When I was first married, 10 years ago, I decided to host a cookie exchange every holiday season. I lived in a neighborhood with a good mix of elderly persons and young families. It was a great opportunity to bring us all together, as it was sometimes the only time in the whole year where we could visit. Everyone would bring 2 dozen cookies, and I would give each person a bag and they would fill it with each person's cookies to bring home. My first year, I planned and made a great meal. It was so good, I have made it for every winter brunch since.
24 HOUR WINE & CHEESE OMELET CASSEROLE
1 large loaf dried French or Italian bread, cubed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 pound Swiss cheese, shredded (or use thin slices, torn)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (can buy packages already shredded)
9 thin slices ham or Genoa salami, slivered
16 eggs
3 1/4 cups milk
1/ cup dry white wine
4 large green onions, minced
1 tablespoon Dusseldorf German mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2/3 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Grease 2 shallow 3 quart (9x13) baking dishes. Place the bread over the bottom and drizzle with butter. Sprinkle the Swiss cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and ham over the bread. Whisk the eggs, milk, wine, green onions, mustard, black pepper and cayenne in a large bowl until foamy. Pour over the bread-cheese mixture. Chill, covered with foil, in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake, covered for 1 hour or until set. Uncover. Spread sour cream over the top; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Serves 25-30. (Makes 2 dishes: you can use one and freeze the other)
BAKED FRUIT SALAD
1 (17 oz) can apricot halves, drained
1 (15 oz) can peach halves, drained
2 (8 1/2 oz) cans pear halves, drained
1 (15 1/4 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (6 oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon mace
Cut the apricot halves, peach halves, and pear halves in half lengthwise. Arrange in a single layer in a baking dish. Combine the pineapple chunks, cherries, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice and mace in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2 minutes and pour over the fruit mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (or more). Let cool on a wire rack. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. Serves 10.
(I prefer to bake it more like 45 minutes to 1 hour, then reheat for 45 minutes the next day).
Photographs courtesy of, top to bottom: parentsconnect.com and tasteofhome.com
