Ingredients: |
Ingredients: This was a favorite of all our kids, as prepared by their Grandmother Yesmentes (Grammy), and passed on to OUR grandkids (i.e., Grammy’s Great Grandkids), and further requested to be included in this compendium of family recipes by Erin. I shall record the recipe to the extent I remember how Grammy did it, and with a few comments on how I do it.
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Directions: |
Directions:What you will need to begin, is a buttered 8”x 8”or "9 x 9" baking pan and the oven pre-heated (read ‘warmed’) to 325º F.
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The ingredients are few and simple:
6 to 8 slices of day old bread (preferably white, but wheat is OK, too). Grammy used to trim off the crust. I do not. Your choice.
Butter for the baking pan: I don’t know if Grammy used salted or unsalted – of the two recipes I am using for references, one says ‘salted’ and the other says ‘unsalted’. I am strictly an UNsalted guy.
Cheese(s) – About 3 generous cups of grated cheese, and here is where you can have fun because the choice of cheese(s) is yours. I am reasonably certain that Grammy used only sharp cheddar; but my references cite sharp cheddar, Swiss, +/or Fontina. My preference is about half and half of the cheddar and Swiss.
A soaking sauce made up of 3 – 4 eggs; 2 – 2 ½ cups of milk; 1 tsp of prepared mustard (optional, but I like it and use Dijon); a pinch of salt; and, although I know Grammy never used it, a pinch of cayenne pepper. Whisk it until all the ingredients are melded and happy together.
Butter the baking pan, and line the bottom with bread. Spread ½ the cheese, then some (less than 1/2) the sauce over the bread, then the next layer of bread with the rest of the cheese, then sauce, on top. Another optional: I have never done this, and I am sure Grammy never did either, but one tip is to sprinkle some chopped fresh chives on top of each layer of cheese (sounds good).
Let it all soak for several hours (even overnight in the refrigerator) until all the flavors blend into one scrumptious taste – Mmm mmm good!
Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes until it is puffed up and takes on a beautiful golden hue. Take out of the oven, let it stand about 10 minutes or so, then ENJOY. This is especially good with bacon for breakfast or a luncheon snack. I shall add my 2-cents one last time: try it with a few drops of Tabasco Sauce.
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This recipe for Grammy's Cheese Strata is from