Above, left to right

A collection of metal and glass lanterns suspended from the sukkah beams allows guests below a clear view of a starry sky. Buy lots of bagels and let guests take leftovers home.

SAVORY HARVEST BREAD PUDDING

A variation of the layered bread Strata, this baked egg dish can be served hot or at
room temperature. For a change, vary the vegetables and cheese.

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups milk
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 package (10-ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
12 cups French bread cubes (or baguettes)
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Spray 9- x 13-inch glass baking dish or equivalent with nonstick cooking spray.
Set aside.
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and
garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms and cook, stir-
ring occasionally, until the mushrooms give up their liquid and the liquid evaporates
— about 15 minutes or until the mixture dries. Remove from heat and cool.
Whisk milk and eggs in large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar, parsley, salt
and black and cayenne pepper. Add the vegetables and Swiss cheese and stir to combine.
Arrange half the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg/vegetable
mixture over the cubes. Arrange the remaining cubes over the egg/vegetables. Press
the bread cubes gently to submerge them. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several
hours, up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the bread pudding. Place
the baking dish on a baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake, uncovered, for 60-80
minutes, until hot and puffy. Serve hot or at room temperature (the pudding will
deflate as it cools). Makes 12-16 servings.

32 •

SEPTEMBER 2007 •

platinum

SMOKED 1VHITEFISH SALAD

Add a fresh and earthy Michigan influence to your menu; tuna salad is an easy and
crowd-pleasing alternative.

4 pounds smoked whitefish (2 1/2 pounds finished whitefish),
skin and bones carefully removed
1 /2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 /4 cup fresh chopped dill (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and use a large spoon or your hands to mix
well. Inspect the mixture with your hands for any hidden bones. Transfer the mixture to
an attractive serving dish and serve. Makes 8-10 servings.

BERRY COMPOTE

A waffle station allows guests to have fun cooking their own fluffy waffles while saving
the host the work of cooking them. Offer an assortment of toppings — including Berry
Compote — as well as chocolate chips, toasted nuts, whipped cream and real maple
syrup.

4 cups berries, any variety (strawberries halved or quartered if large)
cup sugar
3 tablespoon berry or other fruit liqueur (optional)

3 /4

Combine berries and sugar in a large bowl and toss well with your hands. Leave at room
temperature for several hours, tossing the berries occasionally to recoat with the sugar,
until the sugar is dissolved and the berries are saucy. Cover with plastic wrap and chill
until ready to serve, up to a day ahead. Makes 8 servings.

SHORTCUT SCHNECKEN

The word schnecken means "snails" in German or Yiddish, and these little sticky rolls
nearly resemble snails' shells. This super-easy version is made with pre-made crescent
dough. Vary the ingredients by adding chocolate chips, pine nuts, or dried apples or
chopped dried apricots.

