Diana Sturgis makes a meal with holiday gift-basket leftovers

Gift baskets filled with food are great--for about a week. After that I can't face another ham sandwich or slice of fruitcake. This quick meal transforms some of those holiday standards--cheeses, ham and sun-dried tomatoes--into a savory, golden strata. Serve it with a peppery watercress salad. Juicy pears and rich vanilla cream turn panforte or fruitcake into a delicious dessert, and leftover sweets become Triple-Chocolate Candy-Cane Kisses.

Published January 1997