Have you got a loaf of stale bread on your hands? Need a quick and easy holiday breakfast dish? Or perhaps you want to impress your boyfriend’s family that you’re meeting for the first time at Christmas. And you’re worried they won’t accept you because they’re all strangely close to one another and let’s face it, you’re kind of weird, uptight, and a bit controlling…. Well anyway, whatever your reason, try this delicious Strata!

Ingredients

Strata Ingredients:

• ½ stick unsalted butter, softened 

• 1 Tbsp neutral oil

• 13 oz mushrooms of choice, sliced 

• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided

• 10 slices white bread

• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

• 14 oz tomatoes, thinly sliced 

• 1 yellow onion, sliced into rings

• 5 large eggs

• 3 Cups whole milk

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ¼ tsp garlic salt 

• 2 oz parmesan cheese, grated 

• ½ Cup black olive, drained + sliced

Method

Serves: 6-8

Strata Method: Adapted from Family Stone DVD Extras

1. Prepare a 9x13 casserole dish with an even coating of the softened butter.

2. Preheat the oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Sautee until crisp, about 7-8 minutes.

3. Using the snowflake or star-shaped cookie cutter cutter, punch snowflakes or stars out of the white bread.

4. Cut the bread scraps into cubes and transfer them to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. 

5. Layer half the mozzarella slices over top the bread scraps. Then, add half the tomatoes slices, all of the onion rings, and all of the mushrooms over the cheese. 

6. Cover with the remaining mozzarella slices and then, add a layer of the bread snowflakes/stars. Finally, place one tomato slices in the center of each bread shape.

7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining salt, oregano, and garlic salt.

8. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, sprinkle the parmesan cheese over top, and decoratively place the black olives.

9. Cover the strata with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

10. The next morning, preheat the oven to 325 °F (or 300 °F with convection).

11. Uncover the strata and bake for 1 - 1 ½ hours or until the strata bounces back when poked and a knife comes out clean.

12. Allow the strata to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.