Basil Vegetable Strata Recipes

BASIL VEGETABLE STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Remove from pan and add to the mushrooms., Add remaining oil to pan. Add peppers, leek, salt and pepper; cook and stir until leek is tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in sauteed mushrooms and onion., In a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, layer half of each of the following: bread cubes, vegetable mixture, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites and milk until blended; pour over layers. Sprinkle with basil. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats., Bake, covered, 50 minutes. Bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 10-15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

EASY STRATA AND VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and set aside.
• Whisk half-and-half, eggs, salt and pepper until smooth. Spray a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex or ceramic baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.
• Line bottom with 6 slices of bread. Scatter half of the ham, and half of the mushrooms over the bread, then sprinkle with half of the scallions and cheese. Pour 1 cup of egg mixture over the top. Repeat layers with remaining bread, ham, mushrooms, cheese and scallions. Slowly pour remaining egg mixture evenly over top. Cover with plastic wrap, then weight down casserole with 3 16-ounce cans for at least 15 minutes to submerge ingredients. (Can be refrigerated overnight, but return to room temperature before baking.)
• Adjust oven rack to middle position. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven until custard is just set, about 50 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil until strata is spotty brown and puffy (watch carefully), about 5 minutes longer. Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes, then serve immediately.

VEGETABLE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus; cook and stir until crisp-tender. Transfer to a large bowl., Repeat with an additional 1 teaspoon oil and zucchini; add to asparagus. In same pan, cook and stir corn, shallots and garlic in remaining oil until shallots are tender; stir in herbs, salt and pepper. Add to asparagus mixture; stir in bread cubes., Place half of mixture in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 cups cheese. Repeat layers. In another bowl, whisk eggs and milk; pour over casserole. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour., Bake, uncovered, 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Freeze option: After assembling, cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake strata, covered, 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CHEESY VEGETABLE STRATA

Steps:

• Cut each bread slice diagonally into 4 triangles. Arrange half of the bread triangles in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Top with vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with remaining bread.
• Beat remaining ingredients with hand beater or wire whisk until well mixed; pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

VEGETABLE 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.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broccoli until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain and set aside.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Monterey Jack, followed by the mushrooms, broccoli, scallions and tomatoes. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the egg mixture evenly over the 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 Monterey Jack. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

PANZANELLA STRATA

Steps:

• Grease a casserole dish with some butter, set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the garlic, cubanelles, sweet peppers, onions and chiles, then stir. Cook to tender-crisp, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Whisk together the eggs, cream, half of the cheese, the parsley, basil and some salt and pepper.
• Arrange the bread and cooled vegetables in the casserole dish, it will mound up a bit. Pour the eggs over top of the casserole and top with the remaining cheese and a few dots of butter. Cover and chill overnight or a couple of days ahead.
• To serve, bring the casserole to room temperature. Then bake at 375 degrees F until cooked through, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

BASIL BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• The day before, mix milk and wine in a shallow bowl and dip slices of bread and gently squeeze out most of the liquid. Place layer of bread in a 12" round corning ware dish or whatever your favorite casserole dish Cover bread layer with ham slices (if using), then arugula leaves dipped in the olive oil, then cover with some of the cheese, tomato slices, drizzle with pesto Repeat layers until dish is full. Beat eggs with Salt and Pepper and pour over layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight In the morning, pull out of the refrigerator and let container warm to room temperature (to prevent your dish from breaking in the oven when exposed to the heat) Drizzle with half and half and bake until browned for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. The sides should start to bubble. Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves ½ cup fresh mozzarella ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced Salt and fresh ground black pepper Combine basil and pine nuts in food processor a few times, slowly add olive oil in a constant stream. Stop and scrape down the sides of food processor with rubber spatula. Add grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1 cup.

VEGETABLE AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook the onion, the scallion, and the mushrooms in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the bell peppers and salt and pepper to taste, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated and the peppers are tender. Arrange half the bread cubes in a buttered large shallow (4 1/2-quart) baking dish, spread half the vegetable mixture over them, and sprinkle half the Cheddar and half the Parmesan over the vegetables. Arrange the remaining bread cubes over the cheeses, top them with the remaining vegetables, and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the milk, the mustard, the Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste, pour the egg mixture evenly over the strata, and chill the strata, covered, overnight. Let the strata stand at room temperature for 15 minutes and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until it is puffed and golden and cooked through.

VEGETABLE STRATA

Steps:

• Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.
• Cut bread into ½ inch cubes and distribute evenly in pan.
• Top with cheese.
• Toss vegetables together and distribute over cheese.
• In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and salt and pour over vegetables.
• Chill, covered, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.
• Sprinkle basil and pepper to taste over strata.
• Put in larger baking pan and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides.
• Bake in middle of oven for 1 hour, or until top is golden.

TOMATO BASIL STRATA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 F degrees.
• Combine bread, tomatoes, onion, and cheese in a large bowl and set aside.
• Spray a 2 qt baking dish with Pam or equivalent.
• Spoon bread mixture into dish.
• Combine eggs, milk, melted butter, basil, garlic salt, and pepper, and pour over bread mixture.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.