Into the strata-sphere

As a result of Thanksgiving and then a holiday party, I’ve been faced with a lot of leftover ham. One can eat only so many ham sandwiches. A favorite New England bed-and-breakfast offering because it can be assembled in advance, strata can remake that ham into a tasty meal. Strata refers to the layering of ingredients. The basis for strata is bread, cheese, eggs and milk. For filler you can use ham, sausage, mushrooms, spinach, chard or asparagus. When we kept chickens, I often made strata because of an abundance of eggs.

Ham and cheese strata

6 slices hearty white bread (day-old is fine), cubed

1 cup diced cooked ham

5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

3 large eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

Nutmeg to taste

Put a layer of bread in a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with ham and then cheese. Beat the eggs with milk and a bit of nutmeg. Pour the mixture carefully over the contents of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the liquid is set and the casserole is lightly browned. Let sit a few minutes before serving. Serves four.