Joey and my husband love egg dishes. Whether it’s for breakfast or dinner, egg-based dishes tend to be a hit with them. I love them because they are also a great way to squeeze in more vegetables to their diets. One dish they both love is an egg strata, however, typically with this, you need to prepare it in advance, let it sit overnight in the fridge, and then bake it. I usually don’t think to make it that far in advance, which often leads to me opting to make something else. But, I just discovered something groundbreaking! You can make a strata in the slow cooker! I adore slow cooker recipes (because they are perfect for the time-crunched day!)
Now, I have to give credit where credit is due. I found this recipe on the Kraft.com website, but I have adjusted it to match my family’s needs. However, the slow-cooker idea for the strata was theirs (as much as I wish I thought of this myself).
Once assembled, it cooks on low in the slow cooker in just 4 hours. Here’s what you need (I am also listing ways to lighten up my version below for those looking to lose weight/take in less calories. I made the higher fat/calorie version since this was mainly for Joey and he needs saturated fats for brain development):
Ingredients:
10 large eggs
2 ½ cups low fat milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
8 large semolina rolls, cut into 1 inch cubes (you can either toast the bread or use stale bread for this)
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 ½ cups button mushrooms, chopped
10 slices of bacon, cooked, crumbled
To make, first slice your bread into 1 inch cubes
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
Next, in a small food processor, chop the onions, mushrooms, and bacon.
Add these ingredients along with one cup of cheese to the eggs. Mix evenly and then fold in the cubed bread.
Line crock pot with foil to create a “foil spatula” so it’s easy to remove your strata from the slow cooker (thanks for this idea Kraft website!). Take two long pieces of foil, fold over 3 times and crisscross them over the bottom of the slow cooker. Take a third piece of folded foil and use it to line the back end of the slow cooker, which can have a “hot spot” that may burn the egg dish.
Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray and pour in the egg mixture. Use a fork to press the mixture down so that all of the bread is moistened. Place the lid on the slow cooker, set it on low, and let it cook for 4 hours. During the last hour, top the strata with the remaining cheese.
After your strata has cooked, you can loosen it and remove it using the foil “handles.”
This recipe was adapted from one I found on the Kraft website (disclosure- I have no relationship with Kraft, I just enjoyed this recipe).
Here is my lighten-up version for those aiming to lose weight or reduce the fat content of the recipe:
5 large eggs
10 egg whites (or 1.5 cup egg substitute)
2 ½ cups skim milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
8 large 100% whole grain rolls, cut into 1 inch cubes (you can either toast the bread or use stale bread for this)
1 ½ cups shredded part-skim cheddar cheese
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 ½ cups button mushrooms, chopped
Follow the same directions as above for a great tasting, lower calorie option.
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