BLT Strata – Texas Co-op Power

6 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 cups baby spinach or arugula
6 ounces day-old bread, such as sourdough or challah, cut into cubes
6 eggs
¾ cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup packed shredded Gruyère or white cheddar

1. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.

3. Sauté onions in the same skillet over medium heat until they begin to soften and become translucent, 3–5 minutes. Add halved tomatoes and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, scraping up any browned bits in the pan, until onions have started to caramelize and tomatoes have softened. Stir in the spinach until wilted, then remove the pan from heat. Stir the bacon into the onion mixture.

4. Add half the bread cubes to prepared baking dish, then top with half of the onion mixture. Repeat with remaining bread and onion mixture.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper, then pour evenly into the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top, then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

6. When ready to bake, remove strata from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered 40–45 minutes, until lightly browned on top.

Serves 6.

Recipe originally appeared in Texas Co-op Power April Edition