Breakfast Egg Casserole:
Ham and Cheese Strata

I like the fact that you make this easy brunch recipe the night before you want to eat it. In the morning, just do one more quick step, pop it in the oven and then read the newspaper and relax. In an hour, you're eating a hot, delicious breakfast.

• in the cupboard
  • vegetable oil
  • bread
  • salt
  • pepper

• in the fridge or freezer
  • sliced deli ham
  • Cheddar cheese
  • eggs
  • milk
  • onion
  • butter

Get out your equipment

• Essential
  • a 9 x 13" baking dish
  • a bowl
  • a cutting board and sharp knife
  • measuring cups
  • aluminum foil (or a lid for the baking dish)

• Nice to have but not necessary
  • a silicone brush for oiling the pan
  • a whisk for beating the eggs (if not, use a fork)
  
  
  

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  The recipe

  8 slices of bread

  8 thin slices of cooked deli ham

  8 thin slices of Cheddar cheese

  8 slices of bread

  6 eggs

  3 cups/750 mL milk

  1/4 cup/60 mL chopped onion

  salt

  pepper

  Butter a 9 x 13" baking dish.

  Place 8 bread slices in the dish, completely covering the bottom.
  Place the ham slices on top of the bread, followed by the cheese slices.
  Lay the remaining 8 slices of bread over it all.

  Put the eggs into a medium sized bowl and beat them.
  Add the milk, onion, salt and pepper.
  Pour this mixture over the bread.
  Cover, and refrigerator overnight.
  

  In the morning, preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

  Melt 1/2 cup/125 mL butter.
  Drizzle this evenly over the casserole.

  Bake, uncovered, until puffy and browned (about 1 hour).
  
  

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  Substitutions
  • Use butter instead of oil for greasing the pan.

  • Use leftover sliced ham instead of deli ham.

  Ideas for making this recipe your own

  • Try another cheese in place of the Cheddar.

  • Try another variety of lunch meat in place of the ham.

  • Add some spices or other flavoring to the egg mixture. How about some dried mustard? A shot of Worcestershire sauce?

  • Add some diced green onion, sweet red pepper or other vegetable to the egg mixture.

  Tips

  • You can cut off the bread crusts, or not, as you choose. (I don't.)

  • While any variety of sliced cheese can work in this recipe, I don't recommend using processed "cheese" slices. They are just not the same thing at all!

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave.
  
  
  

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  Menu suggestion

  Serve this dish with

  • sliced kiwis

  • grapes

  • orange juice
  
  
  

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  If you enjoy this breakfast egg casserole recipe, you may also like these other brunch recipes:
  • Make Ahead Eggs Benedict
  • Crustless Zucchini Quiche
    
    

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