ORANGE BRUNCH STRATA WITH CRANBERRIES AND WALNUTS

A wonderful brunch dish. Add a fruit salad. sausages or ham, juices and coffee, and dig in. BBB

ORANGE BRUNCH STRATA WITH CRANBERRIES AND WALNUTS
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie

12 ounces (1-1/2 boxes) cream cheese (regular or reduced fat)
1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
9 large eggs
3 cups half-and-half (milk and cream)
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 to 13 slices fluffy white bread (not dense country-style bread)
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup orange marmalade

Allow the cream cheese to reach room temperature. With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and orange zest in a medium bowl, adding the eggs one at a time, to form a lumpy batter. Beat in the half-and-half, sugar and vanilla. The batter will still be lumpy.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch Pyrex or ceramic baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Line the dish bottom with 6 slices of bread, cutting some slices into strips to form a tight fit.

Pour 1 cup of the egg mixture over the bread, then sprinkle with ½ cup of the cranberries. Make another layer with the remaining bread. Slowly pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap, then lightly weight the strata by setting a dish on it, or lightly pressing on it with your hands a few times, until the bread has almost completely absorbed the milk mixture. Refrigerate the strata at lease several hours or overnight.

Remove the plastic from the dish and allow it to come to room temperature before baking.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven at 325 degrees F.

Sprinkle the strata with the walnuts and the remaining cranberries, lightly pressing them into the bread. Bake until the strata is firm and puffy, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the marmalade and ¼ cup of orange juice in a pan over low heat or in a microwave oven.

Remove the strata from the oven and let it stand for 8 to 10 minutes. Cut the strata into 12 portions and serve immediately with the warm orange marmalade sauce.

Serves 12.

Per serving: 443 calories; 11 g protein; 45 g carbohydrates; 24 g fat (12 g saturated); 1 g fiber; 311 mg sodium.