Friday, May 8, 2009

Friday Recipes: Brunch

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10th. In honor of Mother's Day brunches everywhere, we'd like to share with you some delicious recipes we've been collecting over the years. 

Brunch is a popular meal for celebrating Mother's Day. It allows time for everyone to sleep in, enjoy some coffee or tea in the morning, get cleaned up and head out (or in) for a hearty buffet full of wonderful goodies. 

We hope you you have an enjoyable day with your mom or grandma (or with your kids) and make it is as memorable as possible!

Brunch Recipes from Old Fashioned LIving:


Stuffed French Toast with Strawberries

8 slices white or wheat bread, cut 1 inch thick
8 ounces cream cheese
6 tablespoons strawberry preserves
1 1/3 cups milk
4 eggs
2 tsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
4 cups sliced strawberries

Cut each bread slice in half crosswise. With a sharp knife cut a horizontal slit in each half slice to make a pocket. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and preserves. Spead 1/16 (approximately) of the mixture inside each bread pocket. Pinch edges of bread together to hold filling. In a shallow bowl whisk together milk, egg, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip filled bread slices in egg mixture to coat. Cook about 6 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Top with strawberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Brunch Ideas: Serve these with scrambled eggs (add some chopped chives for a nice touch), and your choice of breakfast meat.


Ham and Potato Frittata

Note: this serves 4, so make two if you have more guests.

1 tablespoon oil
3 medium potatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped ham
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper
6 large eggs, beaten

Peel potatoes, cut in half length wise and slice thin. Heat oil in medium size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, cover and cook 12 minutes, stirring occastionally, until tender and browned. Stir in ham, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour in eggs. Cook 5 minutes, tilting skillet and lifting edges of frittata with a spatuala so uncooked eggs can run underneath. Heat broiler. If skillet handle is wood or plastic double-wrap with foil to prevent scorching. Broil 4-5 inches from broiler or heat source 3-4 minutes until eggs are set and top is golden. Brunch ideas: Serve frittata with fresh fruit, or a fruit salad, french bread or rolls and a light dessert.


Egg Fajitas

Note: This can be set up as a buffet type meal where each person makes their own plate.

8 flour tortillas
16 large eggs
1/2 cup scallions, or green onion tops
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 tsp. butter or margarine
Bacon, Ham, Canadian Bacon or crumbled breakfast sausage
12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook meat first by frying in a skillet or an electric frying pan. Choose at least two of the meats listed; about 1/2 pound each. Meanwhile whisk eggs, scallions, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl until blended. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring, until set. Heat tortillas as directed.

Place meat, eggs and tortillas on individual platters. Serve the cheddar cheese and extra green onions along side the platters to be used as toppings. Have guests place items on the tortilla and roll up to eat just as you do for fajitas. Brunch ideas: Set up this buffet as self serve. Also serve with fresh fruit and hash browns.


Golden Fruit Salad

1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
2-3 tablespoons orange juice
dash nutmeg
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and sliced
1 Red Delicious apple, cored and sliced
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup red grapes, seeded and halved

Combine yogurt, orange juice, and nutmeg in bowl and mix. In another bowl, combine and mix fruit. Serve with dressing on salad plates lined with lettuce. Serves 3.


Apple Waffles

2 cups milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cups pancake mix
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup finely chopped apples

Place milk, eggs, pancake mix and melted butter in bowl. Beat with mixer until batter is fairly smooth. Stir in apples. Bake in hot waffle iron until steaming stops. Place in warm oven until just before the brunch starts then place on platter with fresh butter, syrup and preserves nearby. Serves 6.


Sunrise Mimosa

Vary the cocktail with pineapple, mango, strawberry or passion fruit juices.

1 Tablespoon apricot nectar
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1/4 cup champagne or `mock' champagne

1. Pour the apricot nectar and orange juice into a champagne flute.

2. Slowly pour in the champagne.

3. Garnish, if desired, with an orange slice or two raspberries.


Banana Coconut Crunch Muffins

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
2 large bananas, mashed
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup coconut, shredded
1/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners (or grease and flour 16 muffin cups).

3. In a small bowl, sift or stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for one minute. Add sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and bananas. Mix until combined.

5. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Mix until combined, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl.

6. Spoon the batter into 16 muffin cups.

7. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.

8. While muffins are cooking, prepare topping. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, coconut, pecans, butter and cream together. I mix the ingredients with my hands to make sure that the topping is an even consistency. A mixer works just as well.

9. Remove muffins. Keep oven on, and spread topping over hot muffins. Place muffins back in the oven for 3 minutes (to cook the topping).

10. Remove muffins, and with back of spoon, spread the topping to edges (if topping is not already at edges).

11. Let cool 30 minutes, giving the icing a chance to harden.

This recipe can be made ahead, and actually tastes just as good the third day as it did the first. But, sadly, it will never make it to day three - too yummy. Enjoy.

Serves 16


Cheddar Cheese Strata

Shred a little cheese, break a lotta eggs, make strata tonight. This egg-cellent dish is prepared the night before, so you can rise, shine and dine.

1 pound ground sausage OR 1 cup faux sausage
8 eggs
3 cups of whole milk
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 8-ounce package mushrooms, sliced
1 8-ounce package frozen asparagus spears, sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
8 cups sourdough or italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Meat: Cook sausage, drain and set aside to cool.

OR

1. Vegetarian: Cut sausage into small pieces and set aside.

2. In large bowl, whisk together: eggs, milk, flour, butter, mustard, salt, thyme and pepper.

3. Stir in sausage, mushrooms, asparagus, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese and bread.

4. Pour ingredients into an ungreased 9 x 13 pan (preferably glass). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5. The following morning, preheat oven to 350°. Bake strata in middle of oven for one hour.

Serves 8

Below are some alternative strata suggestions. Be creative, combine ingredients that are in the fridge, or are at the peak of the produce season.

White cheddar, garlic and sun dried tomatoes
Spinach, red pepper and feta cheese
Bacon, swiss and onion


Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake

2 Cups pancake mix
1 1/4 cups milk
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons salad oil
1 14 oz jar spiced apple rings
1 8 oz package Brown and serve sausage links

Combine pancake mix, milk, eggs, and salad oil; Beat until nearly smooth. Turn into a greased 9" x 13" pan. Drain apple rings, reserving the syrup to use in the Apple-Maple Syrup. Halve each sausage link crosswise. Arrange the apple rings and the sausages atop batter in a pattern so the mixture can be cut into squares when baked. Bake at 350 degrees until done. About 30-35 minutes.

Serve with Apple-Maple Syrup


Apple-Maple Syrup

Spiced Apple Syrup (reserved from above)
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon butter
3/4 cup maple syrup

Add water to reserved spiced apple syrup to equal 2/3 cup. In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in spiced apple syrup. Cook, stirring until thick and bubbly; Cook and stir one minute more. Stir in butter and maple syrup Makes 1 1/2 cup syrup.

Serve over Sausage Breakfast Bake.

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 11, 2009

    Thank you Dear Amanda for those marvellous recipes that you are offering to each one of us!
    Have a blessed Day!
    With my kindest regards.
    Laetitia

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Laetitia! :)

    ReplyDelete

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