Post #200: Homemade Strata

It has been almost five years(!) since my first post on this blog. Back then I was living alone in a house with a nice big kitchen, and now I've got 3 flatmates and a one-burner stove. I suppose I should've written about something special for #200, as it is a rather big number, but I didn't plan that far ahead. 

I think I first heard of strata when I saw the film The Family Stone. Sarah Jessica Parker's character makes one for Christmas breakfast at her soon-to-be-in-laws', which ends up spilling all over the kitchen floor. Not the most inspiring cooking story ...

However, I have eaten other breakfast casseroles made with bread, cheese, vegetables, etc. So, when I found a pack of bread left behind after my flatmates went away for the summer, I decided I would try to use it up in my first strata.

Aside from bread, milk and eggs, my ingredients were cheese, Chinese spinach, garlic, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. I was surprised that the casserole had to soak in the milk mixture for 8 hours, as I've never done that for bread pudding. But the strata turned out well, so I guess it is necessary.