixture.
• Beat 6 large eggs and mix with remaining milk & wine mixture. Add oregano and beat well. Pour over the bread & vegetable mixture in the pan.
• Sprinkle the Asiago cheese on top of the strata.
• Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate (overnight or until evening, depending upon when you are serving).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove plastic wrap and bake uncovered until puffy and browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve immediately.

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.

SPINACH AND PANCETTA STRATA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl. Add the onion to the pan drippings in the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked pancetta.
• Place half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread, then top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over the strata. Chill the strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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.