Sally Roberts/Nevada Appeal
All of us need to eat breakfast on the run occasionally. But when the weekend rolls around it's time to enjoy a real breakfast.
A great method for easy-going morning food is to assemble an all-in-one strata the night before. The only thing left to do in the morning is bake the strata. What a great way to start the day! The recipe for the strata as well as a Breakfast Lemonade follow.
Saturday Breakfast Strata
Total time: 11⁄2 hours plus chilling
Makes one 9-inch strata
1 loaf country or sourdough bread, (1-11⁄4 pounds) sliced 1⁄2-inch thick.
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1⁄2 pound mozzarella, grated, or fresh mozzarella, cubed
3⁄4 cup prepared pesto
6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 pound tomatoes, thinly sliced
5 eggs
11⁄2 cups whole milk or Half and Half
Table salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Coat a 2-3 quart round baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange half the bread slices on the bottom of the dish, top by layering half of the cream cheese, mozzarella, pesto, prosciutto, and tomatoes. Then finish layering with the remaining portions of those ingredients.
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together. Pour the mixture over the layers; cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before baking.
Bake the strata at 350 degrees until puffed, golden brown, and lightly set in the center, about 1 hour. Allow the strata to rest for 10 minutes before unmolding.
Breakfast Lemonade
Total time: about 10 minutes
Makes 8 cups
Combine:
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate (12 ounces)
2 cups cold water
11⁄2 cups mango juice
Stir in:
1⁄2 cup red or green grapes, halved
1⁄2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1⁄2 cup mango, chopped
1⁄2 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1⁄2 cup fresh raspberries
Combine the lemonade concentrate, water, and mango juice, then stir in grapes, pineapple, mango, strawberries, and raspberries. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 hour ahead.
• Molly Gingell is the owner of Molly's Gourmet Catering, takeout and cooking school at 220 W. John St. in Carson City.