Overnight Christmas Strata

It’s about time I added this recipe to the blog, after it appeared on our table many a Christmas morning and days after while we had family at the house for the holidays. Let me tell you what’s great about this breakfast/brunch dish:

1. you prepare it the night before so all it takes is a pop in the oven in the morning,
2. the herbal aroma warms your whole house as it bakes,
3. the combination of eggs, good bread, cheese and herbs is comfort food at its best for cozy winter mornings,
4. its appetizing looks make you quite the impressive cook when you have guests around,
5. everyone loves it (even my non-dairy-eating sister can’t resist).

Unfortunately I didn’t get to share this before prime holiday time and all those family gatherings, but perhaps you can try it as your hangover cure on New Years Day, or for your next lazy Sunday morning brunch. The recipe is not strict about add-ins or spices, so feel free to change it up with different kinds of bread, cheese, no cheese, or different combinations of greens and herbs. This is my favorite version, and I’m not a big cheese eater so I would also love it without.

Overnight Kale, Herb + Gruyere Strata, adapted from Good Housekeeping

• 6 large eggs (can substitute liquid egg whites for 3 of the eggs)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 T dijon mustard
• salt + pepper
• big handful of spinach or kale
• a bunch of chopped fresh herbs – basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley
• 1 loaf French bread OR multigrain loaf OR rosemary loaf
• 6 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded

cozy wintertime stew

It’s important at this time of year, to maintain a balance between Christmas cookies and healthy, wholesome meals. Because as long as we take full advantage of winter’s nutritious harvest at meal times, no one need turn down a scrumptious holiday cookie (or two, or three..)

We’ve had our fill of both at my house—perhaps leaning towards the indulgent side—but leafy greens and bright orange squash are still part of our everyday diet. I had this recipe for chicken stew with butternut and quinoa marked for a long time, and like most recipes I finally get around to making I think, why did I wait so long?!

This is definitely a keeper in my recipe book, as it’s everything I love in a wintertime meal. Hearty, healthy, balanced, wholesome, cozy, savory, sweet, filling, and lick-the-bowl GOOD!

Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash + Quinoa, adapted from Cookin’ Canuck

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded + chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 t dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• couple handfuls kale, roughly chopped
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley