CHORIZO SPINACH STRATA

I called this entry 'from getting frustrated to a good spinach strata'

Yes, last night I am really frustrated because I didn't know what I want to cook for our dinner. When I looked around my kitchen cabinets and hoping that I can find something to cook, I found a bag of hoagie roll (or I called it subway bun :)) on the corner of my cabinet, and.......*tring tring* spinach strata acrossed into my mind. Then I opened my refrigerator, I can't find any ham or bacon :(. But, I saw a bowl of chorizo. Aha....I'm getting excited because I know I will make up my own strata :).

When the chorizo spinach strata *I named it then* is baked in the oven, I can smell the good smell came out from the chorizo! Really made me hungry!.



Chorizo Spinach Strata

Ingredients:
6 Hoagie Rolls (Italian bread, french bread are work too), diced

Filling:
1 package of baby spinach, rinse, drain and chopped
1-1/2 cups pork chorizo
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, small diced
2 tsps olive oil
Salt and blackpepper, to taste

Egg Mixtures (mix all):
6 eggs, lightly whisk
1 cup of fat free milk *a lot healthier I guess ;)*
Salt and blackpepper, to taste

Preparation:
The Filling:
Caramelized the onion with olive oil on a medium pan. Stir in chorizo and stirring until the red oil comes out from the chorizo. Stir in chopped spinach. Stirring until the spinach is soften. Add in bell pepper, salt and blackpepper, to taste. Let it simmering for 3 minutes. Remove from the stove. Set aside.

The Finishing:
Preheat the oven over 375F.
Spread a half of diced hoagie rolls evenly into casserole dish. Transfer the filling to the top of the bread, spread it evenly. Cover it with the remaining hoagie rolls. Pour the egg mixture evenly and make sure the bread are soaking the egg mixture before you put it in the oven.
Bake it for about 30 minutes. Serve it warm.

B-S-M-E ENGLISH MUFFIN

When BLT *Bacon Lettuce Tomatoes* is the signature sandwiches at many restaurant, I made my own abbreviation for my english muffin burger *or sandwich?*.

Using the left ingredients we have *yea...we still not go get groceries this week :(*, here is my first homemade BSME (Bacon Shallots Mushrooms and Egg Benedict) English Muffin and a very handy hollandaise sauce....yum yum...

B-S-M-E English Muffin

Ingredients:
6 pieces homemade english muffin, halved and toasted
1/4 lb bacon (choose the thick cut bacon)
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
6 large eggs, poached
Blender Hollandaise Sauce *recipe below*

Preparation:
In a non-stick fry pan, saute bacon until a little bit brown. Drain it from the oil. Set aside. Use the grease from bacon to fry mushrooms and shallots *fry it separately*. Poach the eggs once at a time.
Finishing: make layers of half of english muffin - bacon - shallots - mushrooms - egg benedict - hollandaise sauce - top it with another half of english muffin.
Serve it immediately.



Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
1/2 cup butter
Salt and sugar, to taste

Preparation:
1.In the container of a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, salt and sugar. Cover, and blend for about 5 seconds.
2.Place the butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat butter in the microwave for about 1minute, or until completely melted and hot. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. It should thicken almost immediately. Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender container in a pan of hot tap water.

SPINACH STRATA WITH BACON AND CHEESE

My first time making and tasting spinach strata. One day, I saw a cooking show at createtv channel, and they showed this recipe. Actually, they showed it for christmas dinner, and I thought to make it for our Christmas dinner, but since I cooked loads of foods already, so I cancelled it.

Now, few days after Christmas and our Christmas leftover are all gone. I was thinking it is the time to make spinach strata. Since I know my hubby doesn't really like spinach, so I thought this dish is the perfect dish to force him eating the spinach ;).

So, here I am experimanting spinach strata recipe. I added chopped bacon to add some extra bacon-kick on the strata. The result......It is so good! Good taste and good smell which were exposed our appetite :).

My hubby liked it so much. The first time he heard there is spinach in this dish, he showed me 'eww-ie' face, but after he tasted it, he said, "This is really good hun. I like it". :)

So, let's make it for our loved ones who dislike spinach, I guarantee they will love spinach ;).

Spinach Strata with Bacon and Cheese

Ingredients:
2 packages fresh baby spinach
1 cup bacon, cut into 1-in width
1 1/2 cups (or 1 large) finely chopped onion
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 cups cubed (1 inch) French or Italian whole wheat bread
6 oz coarsely grated Gruyère (2 cups)
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)
2 3/4 cups milk
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preparation:
Boil spinach in boiling water until the spinach changes into dark green color. Drain it from the water. Rinse it with cold water. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.

Cook bacon in olive oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until almost brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in onion, stirring until soft. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.

Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).

Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).

Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.