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Monday, April 25, 2011

Breakfast Tortilla Strata


When I think of stratas, I think of bread-filled egg dishes almost reminiscent of a custard. This isn't your typical strata; it still has the egg mixture but instead of chunks of bread there are layers of corn tortillas. I came across this Cooking Light recipe when I was looking for a way to use up the corn tortillas I bought for Latin Nacho Bowls. Though stratas might typically be considered a brunch dish, I think the Mexican take on this dish makes it a good alternative for dinner as well, which is when we had it. (Bonus--this recipe takes only a few minutes to put together and must be made ahead of time...just come home and stick it in the oven!)

I followed the recipe almost exactly, but I definitely want to recommend a few changes, should you give this a go. For starters, if you like things spicy, use a spicy salsa! I used a mild salsa and although it was good, the dish lacked the kick I would've liked. Also, feel free to customize this. Next time I think I'd add cilantro, spinach, or maybe other vegetables to the strata layers. Finally, be wary of how much liquid you use. My salsa was pretty liquidy so that coupled with the egg mixture made for a very runny strata that took much longer to cook than the suggested 35 minutes. If your salsa is fairly runny do, you're best off eliminating some of the milk and/or sour cream.

I'm posting the recipe below as I made it, but keep my suggestions in mind. Ryan and I both really liked this dinner, I just think a few simple things could turn it from good to great!

One Year Ago: Whole Wheat Baguettes

Breakfast Tortilla Strata
from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
-1 cup bottled salsa
-1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
-10 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
-cooking spray
-1 cup Mexican blend cheese, divided (I probably used a little more than this)
-1 cup low-fat sour cream
-1 cup skim milk
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 large eggs
-2 large egg whites (I just used 3 eggs total)
-1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Directions:
1. Combine salsa and beans in a bowl. Lay 1/3 of the tortilla strips in an 11x7-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with 1/3 cup cheese and approximately 1 cup salsa mixture.
2. Repeat step with another 1/3 tortilla strips, 1/3 cup cheese, and remaining salsa mixture. Top with remaining tortilla strips.
3. Combine sour cream, milk, salt, and eggs in a separate bowl, whisking to combine. Stir in onions. Pour liquid over tortilla strips and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Remove dish from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and firming up in the middle.