Merediths Strata Recipes

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°.

GRANDMA'S ANYTHING GOES STRATA

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
• Whisk the eggs, milk, half-and-half, nutmeg, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Fold the greens, meat, bread and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese into the mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until the strata is puffed, golden brown at the edges and set in the center, about 15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

MORTON FAMILY STRATA (FROM "THE FAMILY STONE" MOVIE)

Steps:

• Using a cookie cutter, donut cutter or lid from a jar, cut bread into shapes or circles. Set aside.
• Place bread scraps in bottom of buttered 13" by 9" baking dish. Layer half of the cheese over bread.
• Arrange half of the tomatoes and all of the onion rings and mushrooms over the cheese. Cover with the rest of the cheese.
• Arrange the bread shapes on the cheese. Put slices of the tomato in the center of each bread shape.
• Combine slightly beaten eggs, milk, salt, oregano and garlic salt. Pour over the bread.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dot with olives. Cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
• Bake 1-1/2 hours in a 325 degree F oven, or until knife comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes or until firm.

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.

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.

MEREDITH'S STRATA "A MORTON FAMILY TRADITION"

Steps:

• Using a cookie cutter, donut cutter, or jar lid, cut bread slices into shapes or circles. Place bread scraps in the bottom of a buttered 13 x9 bakin dish.
• Layer half of the cheese over the bread, then half the tomatoes, all of the onions, and all of the mushrooms over the cheese.
• Cover with the rest of the cheese. then place the bread shapes with a tomatoe in themiddle of each center on the cheese.
• Combine the eggs, milk, salt, oragano, and garlic by whisking. Pour over the bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and dot with olives. Cover.
• Refrigerate for six hours or over night. It is easy to make this the night before and then pull it out in the moring to bake.
• Bake for 1 - 1.5 hours (I like my eggs cooked so I went on the longer side) in a 325 degree oven, or until a knife comes out clean. Let stand for five minutes to firm (so it isn't oozy - i think that is a new word) then serve.

MEREDITH'S STRATA

Steps:

• Using a cookie cutter, cut bread into shapes. Set aside. Place bread scraps into bottom of buttered 13 x 9 pan. Layer half of cheese over the bread. Arrange tomatoes, all of the mushrooms and onion rings over the cheese. Reserve 8 tomato slices for topping. Cover with the rest of the cheese. Arrange bread shapes on cheese and put slices of tomato on bread shapes. Combine eggs, milk, salt, oregano, and parlic powder. Pour over the bread. Sprinkle with parmesan and dot with olives. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake 1- 1 1/2 hours at 325 or until knife comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes to firm.