1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 t easpoon black pepper
8 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 half-inch-thick slices of a good quality country bread loaf, crusts removed (I use a Tuscan loaf from Sam’s Club)
2 cups diced ham
1 cup diced turkey
4 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
6 inch-thick beefsteak tomato slices
6 slices cooked bacon, halved
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, salt and pepper until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Combine cooled onions, eggs, milk and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl with a pouring spout. Dip half of the bread slices in the mixture and line the bottom of the baking dish, squeezing to fit if necessary.
4. Sprinkle half the ham and turkey, and 2 cups of the cheese over the top. Dip remaining slices of bread in the egg mixture and cover the meat and cheese. Top with the remaining ham, turkey and 1 cup of cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture over the top.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove foil. Top strata with tomato slices. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices over each tomato, then sprinkle the last cup of cheese over top.
6. Continue to bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are warmed and cheese has melted. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
NOTE Can be prepared the night before. Once the egg mixture is poured over the top, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to placing in the oven. Remove plastic wrap and cover dish with foil. Bake as directed above. Spray the foil with nonstick spray to prevent cheese from sticking.
Janine Washle recipe.