Ham and Spinach Strata with Wheat French Bread

Any meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner is, in my opinion, the best meal ever.
Besides kettle corn. That counts as a meal, right?
Thought so.

Ham and Spinach Strata with Wheat French Bread

I feel like people say that a lot but don't really mean it. "You can even have this breakfast dish for dinner..." but I actually made this for dinner. Then had the leftovers for breakfast. And the great thing about this meal is that because it can be covered in the fridge for a few hours to several hours, so you can make it ahead of time if need be. 

I think Chris described it best when he said this dish was like a breakfast stuffing! I think the flavor of the thyme reminded him a little of Thanksgiving. Yum! 

Ham and Spinach Strata with Wheat French Bread

      adapted from Williams-Sonoma

      makes 12 servings

1 T olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

10 oz box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 1/2 lb loaf of wheat French bread, cut into 1" squares, toasted until dry

12 oz ham, diced

8 oz Gruyere cheese, grated

10 eggs

2 1/2 C low fat milk

1 T fresh thyme

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat, add onion, and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Stir and caramelize onions. 

Transfer onions to a very large bowl. Add drained spinach and mix. Add the diced ham, cheese, and bread cubes. Transfer to a 4-qt baking dish. 

In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 1 tsp salt and thyme. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. 

Cover with foil and place in fridge for 2-16 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is browned and egg is cooked through, about 40 more minutes. 

When I was mixing everything together I was thinking this would be the perfect recipe for an Easter brunch! It's got everything you need to make a lovely meal: ham, eggs, cheese, bread, veggies. Plus it's pretty! 

If you are watching your carbs but are still interested in the other flavors of this dish, try my Green Eggs and Ham Frittata! It's loaded with spinach, ham and eggs and you won't even miss the bread!