Monday, May 25, 2015

Sky-High Brunch Bake

Here's a holiday recipe to honor this important and auspicious day with our gratitude for those who sacrificed everything for America and all we believe.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the country's armed forces. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.  Source

It's an honorable tradition to fly the Flag of the United States of America at half mast from dawn until noon in observance of our fallen veterans.


Sky-High Brunch Bake
Serves 12

1 pkg. (17.3 oz.) frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup Polly-O Original Ricotta Cheese
Dash hot pepper sauce
2 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
4 slices Oscar Mayer Bacon, cooked, chopped
1-1/2 cups Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 cup chopped red peppers

Unfold pastry sheets. Roll out 1 sheet to 11-inch square; set aside. Roll out remaining sheet to 12-inch square; use to line bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Reserve 1 Tbsp. eggs. Mix remaining eggs with ricotta, pepper sauce and spinach. Layer half each of the bacon, cheddar, ricotta mixture and peppers in crust. Repeat layers.

Cover with remaining pastry sheet; fold under edges of pastry, then tuck inside pan. Brush pastry with reserved egg. Cut slits in top crust.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 55 min or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. Run small knife around edge of pan to loosen crust before removing rim.

Make Ahead: Assemble and bake pie as directed. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. When ready to serve, bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 30 to 40 min. or until heated through.

If you don't have a springform pan, this recipe can be baked in a 13x9-inch baking dish instead. Roll out bottom and top pastry to fit dish. For ease in serving, line empty baking dish with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray with cooking spray.

Prepare crust and fill with ingredients as directed. Bake at 350ºF for 35 to 40 min. or until golden brown. Let stand 10 min. Use foil handles to lift pie from dish before cutting to serve.

Nutritional Information (amount per serving)
Calories 300; Carbohydrates 25g; Cholesterol 130mg; Fiber 2g; Sodium: 340mg; Fat 37g; Protein 14g; Sodium 340mg; Sugars 2g

Good source of Vitamins A, C and Calcium and Iron.

Serve with fresh strawberries, a dark leafy green salad and an icy cold beverage.


* Source: Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: KRFT) is an American grocery manufacturing and processing conglomerate headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Northfield, Illinois.

The company was formed in 2012 by a de-merger from Kraft Foods Inc., which in turn was renamed Mondelēz International. The new Kraft Foods Group is focused mainly on grocery products for the North American market, while Mondelēz is an international distributor of Kraft Foods snacks and confectionery brands. Kraft Foods Group is an independent public company; it is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange.

Memorial Day was inspired by the way Southern states who honored their dead. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women who died in any war or military action.