I nicked a can from Speedy’s stock of SPAM and made this cheesy SPAM bake for brunch yesterday. What is it — a strata or a quiche? Neither, actually. A strata is assembled as layers — generally bread, milk and eggs, then cheese on top. A quiche has a crust into which the egg and milk mixture is poured.
This baked dish has no layers and no crust. What does it have?
SPAM, of course. And cubed bread.
Then a mixture of milk and cream cheese.
Bread, milk and cheese are mixed with eggs, mustard, paprika and garlic.
The SPAM cubes are stirred in.
A baking dish is buttered liberally to avoid the baked dish from sticking to the bottom and sides.
The SPAM-bread-milk mixture is poured into the buttered dish.
Cheese go on top before baking.
Thirty minutes later, the cheesy SPAM bake is ready.
- 6 slices white bread
- can of SPAM (I used bacon flavored SPAM)
- 1 and 1/2 cups milk
- 250 grams cream cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 2 generous pinches of paprika
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or whatever your favorite cheese is — I do recommend that you use a salty cheese, however)
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Preheat the oven to 375F.
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Cut the bread and SPAM into half-inch cubes.
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Place the milk and cream cheese in a bowl. Heat on HIGH in the microwave for a minute and a half. Beat lightly to bread up the cream cheese.
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Place the bread in a large bowl. Pour in the cream cheese and milk mixture. Add the eggs, mustard, paprika and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the SPAM cubes. Stir.
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Butter the bottom and sides of a baking dish (mine is 13" x 9").
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Pour in the bread and SPAM mixture. Smoothen the surface to spread evenly.
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Spread the grated cheese over the entire surface.
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Bake for about 30 minutes or until slightly risen, fluffy and the top is nicely browned with toasted spots.
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Rest for about five minutes before cutting into squares or rectangles.
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Serve the cheesy SPAM bake warm.
