New Year Spinach Strata

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.