I tore this page out of a magazine years ago and didn’t quite get the full story. Something about the holidays being stressful? Can anyone relate? It’s a bit of a giggle, because the recipe for ‘Make Ahead Festive Strata’ is meant to take the stress out of Christmas morning.
I love it because it’s a quick dish, you almost always have all the ingredients on hand and you make it the night before. Just add a nice plate of fresh fruit and Bob’s your uncle. Want to make it for friends at lunch? It’s always a hit served with a fresh green salad. I even make it for supper. Tonight I served it with Mr B’s favourite, Broccoli Salad. My, how I do spoil the man, LOL.
I’ve tweaked the recipe for our tastes, as you should too. This recipe is a ‘no brainer’, you can’t really miss. I usually make it for four and have left overs for lunch. To make it for 8, simply double the following. Use any bread you have on hand. Preheat oven to 350 F:
- Spray an 8 x 8 pan or casserole dish
- lay bread slices in dish
- top bread with thinly sliced turkey or ham *
- sprinkle with shredded cheddar, diced onion and chopped roasted bell peppers *
top meat, cheese and vegetables with more bread slices, trimmed to fit your dish
Put the following ingredients in your blender & mix well
- 4 eggs *
- 1.25 cup two percent milk
- 1 tsp Worcestershire
- 4 drops Tabasco
- 1 Tbsp Dry Mustard
Slowly pour liquids over bread. Once it settles and soaks in, top with crushed Corn Flakes or Special K. Now comes the fun part. Melt 1/4 cup butter and drizzle over prepared dish. Bake for 35 minutes at 350. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips
- Vegetarians can omit the meat entirely or use a meat substitute, I’ve done it both ways and it’s still delish.
- I use 3 whole eggs and 1/2 cup of egg whites, saves a few calories (I buy egg whites by the carton)
- I buy Mezzetta brand ‘Roasted Bell Peppers’, a family company in Napa Valley California.
Boomdeeadda 
Cornflakes remind me of my youth. This looks yummy with the crunchy topping. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
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Welcome 🙂 You got the big economical giant box of Cornflakes too? We always wanted some fun cereal, but nope, just Cornflakes….Now, all grown up, do I buy Captain Crunch…..nooooooo, I eat Chereo’s, LOL….they’re pretty plain too….Dad would say “I told you so”..HA.
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That does look yummy!
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Thanks Lizzy, if I had your figure I’d have it every other day. 🙂
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That’s a great looking recipe, what would you suggest subbing in there instead of meat? Could mushrooms maybe work?
Christmas morning breakfast for us is homemade marzipan stollen toasted and buttered with lots of cheese sliced on top, and coffee 🙂
Then after all the laziness and fun I start making a big vegetarian feast for a nice early Christmas dinner.
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Mushrooms sound great, I’ve also used Veggy Ham..by Ives. It’s available in our produce section. I’m not a big meat eater either, so I’ve left it out at times and it’s more like a cheese sandwich. Your day sounds perfect, hope it’s merry and bright! Thanks for your message Kathryn, Happy Holidays.
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Stress? What stress? I’ve got it all covered! Remind me to share with you my recipe for Sausage Rolls! This recipe will be a favorite around your house once you try it! Not to mention the jaw dropping smell it creates that lofts around the house while you are making it. Yummy!
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Hey, are you going to post those rolls, my hubby would probably eat those up. You’re a rock star, I’m still wrapping gifts like a madman and have plans to bake tomorrow, I should be crossing the finish line on time…wahoo!
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Check your email! I just emailed you the sausage roll recipe! You are going to LOVE these!
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Hey, thanks Val…I will, thanks for thinking of our tummy’s LOL. 🙂
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