Peach melba brunch strata: this tasty make-ahead dish is ideal for casual weekend entertaining

On lazy spring weekends, sometimes I just don't want to cope with the culinary side of Sunday morning. For easy, great-tasting, make-ahead meals, stratas fit the bill nicely. They make superb substitutes for the trickier souffle--a true nightmare for all but those gifted in the culinary arts--but unfortunately are loaded with fat and calories.

The traditional strata is made with white bread, cubes of full-fat cheese and high-fat sausage or bacon, and soaked with a mixture of whole eggs and milk. To lower the fat content, I used a combination of whole eggs and egg whites as well as reduced-fat dairy ingredients. I upped the protein with cottage cheese and boosted the fiber with whole-wheat bread. But the best part is the taste. Here, fresh peaches pair well with juicy raspberries and crunchy almonds for a "peach melba" flavor.

This dish can be assembled and chilled one day before baking. Make it Saturday for a Sunday-morning surprise.

* PEACH MELBA BRUNCH STRATA

3 fresh peaches, sliced (or 15-ounce can sliced peaches in natural
  juice, drained)
3 packets Splenda
2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
7 slices whole-wheat or sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about
  4 1/2 cups), divided
4 turkey sausage breakfast links, chopped, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups grated reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites, beaten
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds
1 cup fresh raspberries
Nonstick cooking spray

Coat a 9-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl toss peaches with two packets Splenda and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside. Place half the bread cubes in prepared baking dish. Top with half of the sausage, half of the peaches, half of the cheddar cheese and all of the cottage cheese. Repeat layers (except for cottage cheese). In a separate bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, milk, remaining one packet Splenda and 1 tsp. cinnamon, extracts and nutmeg; beat until well blended. Pour egg mixture over strata mixture in baking dish and sprinkle with almonds. Cover: refrigerate one hour or overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for one hour or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to serve. Serve hot or warm. Sprinkle each serving with raspberries. Makes eight servings. Per serving: 270 calories, 20 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 4 g fiber.

RELATED ARTICLE: Helpful Tips That Make the Meal

Double-Check for Doneness. Insert a clean meat thermometer into the center of the casserole. Once the temperature reaches 160 degrees F, the strata is ready.

Safe Food Handling. Buy eggs from refrigerated cases and store them in their cartons on an interior shelf in the refrigerator (not in the door) as soon as possible after purchase. Use only clean, unbroken eggs.

Take a Shortcut. When a recipe calls for cooking chopped or crumbled sausage or bacon, make the job easier by snipping the raw meat into half-inch pieces right into the skillet with clean kitchen scissors. Sausage and bacon cook faster this way and there's no need to crumble.

Leftover Know-How. Store leftover strata in the refrigerator. For a quick and satisfying weekday breakfast, cut a single-serving-size square and reheat in the microwave.

Delicious Variation. Substitute fresh apple slices for the peaches, replace the almonds with walnuts, and use raisins instead of raspberries for a heartier "baked apple" twist.

Easy Springtime Entertaining. Serve peach melba brunch strata as the main dish for an intimate brunch accompanied with a platter of sliced melon, garnished with fresh lime and mint.

Top it all off with store-bought bitesize pastries or macaroons. For a refreshing sunrise cooler, blend cranberry juice with fresh orange juice and sparkling water.

Serve with almond flavored coffee: Prepare a fresh pot of coffee, and flavor with sweetener and a halfteaspoon of almond extract.

Kathryn E. Scherb. ACSM, RD, is a nutritionist (registered dietitian) and personal trainer in the New York-metro area. She frequently writes for leading magazines and appears on television. Her company, KS & A Communications, provides nutrition consulting services to the food, health and fitness industries.

BY KATHRYN SCHERB, RD

COPYRIGHT 2003 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group