Goat Cheese and Smoked Ham Strata

The beauty of this is that it can be made ahead of time. I modified this from an Epicurious recipe. Theirs called for artichoke hearts which might be nice, but I thought had too strong a flavor for a morning dish.

I serve it at our December 24th Open Haus when people stop by for a Bloody Mary at their leisure as they finish up errands.

Goat Cheese and Smoked Ham Strata

1 cup whole milk

2 glugs olive oil

4 cups 1-inch cubes sourdough bread

3/4 cup cream

3 large eggs

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoons salt

dash black pepper

6 oz. soft fresh goat cheese crumbled

a few dashes of sage, thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram

6 oz. smoked ham, chopped or Prosciutto

1 cup grated cheese (I like Gruyere)

1/2 cups grated Parmesan

Butter glass baking dish.
Whisk milk and oil in large bowl; stir in bread.
Let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Whisk cream, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper in another large bowl to blend.
Add goat cheese.
Add herbs.
Place half of bread mixture in prepared dish.
Top with half of ham, herbs, and cheeses.
Pour half of cream mixture over.
Repeat layering with remaining bread, ham, herbs, cheeses, and cream mixture.
At this point, strata can be made 1 day ahead.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered until firm in center (about 1 hour).

Make it a meal: Serve with Potato Casserole

Wine: Champagne, but a Bloody Mary works nicely, too.

Potato Casserole

I serve this at our December 24th Open Haus. Friends and family stop by for a Bloody Mary or a Champagne cocktail and some gorgeous food. This recipe comes from Diva Karyn whose grandmother made them for years. They are great leftover, but there are hardly any leftovers. Try it for New Year's Eve or breakfast the next morning.

Potato Casserole

2 lbs partially thawed frozen, diced potatoes

1 pint sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup (fat-free works)

1 stick melted butter

2 c chopped onion

2 cups shredded cheddar

salt and pepper

potato chips (I like kettle-cooked)

Place the potatoes in a baking pan.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, and pour over potatoes.
You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate at this point.
Sprinkle crushed potato chips on top then drizzle with the butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for an hour (cover with foil so chips don't burn!)

Make it a meal: Serve with Goat Cheese and Smoked Ham Strata (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Champagne

Individual Strata Cups

I made this one cold morning for the current man in my life and myself. It was easy and would be quite simple to increase the number of servings. Prep consists of tearing up bread and plopping in ingredients. It is not a hearty meal, but just the right size.

Individual Strata Cups

4 slices of bread

cooked, cubed ham

shredded cheese

1-2 eggs

a bit of milk or water

a dollop of Dijon mustard

salt & pepper

Tear pieces of bread to fit the bottom of ramekin.
Plop in ham and cheese.
Cover with another piece of bread.
Beat egg with milk or water, mustard, salt and pepper, and pour over ramekins.
Make sure the top bread is soaked with the egg mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Options: use egg substitute in place of eggs, omit ham and fill with asparagus and goat cheese

Make it a meal: Serve with orange juice.

Wine: Champagne and berry liquor cocktail garnished with a cherry

Green Beans with Herb Butter

Dress up your green beans with this easy herb butter. Play around with the herbs. I use parsley and tarragon, but oregano and rosemary are nice, too.

Green Beans with Herb Butter

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 shallot, chopped

2 pinches parsley

2 pinches tarragon

1 small squirt lemon juice

haricots verts or other green beans, cooked

Mush the first 5 ingredients and refrigerate until ready.
Drizzle the herb butter over the green beans.

Make it a meal: Serve alongside Salmon with Lime Sauce (see recipe)

Wine: Pinot Noir for the the salmon, Sauvignon Blanc for the green beans

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is one of my favorites because of its rich flavor and few ingredients. I love my recipe so much, that I can't order it out anymore. I don't like anyone else's. This diva is shameless.

I serve this on a tiny, marble table in front of the fire on a snowy night. Ultimate romance. (photo by jspatchwork)

Chicken Piccata

4 chicken cutlets (breasts smashed flat with an empty wine bottle)

flour for dusting

olive oil for sauteing

1/2 cup white wine

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

a few squeezes of lemon juice

2 scoops of capers

2 knobs of butter

lemon slices

parsley


Season the cutlets with the salt and pepper; dust with flour.
Saute in olive oil 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a warm plate.
Cook wine and garlic for 2 minutes.
Add broth, lemon juice, and capers.
Return chicken to the pan and cook 1 minute per side.
Transfer chicken back to a warm plate and top with butter.
When butter melts, top chicken with sauce from the pan.
Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans and garlic potato wedges (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay

Red Wine Sauce for Steak

This is a lovely sauce that is easy and will impress all your guests. The simmering smells will drive them wild. Divas are known for their wild sides. Use any red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Madiera, Chianti. (photo by sh0dan)

Red Wine Sauce for Steak

1 cup beef stock

1 tbsp. flour

1 cup red wine

1/2 onion, chopped or sliced

2 oz. sliced mushrooms (Shitake are nice)

2 knobs of butter

salt & pepper

Saute the onions.
Sprinkle in flour.
Add stock and mushrooms.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Add wine the last 5 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with roasted broccoli (see recipe) and BLT potatoes (see recipe)

Wine: The rest of the red wine, of course!

Pork Wellington

This is a great recipe to serve to guests. I was intimidated by the puff pastry, but it is truly a piece of cake. I love the pork and cheese flavors. Sometimes I serve it with the Apple Sage Sauce that follows, but it is not necessary.

Just know there is chilling time required. I'm not sure why, but I do it anyway.

Pork Wellington

1 Pork tenderloin (6-8 oz.)

4 oz. Boursin cheese

a few slices of Prosciutto

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, beaten with a bit of water

Butterfly (split open halfway through) and stuff the pork with the cheese and the Prosciutto.
Wrap the stuffed pork in a puff pastry sheet.
Brush with the egg mixture.
Chill 1-24 hours.
Bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Make it a meal: Serve with BLT mashed potatoes (see recipe)

Wine: Pinot Noir or a light Chianti

Apple Sage Sauce

1/4 cup apple cider or juice

1/4 cup white wine

2 cups chicken or beef broth

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. apple jelly

1 knob butter

1 tsp. sage

Heat the cider, wine, and broth.
Add the cornstarch.
Add the jelly, butter, and sage.
Reduce a bit.
Serve alongside the pork wellington

Chocolate Pots

This chocolate dessert is so rich, I serve it in tiny espresso cups. Lord knows I never serve espresso in those little cups. That machine is baffling. I serve this with whipped cream and butter cookies on the side.

Chocolate Pots

1/2 cup cream (I use half and half)

3 1/2 oz. chocolate (I like dark)

1 egg yolk

generous splash of brandy

2 knobs of butter (as Jamie Oliver calls them)

Heat the cream in a saucepan, then add the chocolate.
Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove from heat.
Stir in the egg yolk.
Stir in the brandy.
Pour into espresso cups.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.


Make it a meal: Serve after Crock Pot Portuguese Chicken

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Irish Coffee

Goat Cheese Toasts

This is a darling, easy appetizer. The only thing is, you either have to cover the cracker completely with the cheese or you must watch it carefully while it is under the broiler. The latter is not this diva’s forte. It is boring watching a piece of cheese melt.

Goat Cheese Toasts

6 Melba Toasts, garlic flavor

1 roll of goat cheese

basil

oregano

Place the crackers on a baking sheet.
Using a piece of dental floss (unflavored), slice the goat cheese into sweet, round pieces.
Place goat cheese atop the garlic crackers.
Sprinkle basil and oregano on top.
Broil for 3-4 minutes or 2 sips of wine.
Serve immediately to grateful guests.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Chicken and Mushrooms in Wine (see recipe)

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Champagne

Crock Pot Chicken with Red Wine

Divas love cooking with wine, and you know the old saying, sometimes they even put it in the food. This is a version of Coq au Vin that has fewer steps. In fact there is only one step and you will hardly have time for a sip of the Cabernet while making it. Of course you will probably be making it in the morning, and divas don’t drink red wine in the morning. Only Champagne.

This one is a man-pleaser. You aren’t sure your man will love this? Increase the amount of bacon.

Crock Pot Chicken with Red Wine

1 lb. chicken breasts

2-3 potatoes (I like white, but reds do well, too)

3-4 cloves garlic chopped

celery, chopped

mushrooms, sliced

parsnips or carrots, chopped

bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 squeeze honey

1 cup red wine

water as needed (I just use more red wine)

thyme

Put all the ingredients into the crock pot for 5 hours and cook on low.

Make it a meal: Serve with green beans

Wine: The rest of the bottle you opened for the recipe. That’s gone? Open a nice Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Leftover Squash & Apple Soup

This is made with leftover Thanksgiving squash already seasoned with evaporated milk and thyme, as well as a bit of white pepper. This is great to put in a thermos and have for lunch in the middle of a ski day. That's what this diva did! (photo by audinou)

Leftover Squash & Apple Soup

Leftover squash that has been seasoned with thyme & white pepper

a few scoops of applesauce

Put the two ingredients in the blender and puree.
Make sure to clean out the margaritas first.
Heat, don't boil, and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve with other Thanksgiving leftovers like 1/2 turkey and stuffing sandwich on wheat bread.

Wine: You really shouldn't drink until it is time for apre-ski. Then have a Chardonnay.