You Deserve a Break

Because you worked so hard cooking this past week, we are giving you 5 days-worth of easy weeknight recipes from the 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store cookbook. And the best thing about them is — because like all the recipes in the book they are void of “ingredient clutter” — you can likely make them with ingredients you already have on hand at home!

Today’s recipe is for Strata. The great thing about a strata is that you can make it with so many variations of ingredients. Got eggs? Some bread, or leftover rolls from Thanksgiving? A little milk and maybe some cheese? That’s your base. Here’s the recipe with suggestions for additions to make it any which way you please.

Strata

Ingredients

6 cups bread cut in 1 inch pieces

7 eggs

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded cheese (many kinds of cheese will work, including Gruyere, cheddar, Monterey Jack, etc.)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Additions of your choice include, but are not limited to: 1 cup diced cooked chicken, 1 can drained diced tomatoes, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 can drained artichoke hearts.

Beat together eggs and milk with a whisk. Add mustard, salt and pepper and whisk together. Put bread in a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Add “Additions of your choice”, and half of the cheeses. Mix together and spread evenly around the pan. Gently pour in egg mixture, covering the bread. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least one half hour, up to overnight. Bake the strata for 30-40 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven, until egg is set and edges are browned. Serve warm.