DIY

Quick Comfy Food – My Snuggly Cheese Strata

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Cheese Strata–who would have that one would describe that as a snuggly food.  Snuggly food to me are the meals the warm me when I come home from work, can’t think of anything to make for dinner and oh yeah it’s freezing cold out.  Like today.  So I punted and went to one of my favorite easy dinners — cheese strata.

If you are like me you are an over provider.  For a party or dinner I tend to buy more than I need.  God forbid someone would leave my house hungry.  Sometimes you don’t need a whole 8 pack of hotdog buns.  It just happens and when it does I cut the leftover bread and buns into 1″ cubes and stick them in a zip lock bag and into the fridge.  I just keep adding to it.  It allows me to make croutons, bread crumbs, bread pudding and CHEESE STRATA.

Who wouldn’t wunnamedant to cuddle up to this?  I usually have milk, eggs and cheese in the house and that’s all I need.  I can also throw in all kinds of yummies like bacon, sausage, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, hot peppers–whatever you fancy.  Here’s the recipe for this one, and trust me it was a bare bones grocery day.

Cheese Strata

  • 6-8 cups of 1″ bread cubes (torn or cut)
  • 6-8 eggs
  • 2  or so cups of milk, cream, half and half (heck, I’ve even used a mixture and have thrown in sour cream
  • 8 -16 oz. of grated cheese (I usually use cheddar)
  • salt pepper
  • dash of prepared mustard (dijon is delicious)
  • a few pats of butter for the top of the strata

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 35 degrees and grease a 9 x 12 pan with butter.

2.  Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper, and mustard in a medium mixing bowl.

3.  Place the bread cubes in the pan and distribute evenly.

4.  Sprinkle the cheese over the bread and toss lightly.

5.  Poor milk/egg mix over the bread cubes, top with butter pats and let them set for about 30 minutes.

6.  Bake for 30 – 4 minutes until it it is a golden brown on top.

7.  Let set for about 10 minutes and serve.

It’s great rehIMG_0876eated too!  Enjoy and let me know if you try it, how it turned out and what you added or subtracted to the recipe!  I always measure carefully when I am baking but this is the most flexible recipe I have ever used,

Excuse me.  It’s time for dinner.

 

Etta’s Art Gallery

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I was cleaning out my pantry after a wonderful visit from my daughter and granddaughter the other day.  I was gathering all of the beautiful art work I had accumulated this last year from Etta trying to figure out how to store it.  The thought of pitching it never even crossed my mind.  I wanted to display it.

Then the idea came to me, why not put it somewhere where I would see it every day–the garage wall!  I cut out letters that spelled “Etta’s Art Gallery” and adhered them to the wall along with a cutout of a paint palette and paint brush.  Ta da!  Now when I leave for work in the morning and when I come home from work every day I am reminded of this precious gift of a granddaughter I have.  Soon Abbott, my grandson will be sending me artwork too.  Don’t you worry, I already have his name cut out!  Come on Etta, get busy.  G’s got some space left on the gallery wall.