Today is gray and chilly, perfect comfort food weather. We’re whipping up this cheese strata, which was created by Annalise of the blog Completely Delicious for Eat Wisconsin Cheese. It’s another way to use stale bread, although fresh bread works fine.

Enjoy it for brunch or lunch with a green salad.
 
 
RECIPE: CHEESE STRATA WITH SAUSAGE,
KALE & CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Ingredients For 8 Servings

1. MELT 1 tablespoon butter in sauté pan over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Drain on paper towel. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and onions to pan and cook over low heat until onions are soft and caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Add kale and cook until wilted, stirring frequently.

2. BUTTER a 9×13–inch baking dish. Distribute 1/3 bread cubes in bottom of dish. Top with 1/3 of sausage, kale and onions. Sprinkle with 1/3 of Fontina and Parmesan. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.

3. WHISK together in large bowl the milk, eggs, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over baking dish, making sure all bread cubes are moistened. Press mixture down so it lays flush with the top of baking pan.

4. COVER with buttered foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

5. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Let the strata come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake uncovered 50-55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in fridge.

A strata or strata is a layered casserole dish, similar to a quiche or frittata. The base is a mixture of bread, eggs and cheese, to which any variety of ingredients can be added. Sausage or ham and vegetables are particularly popular.

Strata is the plural of stratum, the Latin word for layer.

According to Wikipedia, the earliest strata recipe known is from 1902, a gratin of layers of bread, white sauce, and cheese, but no eggs.

You can make pudding or buy it. Making it is better and lots more fun. We’ve been spending more and more time with Puddin’: Luscious and Unforgettable Puddings, Parfaits, Pudding Cakes, Pies, and Pops.

The book, by the owner of a pudding store in New York City, has foolproof pudding recipes, from standards to modern twists. Get your copy here.

PICK A PUDDING

• Banana pudding
• Butterscotch pudding
• Chocolate pudding
• Coffee pudding
• Lemon pudding
• Pistachio pudding
• Tapioca pudding
• Rice pudding
• Vanilla pudding
• Modern puddings: Dulce de Leche, Key Lime, Malted Milk, Nutella, Peanut Butter and many others
• Seasonal favorites like Eggnog, Maple and Pumpkin Pie puddings

Cookie & Cake Toppings

• Brownie crumbs
• Cake cubes (from any type of cake)
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Vanilla wafer crumbs
• Other cookie crumbs

 
Sauce Toppings

• Caramel sauce
• Dulce de leche
• Fudge sauce
• Fruit sauce: berry, cherry, peach melba
• Marshmallow creme
• Whipped cream

Candies & Nuts

• Baking chips: chocolate, butterscotch, mint, peanut butter, vanilla
• Candied nuts (any type, including honey roasted nuts)
• Candied orange peel
• Chopped brittle or toffee
• Gummies
• Mini candies (malt balls, M&Ms, marshmallows)
• Mini pretzels, chopped chocolate covered pretzels
• Reese’s Pieces
• Sprinkles

 
Wild Card

• Candied bacon
• Coconut
• Dried berries: cherries, cranberries

FOR A PARTY PUDDING BAR

1. MAKE the pudding in large bowls. Consider adding dairy free (vegan) and sugar free options.

2. KEEP each bowl on a bed of crushed ice.

3. PLACE the toppings in smaller bowls, each with its own serving spoon. Refilling topping bowls as needed.

Make crunchy, Mexican-style snacks with baby bell peppers (© photo courtesy The Laughing Cow.)

These fun snacks can be served as hors d’oeuvre with beer, cocktails or wine; as a casual first course; or as an anytime snack. The ideas below can be ported to pairing any cheese, spread or dip. In addition to bread, the cheese spreads are paired with crackers and veggies.

In fact, the next time you’re planning a cheese course or a cheese platter, think of choosing more interesting breads and crackers, such as:

• Arepas (a thicker version of a tortilla)
• Banana bread and date nut bread (especially delicious with double-creme and triple-creme cheeses like Brie)
• Corn bread (great with chile-based cheeses like Pepper Jack)
• Irish soda bread (try with everything from fresh, soft cheeses to aged Cheddar and Gouda)
• Onion bread (especially for adding a kick to mild cheeses)
• Pretzel bread (a universal favorite)
• Pumpernickel or dark rye bread (delicious with firm, hearty cheeses)
• Raisin semolina bread (a partner for everything from mild to hearty cheeses)

 
Find many other types of bread in our yummy Bread Glossary.

MILD PAIRINGS

Spread: Creamy Original Swiss
Pairing: Banana Bread With Walnuts

Banana bread and other fruit breads (such as date nut bread and raisin bread) are delicious with fresh cheeses and double-crème cheeses like Brie. The sweet bread really turns the cheese course into dessert. It the walnuts aren’t already baked into the banana bread, add them as a garnish.

Spread: Creamy Light Swiss
Pairing: Kale Leaf

What selection of recipes would be complete without kale? Here, crunchy kale substitutes for bread (or the more conventional endive leaf), and a slice of turkey roll adds protein to this better-for-you “Swiss and turkey wrap.” Garnish with halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

Spread: Creamy Swiss Garlic & Herb
Pairing: Pita Bites or Pita Chips

Dress up plain old pita garlic and herb cheese spread, sliced black olives and strips of roasted red pepper (pimento). Optional garnish: snipped chives.

 
Spread: Creamy White Cheddar Flavor
Pairing: Pretzel Crisps (Or Other Pretzel Flats)

Pretzel flats are an under-used pairing with cheese. They work with any cheese, from mild to spicy. Optional garnish: snipped herbs.

 
Spread: Creamy Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil
Flavor
Pairing: Mini Bagel

Make a “white pizza” with mini bagels, or use bagel chips for a crispy change of pace. Optional garnish: oregano.

No hummus today: a new way to enjoy pita (photo © The Laughing Cow).

SPICY PAIRINGS

Spread: Creamy Spicy Pepper Jack
Pairing: Mini Cornbread Muffins

You can toast the muffins if you like; and if you have day-old muffins that are starting to dry out, it’s tasty “save.”

 
Spread: Creamy Queso Fresco Chipotle
Pairing: Baby Bell Peppers

This south-of-the-border approach is a new way to use those adorable baby bell peppers. Stuff with The Laughing Cow Creamy Queso Fresco Chipotle and top with some salsa fresca.
Find more snack ideas at TheLaughingCow.com.
  

The prep time is 30 minutes, but half of that is making the broomsticks. If you don’t have the time or the interest in the crafts portion, just dip and decorate the strawberries.

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY GHOSTS

Ingredients For 20 Pieces

Preparation

1. LINE a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rinse the strawberries and dry them well with a soft cloth or paper towel.

2. MELT the chocolate by placing it in a double boiler over simmering water. Be careful to keep the water from getting into the pan or the chocolate may seize. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a glass bowl, microwave for 20 seconds and stir with a fork. Repeat microwaving and stirring until chocolate is not quite melted. Shorten the microwave time to 5 seconds and stir. Repeat if necessary until completely melted.

3. HOLD the berries by the stem or leaves and dip into the melted chocolate. Swirl until coated. Leave about ¼ inch of red showing below the leaves. Gently shake off the excess chocolate and place berry on prepared baking sheet to set. Repeat with the remaining berries. Meanwhile…

4. CREATE decorative broomsticks by cutting the twigs into 2½ inch lengths and the fibers into 3 inch lengths. Gather the broom fibers into a small, rough bundle. Loop twine around the bundle, but keep it loose. Slip a twig into the center of the bundle. Adjust the twig and fibers to look like a broomstick. Tighten the twine and tie a small knot. Once the chocolate is set…

5. PRESS the broomstick handles down into strawberries through the top center of the leaves. Pipe a small amount of frosting to the back of the candy eyes and attach them to the berries. Finally, use frosting to add a smile, a spooky mouth, fangs or other fun ideas you have.
  

But the family that cooks together eats better, and trains the kids to be self-reliant in the kitchen.

As we enter the season of nonstop holiday treats, teaching balance and good eating practices can offset bad habits. So, at least for one meal a week—more if you can manage it—gather the entire family in the kitchen.

If kids learn to cook from a young age, it gives them confidence and skills essential for leading a healthy life—not to mention, it saves a fortune in take out and restaurant meals.

Even if there are no kids in the house, the odds are that there’s an adult who could stand to eat better.

Ditch the fast food and store-prepared take-out (laden with fat, salt and hidden sugar). Start with this list of tips:

The family that cooks together eats better. Photo courtesy Le Creuset.

• Show kids that spending time preparing fresh foods is fun. Tie into the notion of being attractive, which [alas] is pervading the consciousness of children increasingly younger ages. Explain how actors and models are very careful about their food choices, and often employ health-focused cooks, nutritionists and trainers to keep them looking good.

• Bring kids to the grocery store and explain how you choose better ingredients and products. If they’re old enough, teach them to read the ingredients labels. They might evolve into the “ingredients checker” for the family, gaining awareness and knowledge on nutrition in the process.
• Find ways for them to participate. At any age, they can do some prep, be it rinsing and drying produce, measuring ingredients, stirring or tearing lettuce leaves.
• Show them how to make their favorite recipes: burgers, fruit skewers, pasta, pizza, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, etc.
• Make soup from scratch. Kids can see how easy it is, how delicious it is, and that soup does not naturally come from a can.
• Bake together. What better way to get kids interested in cooking than the promise of a cookie or piece of cake as the payoff!

When they get proficient, they can invite friends over for a home cooked meal and impress them. (Our mom was throwing elaborate dinner parties at age 12. Alas, we didn’t get to that level until after college.)

TRENDING?

Dr. Nimali Fernando is a pediatrician who founded The Doctor Yum Project. Here’s her medical perspective:

“Childhood obesity is just the tip of the iceberg,” she says. “Under the surface lies the other 70 percent of children, many who may be of normal body weight but suffer from diet-related illnesses. In my practice I see these illnesses like chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, anxiety, and difficulties with attention and concentration. So many of these symptoms are directly related to the diet.”

Her innovative practice, Yum Pediatrics, also houses a 1000 square foot teaching kitchen, designed to inspire the most reluctant eater. In the kitchen she teaches her patients how to cook and offers classes to the community at large through the Doctor Yum Project.

Behind the office is a teaching garden meant to be an outdoor waiting space for her patients and a place for her cooking students to learn how food grows and to inspire a love of locally grown produce.

Can this be turned into a trend among pediatricians nationwide? We hope so!

COOKBOOKS FOR KIDS

If you need a nudge, check out these cookbooks, developed for kids:

• Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cook Book (details)
• Betty Crocker Kids Cook! (details)
• ChopChop: The Kids’ Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family (details)
• Kids’ Fun and Healthy Cookbook (details)
• Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up (details)