Bacon Pesto Strata Recipes

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!

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.

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.

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 PESTO STRATA

Steps:

• Prepare ramekins by buttering and then dusting with the bread crumbs.
• For pesto, saute bacon; remove.
• Then wilt spinach in 1 T bacon fat.
• Process bacon, spinach, parsley and yogurt until paste forms.
• Beat together eggs, yogurt, milk, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl until blended.
• The mixture will be about as thich as heavy cream.
• Set aside.
• Before drying bread, be sure to cut it to fit ramekins (to dry, cut with cookie cutter, making sure it fits inside the ramekins, line a baking sheet with a rack and toast the breat at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until dry).
• Small baguettes work well too.
• Spread 1 T pesto on one side of each slice of dry bread.
• Place one slice bread in ramekin, pesto side up, and sprinkle with 1 T cheese.
• Add 1/4 cup egg mixture to cover bread.
• Layer again with bread, cheese, and egg.
• For the third layer, place bread pesto side down and top with 1/4 cup egg.
• Place ramekins on baking sheet; weight down bread and let soak for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Remove weights and bake 30-40 minutes, until brown and puffed.
• Cool 5 minutes.
• Remove from ramekins.

EASY BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with pepper and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place sausage mixture over bread. Sprinkle with cheese., In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard and milk; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats., Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 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 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

FARMER'S STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; add ham and onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender; drain. , In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer half the bread cubes, potatoes and cheese. Top with all of the bacon mixture. Repeat layers of bread, potatoes and cheese. , In a large bowl, beat the eggs; add the milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over all. Cover and chill overnight. , Preheat oven to 325°. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 65-70 minutes.

PROSCIUTTO-PESTO BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine milk and wine. Dip both sides of bread in milk mixture; squeeze gently to remove excess liquid. Layer bread slices in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Sprinkle with basil and parsley; drizzle with oil. Layer with half of the cheese, half of the prosciutto and all of the tomatoes; drizzle with half of the pesto. Top with remaining cheese, prosciutto and pesto., In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper until blended; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

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.

CANADIAN-BACON STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish (oval or square); set aside. In dish, alternately arrange, cut side down, muffin halves and Canadian bacon. Sprinkle with cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and hot sauce until combined. Pour over muffins and bacon; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet; remove plastic wrap. Bake until puffed and set in the center (see note below), about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Tent loosely with foil if strata starts to brown too quickly.) Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

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.