Over-day (or overnight) Lightened Strata
This week's lighter comfort food was inspired by the bag of extra bread cubes I had left over from making stuffing for Thanksgiving. It kept staring at me from the freezer, until it dawned on me: strata.
Strata is like a savory bread pudding, of course, and it's often advertised as a brunch dish. You soak the bread cubes in an egg mixture overnight, then bake in the morning. It's great, hint hint, for an easy Christmas breakfast if you're still wondering what to serve tomorrow morning.
But there's nothing to say that a busy mom can't make an over-day strata for dinner...
(Photo by me)
by getting the ingredients together in the morning and baking it when everyone gets home.
My kids...almost ate this. They considered it, and it has lots of stuff they like -- ham, eggs, cheese, bread. It's just combining things that they can't abide.
I lightened this by cutting down on the ham, milk, cheese and eggs in the original recipe. The end result wasn't quite as eggy as some strata versions I've had, but it was plenty comforting, with fewer calories. Next time, I'll try substituting Egg Beaters for some of the eggs to lighten it even more.
Lighter Strata
Serves 8
8 cups bread cubes
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
1 1/4 cups shredded Monteray Jack cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
5 large eggs
3 cups 1-percent milk
salt and pepper, to taste
Generous grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Make a layer with half the bread cubes, arranging them so that they cover the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the ham, cheese, garlic and sage over the bread. Cover with the remaining bread cubes. Beat the eggs and the milk together in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Slowly pour the mixture over the top bread layer, saturating it evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for about 6-8 hours); the bread will soak up the liquid as the mixture stands.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Uncover the strata and bake for 1 hour, or until puffed and lightly browned.
--Adapted from The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook
Per serving: 270 calories, 18 grams protein, 12 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 165 milligrams cholesterol, 425 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.
Categories: Dinner Together, Food and Recipes
