Newspaper Page Text
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
Make-ahead brunch strata stars ground beef
Special to the Journal
If you want to make it
through the busy holiday
entertaining season with
your sanity intact, you’ve
got to plan ahead. Inviting
guests for brunch instead
of dinner means a simpli
fied menu and fewer inter
ruptions while getting ready.
Plus choosing dishes that
can be prepared in advance
makes pre-party prepara
tions a breeze!
Holiday Brunch Beef
Strata is at its very best
when prepared at least six
hours in advance or, even
better, the night before. All
you need to do in the morn
ing is put it in the oven. A
strata is a type of egg dish
made with layers of bread
slices or cubes, cheese, meat
and vegetables. A beaten egg
mixture is poured over the
layers, and the dish is refrig
erated before baking.
This easy recipe starts
with ground beef browned
until it is no longer pink, a
very important safety step
when cooking ground beef.
Mushrooms and onions are
added and the beef mixture
is layered in a baking dish
with bread cubes, eggs and
shredded Asiago cheese.
Cover the strata with foil and
refrigerate. The real magic
happens when the strata is
refrigerated overnight - the
bread cubes absorb the egg
mixture, and the flavors
have a chance to meld.
Take the time while the
strata bakes to set the table
or buffet with coffee, juic
es, fruits and baked goods.
Brunch is ready when you
pull the beautifully puffed
and golden dish from the
oven and top it with festive
red and green in the form of
cherry tomatoes and basil.
What a happy holiday way to
start the day.
Holiday brunch beef
strata
Total preparation and
cooking time: about 1-1/2
hours
f CHRISTI |
[ christianl
CASSIE §
« BRANDY J
I
■Qgk
fvSaORIAI
? DAVIS 1
regrflimiihtLftlSM i ewsa
Refrigeration time: 6 hours
or as long as overnight
1-1/2 pounds ground
beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces button mush
rooms, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried thyme
leaves, crushed
2 cups milk
5 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 cups crustless bread
cubes (3/4-inch)
2 cups shredded Asiago
or fontina cheese
1 cup cherry or grape
tomatoes, cut in half
Thinly sliced fresh
basil
Brown ground beef in large
nonstick skillet over medium
heat 8 to 10 minutes or until
beef is not pink, breaking
up into 3/4-inch crumbles.
Remove from skillet with
slotted spoon; season with
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4
teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Pour off drippings from skil
let. Heat oil in same skillet
over medium heat until hot.
Add mushrooms and onion;
cook 3 to 4 minutes or until
vegetables are tender, stir
ring frequently. Return beef
to skillet. Add thyme; cook 3
to 5 minutes or until heated
through, stirring frequent
ly. Remove from heat. Set
aside. Whisk milk, eggs, 1/2
teaspoon salt and 1/4 tea
spoon pepper in large bowl
until blended. Spray 2-1/2 to
3-quart shallow baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray.
Layer half of the bread
cubes, 1/2 cup of the cheese
and half of the beef mixture
in dish. Pour half of the egg
mixture over the top. Top
with remaining bread cubes,
1/2 cup of the cheese and
remaining beef and egg mix
tures. Sprinkle with remain
ing 1 cup cheese. Press any
dry bread cubes into egg
mixture. Cover with alumi
num foil; refrigerate 6 hours
or as long as overnight.
f CINDY I
[ McGRAW J
L J
f RANDY j
[ STEPHENS J
H? “f!* 1 Hj||i
w 1H
I- vmmr
r j
[j FLOYD if
WmmßSm * * H fiflflß W jay" 'laSlf K jHP
mgr If ■■ E ff * Jjm B.' V H B WBr*
I. 4 t"'"" Wm . I
• v>>>
This breakfast is all in one dish, with ground beef, cheese, eggs and bread. Prepared the night before and refriger
ated, it will be ready to pop into the oven on Christmas morning. It’s also a good supper dish.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. 10 to 15 minutes or until desired. dish as directed. Bake, cov-
Bake strata, covered, 55 puffed and lightly browned. Cook’s Tips: To bake stra- ered, 40 minutes. Uncover;
minutes. Remove foil. Bake, Let stand 5 minutes. Top ta immediately, heat oven bake 10 to 15 minutes or
uncovered, with tomatoes and basil, as to 350°F. Assemble strata in until lightly browned.
YTojiaag' Wmv?Wsm% Ess
Re.a'dii'ri'gg TTi.ej Caias;s;iigile,disi
Run Your Employment Ad Wfith LJs, And You*ll Find Them!
$2 5 ° PER LINE PER DAY
sls°° PER COLUMN INCH DISPLAY
C C<s4''\s(Ay A { y j/3& /
We have a Christmas Basket or Gift Certificate
that is perfect for each person on your list.
ll D% DIT
( All *sn\ (Y.i# tYrl'ifiral^
> 3j)si vFiit t«ruHcait9. j
\ iVlan.v different spa i
f |>rt<'krti*«*S available, \
/ Good thru Dee- 3i* f ONLY! j
o«r m i
services >*P
JRI
by certified '
Enjoy the
pampering [JtT
you stylist in their '
private suite. Visit our facilffy,
equipped with a 7ft. hydrotherapy
tub to help you relax before
enjoying one of our many spa
services. We have a steam cabinet tc
burn those extra holiday inches, in
addition to body wraps.
Call today for an appointment or
more information about our
Sp^ackages.
FOOD
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2006
Line Ads Deadline: 2 days prior at 4pm
Display Ads Deadline: 2 days prior at Noon
Call Ui At 47 5-987-1023 or fax: 479-909-9194
or amall: nltol«@»viiMi«iMpoperj.com
FigßiPl / r . Jjrelplli EH
" Vw V-/ : < ‘*BP r ' i?* b j
MMMhm*
DONNA WRIGHT, OWNER
- • !
Ip.. B
| KELLI |
I ZIRKLE J
I s
■ ' ..
V. I
I ALICIA ]
| SCANCE
Georgia Beef Board
l I
Ljld / 1
Phi *
I CARRIE
| WILLIAMS ■
I
J LIZEL ~1
[ PETERSON *
5C
42082