The Strata Strategy: An Easter feast that leaves time for church

In the Ozzy and Harriet 1950s and ‘60s of my childhood, Easter meant a frilly new dress and, most thrillingly, a hat - my one and only of the year. The point, of course, was to look fabulous for church on that most celebratory of days.

Somehow, with three little ones to corral into their Sunday best and my father to cajole into his suit, my mother still managed to serve a full-out Easter dinner - ham and all the fixings plus homemade pies - when we got home from church.

These days, Sunday best means business-casual at my main-line Protestant church. And as for capping morning services with a long afternoon in the kitchen - well, it's not my idea of a holiday.

A restaurant brunch can be lovely, but if you're entertaining Easter guests or simply want the comfort and economy of a home-cooked meal, stratas are a great strategy.

The four recipes here offer a range of flavor profiles, from bagels and lox to bacon and eggs, and each is absolutely delicious.

Assembled a day ahead, these crowd-pleasing casseroles require little embellishment and less than an hour in the oven - plenty of time to pull together the other elements of a simple but elegant Easter feast.

There are all sorts of way to go with the menu - a green salad, crudite, perhaps a ham. Here are my suggestions:

-Asparagus: Steam a big batch the day before and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature while the strata bakes, and serve it with a simple vinaigrette on the side.

-Grape tomatoes: Rinse and drain several pints - or one of those big, warehouse-store cartons - first thing in the morning. Toss them with a little olive oil and crushed garlic and spread on a rimmed baking sheet (no need to refrigerate). Roast them in the oven with the strata for its last 20 minutes.

-Fruit salad: Buy it ready-made, or choose the best-looking citrus, etc., in the produce department to make your own and refrigerate - again, a day ahead. (If using bananas, add just before serving.)

-Bread: Serve your favorite biscuits or muffins, purchased or homemade.

All that's left is for you to enjoy the meal - and the compliments.

SMOKED SALMON AND BAGEL STRATA

There's something delightful about familiar flavors in an unexpected form, as in this terrific recipe adapted from Diane Phillips' "Perfect Party Food" (Harvard Common, 2005).

Vegetable oil spray

8 large eggs

1-½ cups milk (2 percent or whole)

1 cup sour cream (reduced-fat is OK), plus extra for serving

12 ounces smoked salmon, cut into matchsticks

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

6 plain or egg bagels, cut into ½-inch pieces

Sprigs fresh dill for garnish

Chopped red onion, capers and lemon wedges for serving

Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and sour cream until blended. Stir in salmon, dill and lemon zest.

Spread bagel cubes in prepared pan. Pour egg mixture evenly over, pushing down cubes to soak them. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Let strata sit at room temperature while you heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with dill and serve with onion, capers, sour cream and lemon wedges on the side. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Per serving: 231 calories (33 percent from fat), 8.4 g fat (3.4 g saturated, 2.8 g monounsaturated), 156.6 mg cholesterol, 15.7 g protein, 22.2 g carbohydrates, 0.8 g fiber, 498 mg sodium.

MONTE CRISTO STRATA

Another winner adapted from Diane Phillips' "Perfect Party Food," this was, to me, the best of the best. I used Pepperidge Farm farmhouse white bread and two 1-¼-cup packages of shredded cheese - ½ cup less than called for, but fine.

Vegetable oil spray

8 large eggs

2 cups milk (2 percent or whole)

6 shakes of Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 (1-pound) loaf good-quality sliced white bread, torn into -½-inch pieces

8 ounces sliced turkey, cut into matchsticks

8 ounces sliced ham, cut into matchsticks

3 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, Tabasco and mustard until blended.

Arrange as much of the bread as you can in a single layer in the prepared pan. Top, in layers, with the turkey, ham and half the cheese. Top with the remaining bread, and pour on the egg mixture, tilting the pan to make sure the bread is coated. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Let the strata sit at room temperature while you heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until puffed and golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Per serving: 473 calories (48 percent from fat), 25.2 g fat (13.1 g saturated, 8.3 g monounsaturated), 240.3 mg cholesterol, 29.4 g protein, 31.3 g carbohydrates, 0.8 g fiber, 1,735 mg sodium.

BACON AND EGG BAKE WITH HASH BROWN CRUST

This isn't exactly a strata, but it's so good I had to include it. To fit our make-ahead strategy, bake the hash-brown crust and prep and refrigerate the other components a day ahead, leaving a simple assembly job for Sunday. You could easily make this vegetarian by replacing the bacon with ½ pound sauteed mushrooms. I saved the thawing time by substituting two refrigerated packages of Simply Potatoes shredded hash browns.

Vegetable oil spray

1 (24-ounce) package frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and drained

8 ounces bacon bacon, cooked crisp

½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (about 3 ounces)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

8 eggs

1-½ cups milk (2 percent or whole)

½ teaspoon pepper

Crushed tomatoes or salsa (optional)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil. Press potatoes firmly along bottom and up sides of pan, pressing with the bottom of a glass to distribute evenly. Spray with vegetable oil. Bake 25 minutes; potatoes will look barely done.

Remove pan from oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Crumble bacon over potatoes. Sprinkle tomatoes, parsley and cheese on top. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper, and pour over cheese. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until eggs are set and crust is nicely browned. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with crushed tomatoes or salsa. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Source: Adapted from "Breakfast in Bed" by Carol Frieberg (Sasquatch, $19.95).

Per serving: 337 calories (56 percent from fat), 21 g fat (10.1 g saturated, 7.8 g monounsaturated), 223.6 mg cholesterol, 20.8 g protein, 16.2 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g fiber, 794.3 mg sodium.

Recipe: Florentine Brunch Bake

FLORENTINE BRUNCH BAKE WITH BISCUIT CRUST

Another not-quite-strata, this meatless medley has a lovely, light texture and a classic flavor combination. I steamed the spinach by placing it in a large Pyrex casserole dish, covering it with damp paper towels, replacing the casserole cover and microwaving on high for 3 minutes.

1-½ cup biscuit mix (preferably "heart-healthy")

½ cup milk

5 eggs

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups small-curd cottage cheese

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 10-ounce package fresh baby spinach, lightly steamed and squeezed dry

In a medium bowl, combine biscuit mix, milk and 2 eggs. Add onion. Spread mixture in bottom of a greased 13-by-8-inch baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix remaining eggs, cheeses, garlic and spinach. Carefully spoon over first layer. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Source: Adapted from "Breakfast in Bed" by Carol Frieberg (Sasquatch, $19.95).

Per serving: 261 calories (462 percent from fat), 13.4 g fat (6.4 g saturated, 4.8 g monounsaturated), 131.2 mg cholesterol, 18.9 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 1.2 g fiber, 765.6 mg sodium.