As a “foodie” and advanced home cook, I tend to go over the top for the holidays, pulling out my flashiest recipes. Thanksgiving for me is a “cook’s holiday,” celebrating traditional family recipes, but I like to throw in a new one now and then to create new family favorites. Christmas is filled with traditional family dishes. My English family background dictates that Yorkshire Pudding, with Roast Beef and roasted root vegetables, followed by Plum Pudding for dessert, are part of the Christmas Eve menu. Christmas morning is another matter, however. We all know that breakfast is the easiest (and hardest) meal to pull off. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently, with different types of toast and breakfast meats. On Christmas morning, with the melee of gift opening and the general excitement, I have made this meal the easiest one ever by making Strata – the Italian version of a savory bread pudding. It can be made a day in advance and popped in the oven on Christmas morning. 1 hour later, voila! A super tasty classic breakfast! You can also use whatever you happen to have in the fridge. You can make vegetarian or meat lover versions, one giant casserole or fancy it up by baking in individual ramekins. Here’s my recipe for taking the stress out of Christmas morning.
Fillings:
A good rule of thumb here is use ¾ to 1 cup of each of the additional fillings for your dish. You can use whatever strikes your fancy: sausage and mushrooms; crispy or Canadian bacon and tomato; cooked ham and a green veggie like broccoli, asparagus or sautéed leeks. Strata are a blank canvas, so make it your own. I guarantee that this will become a family favorite. Serve with a mimosa made of Prosecco and orange juice for a festive flair!
