Bacon Cheddar Strata Recipes

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, 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.

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.

MAKE-AHEAD CHEDDAR, BACON, AND TOMATO STRATA

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in the skillet. Crumble when cool enough to handle.
• Add onion to drippings in the skillet; saute for 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Remove from heat; combine onion mixture and bacon.
• Whisk milk, eggs, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until well combined.
• Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom.
• Top bread cubes with 2/3 cup Cheddar cheese, 1/2 of the onion mixture, and 6 tomato slices. Pour 1/2 of the milk mixture over tomatoes. Top with remaining bread cubes and 2/3 cup Cheddar. Top with remaining onion mixture, tomato slices, and milk mixture. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake strata in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 55 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese and bake until cheese melts, an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MUSHROOM BACON & CHEDDAR STRATA

Steps:

• Arrange bread cubes on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 350 deg. F for 20 minutes, or till toasted. Place bread cubes in large bowl.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and onions; saute 10 minutes or till liquid evaporates and veggies are tender.
• Toss onion mixture with bread cubes.
• Combine remaining ingredients in bowl; whisk till well mixed.
• To assemble the strata, arrange half the bread cube mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese and bacon. Top with remaining bread, then the remaining cheese and bacon. Pour egg mixture over layers.
• Cover strata tightly with tinfoil and refrigerate overnight.
• Bake strata, still covered, at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 15 minutes, till top is nicely browned and eggs are set.
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving.