Holiday Brunch Strata With Ham, Spinach & Cheese

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 package frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded cheese coarsely, Gruyere, Swiss or Cheddar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 dash cayenne
• 1 dash hot sauce
• 6 cups cubed bread cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup cooked ham diced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut your bread into 1-inch cubes and place in the bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Then you are going to heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the minced garlic for a minute or two. Stir in spinach and saute for about 5 minutes until cooked through; remove from heat, set aside.
2. In the mixing bowl of the KitchenAid(R) Stand Mixer, add the whole milk, cream, eggs, cheese, mustard, salt and pepper, cayenne, nutmeg and hot sauce.
3. Whisk together on low speed until ingredients are mixed together well.
4. Pour the milk, cheese and egg custard over the bread cubes in the casserole dish and press down to coat all the bread completely with the egg mixture.
5. Layer on top the spinach and garlic mixture, spreading evenly over the casserole and top with the cubed cooked ham, pressing down into the casserole dish.
6. Sprinkle additional cheese on top. Press down on the mixture and evenly spread out the ham and cheese throughout the casserole dish. Cover the strata tightly with foil and chill for at least 2 hours to overnight.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the strata, covered, until eggs are set and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 10 minutes. If the top starts getting too brown, cover it with foil towards the end of cooking. Increase oven temperature to the broiler on high and move the rack to the top of the oven and broil until the strata is bubbly and golden brown, for another few minutes. Pierce the strata with a knife in the center to check for doneness - if it comes out clean then the bread custard is cooked through.
8. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place in the bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole dish.
9. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic for a minute or two. Stir in spinach and saute for about 5 minutes until cooked through; remove from heat, set aside.
10. In the mixing bowl of the KitchenAid(R) Artisan(R) Series Stand Mixer, add the whole milk, cream, eggs, cheese, mustard, salt and pepper, cayenne, nutmeg and hot sauce. Whisk together on low speed until ingredients are mixed together well.
11. Pour the milk, cheese and egg custard over the bread cubes in the casserole dish and press down to coat all the bread completely with the egg mixture.
12. Layer on top the spinach and garlic mixture, spreading evenly over the casserole.
13. Top with the cubed cooked ham and sprinkle additional cheese on top. Press down on the mixture and evenly spread out the ham and cheese throughout the casserole dish.
14. Cover the strata tightly with foil and chill for at least 2 hours to overnight.
15. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the strata, covered, until eggs are set and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 10 minutes. If the top starts getting too brown, cover it with foil towards the end of cooking. Increase oven temperature to the broiler on high and move the rack to the top of the oven and broil until the strata is bubbly and golden brown, for another few minutes. Pierce the strata with a knife in the center to check for doneness - if it comes out clean then the bread custard is cooked through.

olive oil, garlic, milk, heavy cream, eggs, shredded cheese, mustard, worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, hot sauce, bread, parmesan cheese

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Holiday-Brunch-Strata-with-Ham_-Spinach-_-Cheese-2098881 (may not work)