Great big globs of gooey gooey goo. Gooey gooey beige goo.

This recipe requested most every beige ingredient I have in my kitchen, asked me to go to the store and buy another and then asked me to blend them together to make a big pan of gooey, textureless beige. I can’t say it was the worst thing I’ve ever had.  I mean I’m thrifty so I didn’t dump it in the trash. We ate it…all of it. (My poor family is a bunch of troopers.)  But what it lacked in texture was not made up in flavor.

I know stratas can be delicious and there are a zillion more to try so I won’t give up on the category altogether just yet. Especially since one of Grandma Joyce’s is titled, “Cheese Strata, Improved”…sounds like a good one to try next. Right?

Cheese Strata

10 slices of white bread, cubed

2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

4 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dry mustard*

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed

 

**Prep the night before**

In a greased 9″x 13″ pan layer 1/2 of the bread. Top with chicken, 1/2 of the cheese and the rest of the bread.

Beat eggs, milk, salt and dry mustard together then pour over pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning spread soup and remaining cheese over the top and bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until firm in the center.

*I didn’t have dried mustard so I substituted a tsp of yellow mustard.

Cubed, but keep the crusts on.

Sprinkle in the pan.

Add some cheese…

and chicken…

and more bread.

Stir the eggs, mustard…

and milk together.

Then pour over the top.

Spread the soup, and sprinkle the cheese.

It’ll puff up nicely when it first comes out of the oven.

You’ll think you might be on to something and then, you’ll take your first bite and then the goo will getcha!

Do you have any brilliant ideas for how we can salvage this?!