groove food

christmas morning strata

santa's cookies are gone. they were buttery-crisp shortbread circles with cream cheese frosting and plenty of green and red sprinkles--the kind of cookies that are as fleeting as christmas itself. jimmy's cookies, they are called. jimmy, you are on the naughty list. i could go on about the cookies, but this is about strata.

if you are unfamiliar with strata, let me just describe it as breakfast casserole and hope you trust me enough to read on. someone in my family clipped it from the pages of bon appetit in december 1997 and it has been our treasure ever since. it is my go-to recipe for any special morning when i want to channel all of my attention to the people i am with and noticing what they are doing.

you make the strata the night before and it does magical things in the refrigerator overnight (did santa bless it? i will never know). when you are ready, you pop it in the oven for an hour while guests and neighbors are tortured by the scent of bubbling cheese, eggs, cream, herbs, smoked ham, artichoke hearts, and garlic, all strewn over milk-soaked sourdough bread. if you've set the table the night before, all that's left to do is call everyone to it.

some fresh fruit on the side is a nice counterpart to the strata's richness. of course, a steaming cup of coffee or a mimosa also does the trick. a little late, but i wish you a merry christmas with a recipe in time for the first morning of 2012.

christmas morning strata

serves 8-10

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

8 cups 1-inch cubed sourdough bread (crusts trimmed before cubing)

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

5 extra large eggs

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence

12 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (i use laura chenel), crumbled (about 3 cups)

12 ounces smoked ham, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes

3 6 1/2-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved lengthwise

1 cup (packed) grated fontina cheese

1 1/2 cups (packed) grated Parmesan

butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish or large ceramic baking dish. whisk milk and oil in large bowl. stir in bread and toss gently to coat. let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

whisk cream, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large measuring cup or bowl. mix herbs in separate small bowl to combine

place half of bread mixture in the prepared dish. top with half of the goat cheese, ham, artichoke hearts, herbs, and cheeses. pour half of cream mixture over everything. repeat layering with remaining bread, goat cheese, ham, artichoke hearts, herbs, cheeses, and cream mixture. cover and refrigerate overnight.

when ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. bake uncovered until firm in center and golden-brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. let stand for 5 - 10 minutes before serving to your hungry crowd.

notes

* i use smoked black forest ham and ask the deli to slice the pieces into 1/2-inch thick ham steaks. this makes for easier "cubing."

* in a pinch, i've used canned, non-marinated artichoke hearts. still amazing.

* adapted from bon appetit, december 1997

* if you are looking for a great, make-ahead dish on the sweet side, may i recommend this terrific creme brulee french toast?

a moveable feast, gift-wrapped

gift giving does not have to be hard on the wallet or the earth. inspired by the article "no new gifts holiday challenge" on the zen habits blog, i channelled my inner martha stewart and brainstormed these lists of food-minded holiday gifts that don't require any trips to the mall or second mortgages. and the best part is they are as much a source of pleasure for the gift-giver as the recipient. less stress. more joy.

'tis the season.

think inside the box

decorate an old wooden box or shoebox and fill it with note cards and old postcards inscribed with your favorite quotes and blessings that could be read at mealtime. give the grace box with a note encouraging the recipient to add more to it.

chicken dinner in a box? more or less. fill a box with all the trimmings for a great roast chicken. think old school--herbs de provence, garlic, lemons, sancerre and kitchen twine. or go new school with red miso paste and mirin for delicious misoyaki chicken. include a "save the date" for roasting a chicken together.

compile your favorite cooking tunes into kitchen mix cds. include a great, fail-proof recipe on the cover of the cd case. my hard-hitting artists are louis prima, sam cooke, and ella fitzgerald singing the cole porter songbook. my fail-proof recipe is spicy roasted cashew chicken.

chocolate, always and forever

make a huge batch of french chocolate granola and package it in cellophane bags with pretty ribbon. bestow on friends and strangers, spreading breakfast cheer wherever you go. find the recipe here, on the wednesday chef.

a gift that freezes beautifully: the winning hearts and minds cake. bittersweet chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and not much else. molly wizenberg even served it as her wedding cake--get the recipe here and instructions on freezing here.

chocolate-butterfinger truffles are the perfect gift to send home with guests after the party ends. find the recipe here.

mix cocoa powder, flaky sea salt, and a bit of demera sugar for homemade chocolate sea salt. package it in a salvaged baby food jar and decorate the lid. it's delicious sprinkled on chocolate chip cookies before baking.

short on time but want to give something decadent and homemade? millie's hand-crafted chocolate-peanut butter swirl vegan gelato (pictured above) is the most feel-good gift around, definitely if eaten together. find millie's here.

secondhand is new to me

bivalve lover in your circle of friends? scour ebay and thrift stores for vintage oyster plates. the more bizarre the better. gift them with a copy of  lewis carroll's the walrus and the carpenter.

turn your seashell collection into pretty gifts for a friend who loves to entertain--decorated seashells nestled with tealights lend the ultimate ambiance to the dinner table. and it's a great project for kids to help with.

pick up old betty crocker cookbooks from a used book store. they will be treasured by any kitchen-interested kid or nostalgic grown-up, especially when gifted with a vintage mixing bowl or cookie cutters.

turn old or odd-duck silverware into something new--key chains, hooks, even chandeliers. there are plenty of vintage silverware craft ideas here.

occasions

invite a loved one along to spend the day citrus picking at a local orchard. make chez pim's delicious bergamot madelines (recipe here) with your collected bounty. visit the "pick your own website" here to find a farm near you.

tie a selection of heirloom seeds with twine and an handwritten promise to start a garden together.

pack a pretty mixing bowl with corn husks and masa, plus a save-the-date for a tamale-making party. get your tamale on here.

arm a favorite kiddo with fabric pens and let them go to town on a canvas farmers market tote bag for a one-of-a-kind foodie gift. stuff the tote with local produce and a list of all your nearby markets, plus your favorite vendors at each.

feed someone hungry. invite friends and family to join you for a day of volunteering at your local food bank. learn about volunteering opportunities in san diego here.