Thanksgiving Breakfast: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Strata

Remember last month when I participated in a blogger roundup about the new cookbook, Perfect One-Dish Dinners? Well, in addition to being fun, I also had the opportunity to meet several new bloggers. Bonus.

This month, Shauna James Ahern, of the Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, proposed a similar roundup, focused on a Gluten-Free Thanksgiving. Gluten-free is a diet followed by folks who are allergic to gluten, which is most commonly found in bread, pastries, pies, stuffing, and other wonderful dishes associated with Thanksgiving. We are not gluten-free in our house (except for that time when I did the blood-type diet and eliminated gluten for 1 week, until I could stand it no longer), but we do have friends and family who avoid gluten and I thought taking part in the Gluten-Free Thanksgiving roundup would be a fun challenge.

My dish for the roundup is a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Strata, which would be nice for a pre- or post-Thanksgiving breakfast. You know, when you have most of your family in town, need to feed them, and are beyond tired of cooking? Stratas are great for that, since you throw them together quickly the night before, then pop in the oven for an hour before breakfast. Easy Peasy, with loads of options.

For this strata, I started with a recipe I have made before from Cooking Light, Sourdough-Pumpkin Strata. I substituted gluten-free bread from Zest Bakery in San Carlos, and used a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar cheeses. I made the dish in a 8×8 dish, since I like my strata a little crispier, but if you like yours more like a souffle, then use a 2-quart souffle dish. The end result will be a fluffier, softer strata, and both are perfect as a savory brunch dish.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Strata

• 6 slices (1 1/4 inch) white gluten-free bread
• 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses (or substitute what you have in the fridge)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (or yellow onion)
• 1 (or 2) cans chopped green chiles, drained if you are using canned
• 1 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs

Spray 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. Break up 2 slices of bread on the bottom of the dish; top with 1/2 cup cheese, one-third of the onions, and one-third of the chiles. Repeat two more times.

Mix milk, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, pumpkin and eggs together in blender until smooth. Pour over bread layers; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F. Uncover strata and bake for 65 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

If you are interested in learning more about Gluten-Free Baking, I suggest you invest in the brand-new cookbook by Shauna James Ahern, Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. With loads of recipes for the beginning and advanced cook, this book will help ease the transition into a gluten-free diet. Shauna features quite a few baked goods in the book, and talks in-depth about the different flours and how to use them and why it’s important to bake by weight (good for non-gluten-free bakers too!)

Here are the rest of the folks who participated in the Gluten Free Thanksgiving Roundup:

More Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Dishes

• Andrea’s Recipes | gluten-free pumpkin scones
• Not Without Salt | gluten-free chocolate biscotti
• Zest Bakery | warm pumpkin polenta with goat cheese
• The Mommy Bowl | gluten-free bread
• Smith Bites | gluten-free celery root soup with cashew cream
• White on Rice Couple | Turkey Sloppy Joes on Rosemary Rolls
• What’s Gaby Cooking | gluten-free molasses cookies
• Wasabimon! | gluten-free butternut squash pie
• Rookie Moms | chocolate peanut butter brownies
• Tiffin Tales | gluten-free Thanksgiving torte
• Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom | gluten, dairy and egg free crescent rolls and cinnamon rolls
• Eat the Love | Gluten Free Maple Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Gingerbread Bottom
• Gluten-Free Doctor Recipes | gluten-free sourdough rosemary rolls and gluten-free mincemeat cookies
• The Art of Gluten-Free Baking | gluten-free pumpkin pie
• Sophisticated Gourmet | cranberry-almond-coconut macaroons topped with chocolate
• Cook 4 Seasons | gluten-free pumpkin mousse
• Cook It Allergy Free | Cornbread and (Shauna’s) Crusty Bread Stuffing
• Lexie’s Kitchen | dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, no-bake pumpkin pie filling
• Recipe Girl | an entire Thanksgiving menu, gluten-free
• Two Peas and Their Pod | gluten-free apple cranberry crisp
• Gluten-Free for Good | gluten-free cherry cobbler
• My Madeleine | butternut squash soup.
• The Sensitive Pantry | gluten-free brown sugar hand pies
• Art and Lemons | gluten-free rustic squash tarts
• Bellalimento | Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll with Mascarpone and Nutella Filling
• Mom Food Project | an entire Thanksgiving, gluten-free
• Gluten-Free Easily | candy carrot coins
• Dish Towel Diaries | kale Caesar slaw.
• A Baking Life | gluten-free gingerbread cake
• Glugle Gluten-Free | gluten-free pumpkin muffins
• Wenderly | sweet and savory prosciutto cups
• Cannelle Et Vanille | sweet potato and crabapple clafoutis
• Food for My Family | gluten-free apple pie cheesecake
• Who Ate My Tomato | gluten-free squash tart
• What’s Cooking with Kids | gluten-free apple crisp
• Blue Bonnets and Brownies | apple and pear cobbler
• CakeSpy | turkey meatloaf cupcakes
• Wasabimon! | gluten-free butternut squash pie
• Chez Us | gluten-free apple crisp