Do you remember those Saturday mornings at Nana’s and waking up to that fabulous aroma coming from her oven? Well, Nana’s Eggs Benedict Bake will have your mind and your tummy taking a walk down memory lane. The toasty, soft crunch of those English muffins surrounded by that oh-so-delicious Canadian bacon and an “egg-travagant” egg combo is just the map of deliciousness that you need to get back to the good ole’ days. Let Nana’s Egg Benedict Bake become a part of your family tradition too! It’s definitely worth the trip!
Ingredients
For the strata:
- 6 English muffins, split and cut in half
- 12 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces Canadian bacon slices, quartered
- 1 (10-ounce) package baby spinach
- 2 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated
For the sauce:
- 1 1/2 sticks salted butter
- 3 large egg yolks
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- hot sauce, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –Arrange the English muffins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until they are golden-brown, about 10 minutes.
Step 4 –Let the muffins cool.
Step 5 –In a large bowl, combine the 12 eggs, the milk, the half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and whisk to combine.
Step 6 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
Step 7 –Add 1/2 of the Canadian bacon slices in a single layer to the skillet and cook until they are browned, about 1 minute per side.
Step 8 –Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate and repeat with the remaining bacon slices.
Step 9 –Add 1/2 of the spinach to the pan and toss until it is partially wilted, then add the remaining spinach and toss until all of it is wilted.
Step 10 –Season the spinach with the extra salt and transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate and press with the back of a spoon to release some of the liquid.
Step 11 –In the prepared baking dish, layer 1/2 of the English muffins, 1/2 of the spinach, 1/2 of the bacon, and 1/2 of the cheese.
Step 12 –Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, starting with the English muffins and ending with the cheese.
Step 13 –Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bacon mixture.
Step 14 –Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Step 15 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 16 –Transfer the egg mixture from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking.
Step 17 –Replace the plastic wrap with foil and bake the egg mixture for 30 minutes.
Step 18 –Uncover the dish and bake until the egg mixture is golden-brown and slightly crisp on top, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 19 –While the egg mixture is baking, in a small saucepan, melt the butter until it is sizzling.
Step 20 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat.
Step 21 –Add the remaining egg yolks and the lemon juice to a blender and blend, while slowly drizzling with the yolk mixture, until the mixture thickens.
Step 22 –Add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of the water to the egg mixture until the sauce is pourable.
Step 23 –Stir the salt, the pepper, and the hot sauce into the sauce mixture.
Step 24 –Drizzle some of the sauce over the bake.
Step 25 –Serve the bake with the remaining sauce.