Broccoli and Bacon Strata

At the beginning of the year everyone starts eating salads.  Vegetables.  Green stuff.  

You will be bored of that by the end of the month, trust me.

I love salads, but I also love convenience.  In fact, as I enter my fourth and final week of winter vacation, I have reached the peak of laziness.  So, give me something to eat that is easy to make, wholesome, and tasty.  

Give me this strata.

Don't toss out that bread getting stale in the cupboard, cut it up and mix it with ingredients you probably already have on hand.  Bake, eat, and enjoy the leftovers.

Broccoli and Bacon Strata

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

4-5 slices of dry bread 

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

1 large crown of broccoli

1/4 cup sliced green onions

2 strips of bacon, crumbled

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dry ground mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

a few drops of hot sauce

Directions:

Grease a 9"x9" baking pan.  

Chop broccoli into small pieces.  Cook by steaming until tender.  Drain well and set aside.

Slice bread into cubes and place in pan.  Sprinkle half of cheese over bread.  Next, layer crumbled bacon, green onions and broccoli over bread.  

Whisk eggs, milk, and spices.  Pour mixture over bread in pan.  Top with remaining cheese.

Allow pan to sit in refrigerator covered for 3 hours or overnight.  Remove from fridge and allow pan to air for 30 minutes before baking.  

Bake at 350 deg. F for 50 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

*This reheats well!  Pop a portion in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Great for breakfast the next morning.