You have been busy planning your Thanksgiving meal for weeks. You’ve looked at literally hundreds of recipes from food bloggers, and poured through cook books deciding what to prepare. Your orders have been picked up from the local butchers, and hopefully frozen turkeys are thawed. You have been on the phone with relatives that will be arriving for the holiday, and discussed favorite family dishes that must be included on your table. Laundry is done, and guest rooms are prepared. Groceries have been purchased, and the wine has been secured. You have thought of everything. Right? Well what are you planning to serve your house guests for breakfast? As if there was not already enough to consider. Whatever it is, you need it to be painless, you already have enough to manage. Well this easy cheesy bacon and egg strada is the answer. Made with a just few simple ingredients and held in the fridge overnight, all you have to do is pop it in the oven in the morning. This breakfast bake is simply delicious, and will keep your family satisfied so you can get about your business.
- 8 slices bread cubed (Use bagels, bread, dinner rolls, or any combination)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
- 1/2 pound bacon crumbled
- 1/2 pound mushrooms sliced (optional)
- 8 eggs
- 4 c. milk
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of salt bacon usually adds enough salt
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Mix milk, eggs, salt, pepper, dry mustard and set aside.
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Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter. When shimmering add the mushrooms and cook until liquor is released. This prevent your dish from being too wet. Allow to cool before adding to your dish.
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Lightly coat a baking dish with oil or non-stick spray.
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Place half of the bread in the dish.
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Spread bacon, mushrooms, and a third of the cheese over bread.
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Cover with remaining bread and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top.
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Pour liquid carefully over the dish.
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Cover and place in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.
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In the morning heat oven to 350° F. Remove strada from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for thirty minutes while oven heats.
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Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until center is firm and the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.
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Try serving your strada with a roasted red pepper hollandaise. To do so, prepare a basic hollandaise sauce, and add a couple of tablespoons of diced roasted red pepper. Or if your people like it spicy, add some Ajvar, salsa, or Sriracha for a little kick.
Strada or Strata is a great recipe for holiday guests. It is extremely easy to make and can be adjusted for any size and any taste. Use sausage instead of bacon, or omit the meat all together and make a veggie version. Also you can use any bread for this dish, leftover dinner rolls work great!
Strada has absolutely nothing to do with Erik Estrada, although he may have eaten this dish since he played a cop, and everyone knows cops like breakfast. (Sorry the voices in my head made me do it).
