Susan Ritts, creator of Putting on the Ritts and Crazy Good Dressing, shares two strata recipes.

MOM’S AWESOME HAM STRATA
Serves 8

Another family favorite we count on enjoying when we all get together. Mom never lets us down! Try this and you will not be disappointed. Note: This needs to sit in the refrigerator overnight, so plan accordingly. 

10 eggs
 2-1/2 cups skim milk 
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 pound ham, thinly sliced 
1 loaf French or Italian bread, preferably unsliced from your favorite bakery 
10 ounces Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded 
5 chopped green onions (optional) 
2 teaspoons salt 
1 teaspoon pepper 
Butter to grease casserole dish 

Butter a 9×12 inch casserole dish. In a large bowl, beat eggs and add milk, salt, pepper and mustard. Mix well. Add onions if using. Set aside. Cut or rip bread into 1 inch pieces. Put half of bread into the casserole dish. Top with half of the ham and half of the cheese. Layer remaining bread and repeat toppings. Pour egg mixture on top of bread/ cheese. 

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. About half an hour before cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove strata from the refrigerator and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Cook the strata for about an hour and 15 minutes. Check it after 1 hour. It should be puffy and light brown. Strata shouldn’t be “jiggly” in the center, so cook a bit longer if needed. Cool slightly and serve. I like to serve this with fruit salad and mimosa’s. I’m getting hungry…and thirsty just thinking about this! 

SPINACH/CRAB STRATA
Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups cubed Italian or French Bread
12OZ crabmeat, drained and shredded
5 TBS butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
4 cups fresh spinach 
2 cups skim or 2% milk
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Butter to grease casserole dish 

Generously butter a 13/9 casserole dish. Spread bread cubes evenly across dish. Next spread shredded crabmeat over bread.

Melt 1 TBS butter in a large non-stick skillet. Sauté onion over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until translucent but not browned. Add spinach. Cook for about 3 minutes – until spinach wilts. Spread spinach/onion mixture over bread/crabmeat. Top with cheeses.

Melt 4 TBS butter. Combine beaten eggs, melted butter, mustard, salt & pepper. Whisk well. Pour over crabmeat mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 F. Bake crab strata, covered for about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy!!