Spinach Tomato Strata

The weekend is here – do you make any special breakfasts to start the day? For me, I particularly love weekend breakfasts. Anything from the usual sweet {gf} pastries, pancakes, yogurt parfaits,  and the savory eggs, breakfast meats, and potatoes all are delicious ways to kick off the day. Instead of my usual sweet recipe on this Friday, here’s a good breakfast dish to get you thinking about weekend breakfasts! This Spinach Tomato Strata is a great vegetarian dish where cubed bread, fresh tomatoes, spinach and cheese are baked up in a blanket of egg for a tasty mouthful morning…

To end the week long feature of Turano bread, this strata gets me thinking of the weekend! I made this strata for a brunch dish I brought in to work for my vegetarian coworkers could enjoy. It was so easy to make and if you love make ahead meals, this one’s for you! You could incorporate some breakfast meat if you wanted as well {bacon works nicely}and either cheddar or feta cheese could be used. Here’s to the weekend – hope yours is a delicious one!

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach 
• 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• Cooking spray 
• 16 (1-ounce) slices sturdy white bread, cubed
• 2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 large eggs 
• 1 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled feta cheese

  Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and spinach; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts and liquid almost evaporates. Cool.
  In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, tomatoes, spinach mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese. Transfer bread mixture to a baking pan.

  In the now empty bowl, combine milk, salt, pepper, and eggsl; stirring with a whisk. Pour over bread cubes; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

  Preheat oven to 375°. Uncover strata. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until set.