The Covered Dish - Asparagus Strata

This is the first week in a ‘very’ long time where I haven’t had one meal out the entire week! One thing for sure we definitely saved money! Our week concluded with a 90th birthday celebration for my husband’s step-dad, Ed Osbern, a strong Christian man leading by example. He was totally surprised by our ‘horn tooting’, party hat’ display. All the foodies may want to know how we celebrated, chicken salad on croissants, green bean casserole, a fruit filled watermelon, chips, cake and cupcakes. Simple and definitely summer friendly.
This week I thought many would be hosting family gatherings for the holiday.
The recipe is one that would be delicious served any time of day. Once again, you can make it the night before and bake in the morning. If you find asparagus a turn off let’s look into some possible alternatives for the dish. Our family eats lots of spinach in our egg dishes. This could be added in place of the asparagus Take the base foundation of eggs, milk, bread and cheese and whip this into an Italian Strata. Peppers, green onions, Italian Sausage, black olives and a few drained fire roasted tomatoes. Spinach, of course, would compliment all of these ingredients. Take it down a Spanish or Mexican route with ingredients like chorizo, green chilies, cumin, chili powder, jalapenos, peppers of all sorts. Serve it with warm salsa over the top and a dollop of sour cream for the presentation. Oh yes, don’t forget the addition of cilantro, just use a light hand with the herb. My spouse can handle a ‘bit’ of cilantro but too much and he will turn down the dish. I won’t bore you today with the reasons why some like cilantro and others greatly despise it. I will just say those who dislike it say it tastes like soap on their palate. The ‘funny’ on that is the fact that cilantro is a ‘cleanser’ within our bodies!
As we approach this historic 4th of July I know we are thankful to live in this nation. There are many negative influences surrounding us and it is often difficult to remain resilient. ‘Actions speak louder than words’ and we question what is surrounding us in this world. It’s a good time to sit down with grandchildren and remnense about what makes America great. Take time to visit with a veteran and ask them to share what they can, about their tours of duty. Help build an image about our nation that sparks a desire to learn more.
‘God Bless America’, Happy Fourth of July, The Covered Dish

Asparagus Strata
9 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3 slices of bread, ( I sometimes use a bit more.)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 pound cooked and drained sausage
2 cups asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces, cooked slightly
4 to 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Since writing this recipe at least 20 years ago, I would make a couple of small changes here: Add more cheese and/or change out the type of cheese also consider the bread choice. I like using sour dough in many of my egg dishes.
Green onions would also be a change up.
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish.
Refrigerate overnight, bake in a 375 degree oven, yes, you could do 350 instead. I would start this baking process by covering the strata for baking and then uncovering later. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.