White Cheddar & Chive Egg Strata Recipe

Egg Stratas (or casseroles...) are great for brunch - heartier and more rustic than a quiche and easy to make ahead of time, they are perfect for my style of casual entertaining.  Most breakfast egg stratas call for cream or half-and-half and sausage.  For the brunch we hosted last weekend for friends, I decided to lighten it up a little bit and used milk vs. cream and went without the sausage.  Per Mike's request, we still had fried bacon as a side - we're not crazy!

The strata was a hit - creamy, fluffy and full of white cheddar cheese, it was basically a really simple way to have perfectly cooked eggs ready just in time for brunch... without standing over a stove and stirring and stirring just before we sat down to eat. 

To see the entire menu (including cinnamon maple & pecan scones...) and more about the brunch at our house, read the post here.

White Cheddar & Chive
Egg Strata

10 eggs
2 cups of milk
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1/2 tablespoon of pepper
6 pieces of bread, crusts off
2 cups of white cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons of chives

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, chives, salt and pepper.  In a 9x13 baking dish, put one layer of bread on the bottom.  Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread.  Pour the egg mixture over bread and cheese.  Top with the remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours - overnight.  Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top has puffed and the egg mixture is no longer runny.

Easter Brunch Ideas | Brunch Menu Ideas | Easy Easter Centerpieces

I had to reach way back in the archives for this one!  This post was from 2012.  Emma was 4 months old (instead of 4 years old!) and I can't imagine how I had time to write this... oh yeah, because I basically just held her all day, and when she slept I worked on my laptop : )

Enjoy this round-up of more Easter Brunch ideas.  I'm still debating what our menu will be... of course!

..........

I can hardly believe it is Easter already.  With the weather swinging every which direction, I can't decide if I'm ready for Christmas or The 4th of July... which actually does sound like Easter.  When we were little we never knew if we'd be battling rain or snow on Easter morning - somethings never change!  Here is a little rundown of some posts that might inspire your Easter celebration!

Spinach & Asparagus Cream Soup

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing & Pecans

Lemon Meringue Mousse Tart

Cranberry Scones with an Orange Glaze

Mrs. Ross's Blackberry Cobbler



Bacon, Potato & Chive Skillet Omelet

Daffodil Centerpiece & Egg Table Setting

Homemade Herbed Ricotta Cheese on Garlic Baguette Toasts

Chocolate Glazed Donuts

Quiche

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

"Homemade" Cinnamon Rolls from Frozen Bread Dough

Banana Pecan Pancakes Recipe 

Breakfast Skillet | Bacon, Potatoes, Chive & Cheddar Egg Skillet

 On Saturday mornings we have a rotation of breakfast foods that we've been making for the last 4 years : pancakes, biscuit and gravy, french toast and waffles (a new addition to the rotation since we received a waffle iron for Christmas... in fact, it is been 80% waffles since we've received the waffle iron).  I wanted to shake up the old routine a bit - without going to the grocery store.  I had bacon, eggs and potatoes on hand, so I threw it in a skillet and the result was a fantastic change of pace to our Saturday breakfast ritual and took all of ten minutes. 

6 strips of bacon, diced

2 yukon gold or red potatoes, sliced

1/4 cup of diced onion

2 tablespoons of butter

8 eggs

1/4 cup of milk

sea salt & cracked pepper

2 tablespoons of fresh chives, chopped

1/4 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

In a skillet, cook diced bacon, onion, butter & potatoes for 4-5 minutes until bacon renders the fat and the potatoes begin to soften.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, chives, salt and pepper.  Add eggs to the skillet and cook on medium high for 5 minutes until the eggs are done.  Top with cheddar cheese.  Serve in wedges. 

 

Croque Madame | Recipes | Simple Healthy Breakfast Ideas

   Croque Madame

A Croque Madame is one of those things that sound very extravagant, but when it comes down to it is very simple and rustic... basically, it is a french of a ham and cheese sandwich topped with an egg.  It is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast or lunch.  The melted cheese and slightly runny yolk make it seem so deceivingly decadent and rich.  It is also one of those things for which I always seem to have the ingredients.

Croque Madame for One

1 piece of bread
1/2 tablespoon of butter
2 slices of ham
1 slice of cheese
1 egg
salt & pepper

I use one large skillet on medium heat for the entire thing.  In one corner of the skillet I put the buttered bread to toast.  In another corner the slices of ham.  Then I crack the egg right into the skillet.
Turn the ham and the bread to cook on both sides, but do not turn the egg... it is served on top "Sunny Side Up."

After about 2 minutes, I pile the ham onto the bread, top it with cheese.  If the bread is getting to toasted, you can go ahead and put it on a plate while the egg finishes.  The egg will cook for 2-3 minutes more until the yolk just starts to firm up.

 Put the egg right on top of cheese, ham and toast.  Top it with sea salt & pepper.