Asparagus Sourdough Strata

We made this four our annual Conference weekend breakfast with Mom, Dad and Carrie. I used a pound of bacon (minus the 2...or 6 pieces that we snitched after cooking the bacon) instead of the ham, and I used onion powder instead of onions for both Jeff and Carrie's sake. : ) The amount of half & half that you use will depend on the pan that you bake it in. I used a 9x13 pan and I used the entire 1 1/2 cups of half & half.

Asparagus Sourdough Strata

10 to 11 cups sourdough bread cubes (3/4" cubes)

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

9 ounces frozen or 1 bunch fresh (15 to 20 medium stalks) asparagus, ends snapped off, cut into 1" pieces

1 small onion, peeled and chopped; a scant 1 cup

½ pound ham, diced

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

8 large eggs

½ cup to 1 1/2 cups half & half (fat-free is fine)

½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and grease a 2-quart casserole dish or 9" x 13" pan.

2) Toss the bread in a bowl with the melted butter, and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Heat the bread in the oven for 10 minutes; it won't color, but will dry out a bit.

3) If the asparagus are frozen, use them as is. If they're fresh, cook them very briefly; a couple of minutes in the microwave should be sufficient. You want them to be crisp, but not hard.

4) Toss the asparagus, onion, ham, and 1 ½ cups of the cheese with the toasted bread cubes. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

5) Mix together the eggs, 1/2 cup of the half & half, and salt, and pour over the bread mixture, pressing the bread gently into the liquid. Add up to an additional 1 cup half & half if it doesn't come to within 3/4" of the top of the bread cubes.

6) Cover the pan, and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

7) Sprinkle the top of the strata with the remaining cheese. Bake the strata uncovered, in a preheated 375°F oven, for about 45 minutes, or until it's puffed and golden. A knife blade inserted into the center will come out clean. Remove the strata from the oven, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: about 12 servings.

Altered slightly from KingArthurFlour.com