Savory Strata Cupcakes

Cooking for one is annoying.  I love cooking but I don't always love to eat my leftovers and always end up with a fridge full of things I don't know what to do with.  This means things get shoved to the back or I eat weird little meals of everything together.  I definitely needed a solution when I had a loaf of ciabatta, one too many egg cartons, leftover roasted veggies, 1/2 a red onion, and chorizo.  So I made it fun!

Instead of a giant strata (like this one) I made them in muffin molds!  Spread with a mashed avocado and yogurt topper and a few snipped chives, they look like cupcakes with sprinkles!  Best of all, they are in individual portions perfect for lunch boxes.

Next time you've got leftovers, I challenge you to get creative!  Pull out everything you need to use so you can see what you're working with and start brainstorming.  You might surprise yourself!


Strata Cupcakes
Strata:
9 oz of cubed bread
1/2 pound of chorizo sausage, removed from casing
1/2 a red onion, sliced in half moons
3 oz of roasted veggies (asparagus and zucchini)
4 oz of shredded havarti cheese
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup half and half
zest of a lemon
1/4 teaspoon of fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Note: This is just what I had on hand.  Feel free to use this as a guide and not as a steadfast recipe.  For instance, if you had a different sausage on hand use that instead of buying the chorizo!

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Begin by sauteing the chorizo over medium heat with just a little bit of olive oil.  Break up the meat and cook like you would ground beef, until the meat is no longer pink.

Using the same pan, saute the sliced onions over medium heat in the leftover chorizo fat and flavor.

Start to assemble the bread part by combining the cubed bread, chorizo, onions, roasted vegetables, and cheese.  While the chorizo and onions are cooling prepare the custard by combining the eggs, milk, half and half, lemon zest, and seasonings.

Next, assemble the strata.  Combine the cooled bread mixture with the custard.

Scoop into (greased) muffin tins almost to the top, you should get about 18.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 F, or until the "cupcakes" have puffed up and browned over.  Serve like this or make it adorable with the avocado "frosting"

Avocado Topper:
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons of 0% fat greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of spanish paprika
salt and pepper to taste
chives or scallions to decorate

Really simple, just mash every thing together and dollop on top.

Now, go get creative!