Happy New Year!

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for following along over the last year. 2010 was a pretty exciting and volatile year for me. It was the year I stopped musing and realized that Life is indeed what happens while you’re busy doing other things. And having figured that part out, actually did something about it. So, Welcome 2011! Can’t wait to see around the next corner!

But, the weekend’s not over yet, and if you need something for a special breakfast, brunch, a light supper, or even the hors d’oeuvre table, this Spinach Strata goes with just about anything you plan to serve – especially bubbly beverages. It’s also loaded with spinach – a good luck food – to bring you health and wealth in the New Year!

Spinach Strata

(Serves 4 as main dish; may be doubled or tripled as necessary)

Ingredients:

1 tsp. butter, margarine, or Smart Balance Light Spread
1 medium potato (about 9 oz.)
4 oz. sliced or shredded cheese (such as Swiss or mozzarella)
4 large eggs, beaten
2 Tbs. milk
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 cups baby spinach, uncooked
1 medium tomato, sliced thin
salt & pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º F. Grease a 1 quart oven-proof casserole dish with the butter.

Slice the potato very thinly. A small hand slicer or mandoline will be useful here. Line the bottom of the casserole with half of the potato slices, overlapping. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Lay half of the cheese over the potato slices.

Beat the eggs with the milk until combined, season with a little salt and pepper, and mix in the thyme leaves (which you’ve first stripped from their stems). Pour into the casserole.

Pile the spinach leaves evenly over the egg mixture and cover with the sliced tomato, followed by the remaining potato slices. Arrange the remaining cheese over the top, making certain to cover the potato slices completely.

Bake for 30-35 minutes and let cool for about 5 minutes before cutting, to allow the strata to set.

Notes:

Swiss cheese will create a crisp, cheesy crust on top (think frico), so if you’d prefer a softer and creamier top, use something like mozzarella.

Here’s a favorite healthy brunch option that I love – all food groups in one place, all the flavor, none of the deprivation!

Brie Strata

Ingredients:

2 tbs. Olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 medium green or yellow pepper, roughly chopped
4 ounces Mushrooms (any variety) sliced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 6 ounce bag baby spinach
1 roasted red pepper (can be jarred), roughly diced
1 16 ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
8 eggs (or 4 eggs plus 1 cup liquid egg substitute)
2 cups milk
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1 7.7 ounce Brie round(cold)

Preparation:
Sautee onions, mushrooms, garlic and peppers in olive oil over medium heat until soft, and onions are translucent. Add spinach, and continue cooking until wilted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add roasted red peppers and stir until combined.

Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and spread hash browns to cover the bottom of the dish evenly.

Cut the Brie (which should be cold) in half and put one half back in the refrigerator. Cut the other half into small cubes (no need to trim off the rind) and mix in with the vegetables. Cover the hash browns with the vegetable /cheese mixture, spreading evenly.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and pour over the vegetable/cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the remaining half Brie thinly (again, no need to trim off the rind) and arrange on the top of the casserole. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes. Top should be browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.