Recipe of the Week/Thanksgiving Recipes Week 1

Hey Guys!  How is your Thanksgiving meal planning coming along?  Are you a traditionalist or do you like to add a new dish every now and then?

I absolutely love stratas, otherwise known as bread pudding.  This strata would make an excellent pot luck Thanksgiving dish, a make ahead side dish or a great "day-after-Thanksgiving" accompaniment to a bunch of leftovers.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Cheesy Kale and Mushroom Strata

Ingredients:

13 oz. day old sour dough bread, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (about 7 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, divided

3 leeks, white and pale green only, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

1 bunch curly kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2 inch pieces

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard

2 1/2 cups whole milk

5 1/2 oz. Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated, divided

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Toast bread in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet until dry but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat.  Arrange mushrooms in a single layer and cook, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic, season with salt and pepper and toss, reducing heat if necessary until mushrooms at golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Push mushrooms to one side and add 1 tablespoon of butter in center of skillet.  Add leeks and cook, stirring often and mixing tin to mushrooms until the leeks are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add kale by the handful, tossing to wilt slightly after each addition and cook until all the kale is mostly wilted, about 4 minutes.  Transfer kale mixture to a medium bowl.  Let skillet cool slightly and then wipe clean.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to clean skillet.  Whisk eggs, mustard and salt and pepper in a large bowl, then add milk.  Arrange half the toasted bread in the skillet and cover with half the kale mixture, then top with half Gruyere and half Parmesan.  Top with remaining bread and kale mixture and then pour the egg mixture over.  Press down on strata with spatula to help bread absorb egg mixture.  Top with rest of cheese.

Bake strata until golden brown and no liquid seeps out when a knife is inserted into the center, about 30-40 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature before serving.

DO AHEAD:  Strata can be baked 3 days ahead.  Let cool completely; cover and chill.