Peppy Egg 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!

RITA'S EGGS STRATA

Steps:

• Spread butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Cut into quarters. Lay half of the bread, butter side down, in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with half of the Cheddar cheese and half of the Monterey Jack. Layer the remaining bread over the cheese, and top with the other halves of the cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and milk. Stir in the brown sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne, onion powder, mustard powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the cheese and bread. Cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake the strata uncovered for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Slice and garnish with fresh parsley.

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.

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.

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°.

PHILLY BEEF 'N' PEPPER STRATA

Steps:

• Place a third of the bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with a third of the peppers, onion, roast beef and cheese. Repeat layers twice. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper; pour over top. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, covered, at 325° for 1 hour. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE, FONTINA, AND BELL PEPPER STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2- inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Whisk first 7 ingredients in large bowl; sprinkle generously with pepper. Set aside.
• Place sausage in large nonstick skillet; push to 1 side. Add bell pepper to other side of skillet. Sauteacute; over high heat, breaking up sausage with fork, until sausage is cooked through and bell peppers are brown in spots, about 7 minutes.
• Arrange half of bread slices in prepared dish. Pour half of egg mixture over. Sprinkle with half of cheese, then half of sausagepepper mixture. Repeat layering. Let stand 20 minutes, occasionally pressing on bread to submerge. Bake strata until puffed and brown, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

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.

PEPPY EGG STRATA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish.
• Spread dish with nonstick vegetable spray.
• Line dish with bread slices.
• Layer Monterey Jack, Cheddar and bacon.
• In large bowl, beat eggs.
• Add milk, salt and pepper; beat until blended well.
• Pour over cheese-bacon mixture in dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.