Brunch

[FireGoddess]

I know we have a fabulous recipes thread (which I loooove)...but I wanted to start a thread on a specific type of recipe - brunch ideas.

I love weekend brunches - and as it turns out, we get together with friends or my BIL and SIL over brunch more often than not. Most people have busy days, and we tend to have a lot of friends that are in the restaurant business, so this is the time of day when most of them can get together before work on the weekends. As a result, we are always looking for new things to serve for breakfast/brunch.

Since my DH is mediterranean/middle eastern, their breakfast used to consist of olives, cheeses, tomatoes and cucumbers...different things than the pancakes or omelets I was used to! Anyway, sometimes I''ll make a mushroom omelet or hard boiled eggs or even a quiche...but I was wondering if anybody had some good brunch ideas!

I bought the Best of Cooking Light #7 yesterday and am going to try 2 recipes from it (Mara, your tilapia and mustard cream recipe is in there!) and if they are yummy, will post here. Till then, anybody got some ideas? I''ll have to add my yummy quiche recipe later as well.

 

[strmrdr]

this sounds yummy!

http://www.aviewofamerica.com/Recipes/Pork/hamsouffle.htm

 

[Mara]

Hmmm I'm not super familiar with brunch recipes, but I'm interested to see what you come up with FG!!

Did you check out Martha Stewart? I'm sure she has tons of various things for brunch!!

We have breakfast at home every Sunday, I've gotten quite good at making it for us...sometimes it's sausage, eggs, hash browns and english muffins with jam and honey, or sometimes it's pancakes and sausage and sometimes it's waffles and eggs or omelets or etc. I also like trying various coffees.

Anyway please post what you find or what works!! That tilapia recipe is really yummy!! Add extra mustard!

 

[jorman]

Gormet Pigs in a Blanket (or to make it fancy the French translation "porc en la couverture":

You will need:
3 cylinders of Pillsbury crescent roll dough (original)
1 package of Lil Smokies tiny sausages (beef)

Preheat oven to 350.

Break open crescent roll container and remove dough triangles.
Cut each triangle in half, making two triangles.
Lay a lil smokie on the large half of the triangle and roll the lil smokie up in the crescent roll dough.

Bake at 350 for at 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.

You can dress these up by sprinkling parsley flakes before baking.
You can also mix it up by wrapping a sliver of cheese with the lil smokie, or add a slice of jalapeno, olive, or sprinkle parmesan over the dough before baking. They are excellent served with mustard or a variety of dips and kids love them as much as adults.

We make them for breakfast a lot, but I have made them for showers, brunch and birthday parties.

Enjoy!
-Janna

 

[jorman]

Ham, Egg and Cheese Potato Cakes:

You will need:
3-4 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns- thawed
1 cup ham diced into tiny cubes
4 eggs
1-2 cups shredded montery jack cheese
(you can also add a small amount of chopped onion, mushroom and garlic if you like)
vegetable oil (or other preferred oil for pan frying)

Heat oil in skillet. Use you desired amount. The more you use the crispier (and fattier) the potato cakes will be.

In a medium mixing bowl combine all of the above ingredients. With your hands form small balls and flatten into cakes.

Pan fry until golden brown on each side.
Drain on paper towel or blotting tray. Serve with horseradish, sour cream, or simply top with freshly diced tomatoes.

(You can also make this in a casserole form by baking the hashbrowns in a square baking dish until golden on top. Add beaten eggs, diced ham and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.)

Enjoy!

-Janna

 

[Mara]

Janna I hope you coming over to make me those yummy sounding recipes soon!! hehehee. In my dreams!

 

[FireGoddess]

I tried a new spread this morning from the Cooking Light mag and it was awesome!! My DH and his brother love honey (I don''t like it) but this spread was so good on crusty warm bread!!!! And super easy.

Orange Blossom Honey Butter

1/2 cup orange blossom honey
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

I let the butter get to room temp and then mixed all the ingred together with a fork. Recipe calls for a mixer, but the hand method worked just fine. Serve at room temp. DELISH, even for a honey-hater like me.

 

[FireGoddess]

The other 2 Cooking light recipes I tried were okay. One was way better than the other, so I''ll post the better one here. I had to improvise a little, cuz the guests don''t eat ham. I subbed some turkey. Worked well. Also used a sweet garlic mustard where it called for mustard....YUM.

This is a lighter version of deviled eggs, essentially.

French Style Stuffed Eggs

8 large eggs
1/3 cup minced reduced fat ham
1 tbs minced green onion
1 tbs minced parsley (I omitted this)
1 tbs lowfat mayo
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 slices white bread, torn into large pieces

Hard boil the eggs. Directions: place eggs in large saucepan, cover with water to 1 inch above eggs and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 12 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until cooled.
Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks. Keep 4 yolks, discard the other 4. Place yolks in medium bowl. Add ham and next seven ingred (through pepper), stir until combined.
Place bread in food processor, pulse 10 times till coarse crumbs measure 1 cup.
Spool 1 tsp filling into each egg white half. Top with 1 tbs breadcrumbs for each piece of egg and coat breadcrumbs with cooking spray.
Place eggs on baking sheet and broil 1 min or until breadcrumbs are toasted.

 

[FireGoddess]

This quiche recipe is AWESOME. Rave reviews from everyone. I forgot where I got the recipe. I substituted lower fat options which worked, and that's what I'm posting below. I also don't make my own pie crusts...I buy the super cheap frozen ones. Too much work!!

This makes 2 quiches. Can freeze the other one after baking if you like...for another day.

Spinach, Cheddar, and Onion Quiche

1 cup light mayo
1 cup skim milk
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 lb shredded part skim cheddar cheese
2 x 10 oz chopped frozen spinach (thaw, and squeeze out excess liquid)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 pie shells

Preheat oven to 400F. Blind bake pie shells if package calls for it.
Whisk milk and mayo together. Add eggs and whisk.
In pie shells, layer spinach, cheese, and onion. Pour egg mixture over top.
Cover with foil.
Bake 45 minutes, uncover, and bake another 10-15 min.

 

[Gemklctr]

Who cares about the food.

I recommend a selection of off-dry to sweet German wines - Auschlese, Spatlese, etc. A tasting of the many varities of Rieslings works with almost all brunch-type foods. One of my partners used to put on such a brunch every Spring to great acclaim.

 

[moon river]

Date: 3/25/2006 8:08:16 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I tried a new spread this morning from the Cooking Light mag and it was awesome!! My DH and his brother love honey (I don''t like it) but this spread was so good on crusty warm bread!!!! And super easy.

Orange Blossom Honey Butter

1/2 cup orange blossom honey
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

I let the butter get to room temp and then mixed all the ingred together with a fork. Recipe calls for a mixer, but the hand method worked just fine. Serve at room temp. DELISH, even for a honey-hater like me.

Yummy!!

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 3/26/2006 8:47:25 PM
Author: GemKlctr
Who cares about the food.

I recommend a selection of off-dry to sweet German wines - Auschlese, Spatlese, etc. A tasting of the many varities of Rieslings works with almost all brunch-type foods. One of my partners used to put on such a brunch every Spring to great acclaim.

If I could get my act together I''d make some peach bellinis...talk about HEAVEN...and a brunch buzz...

 

[eks6426]

Here''s one that is a little different. It is a great buffet item:

Baked Salmon Omelet
1 15 ½ oz can salmon
12 eggs lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
1 10 oz package frozen spinach thawed & drained (or ½ bag fresh spinach)
Preheat oven to 400.
Drain & flake salmon reserving liquid.
Mix salmon liquid, hot sauce & eggs in large bowl.
Sift together flour, salt & baking powder—blend into liquid mixture.
Add salmon & cheeses & drained spinach.
Mix well & pour into buttered 13X9 baking dish.
Bake uncovered in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until firm & lightly brown.
Makes 14-16 servings (if not too hungry).

 

[eks6426]

Or this one if you're feeling really decadent:

Cranberry French Toast

For french toast:
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
8 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1-pound loaf Italian bread or other thick sliced bread
8 ounces cream cheese
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

For cranberry sauce:1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place all ingredients for cranberry sauce except marmalade in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat and add marmalade. Mix and set aside.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together over low heat. Stir to blend. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the cranberry mixture to the brown sugar mixture. Stir and set aside.Slice bread and spread cream cheese on one side of half the slices. Place the remaining slices on top, making a "sandwich" of each one, with cream cheese in the center. Beat eggs, half and half, orange juice and vanilla together until well blended.Spread the cranberry/brown sugar mixture in the greased baking dish and layer cream cheese sandwiches on top. Pour egg mixture over the bread. Refrigerate overnight or bake immediately.Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additonal 15-30 minutes, until bread is nicely browned.Serve with a side of the remaining cranberry sauce, maple syrup, and your favorite bacon or sausage.

 

[jorman]

Firegoddess: If you can''t make bellini''s (cause it really is a lot of work if you don''t have a machine to freeze it for you- blenders take time away from your hostessing), you can always make mimosas. YOu can make several pitchers ahead of time and if you want to give it that bellini flavor- add a cup of peach scnapps to each picture. Yumm! You can even dress them up with a slice of frozen peach in the bottom of each wine glass.

-Janna

 

[FireGoddess]

That''s a good idea Janna!! Will have to try adding some schnapps to mimosas....can''t wait to try next weekend!!

 

[selflove]

I love quiche and that spinach, cheese and onion one looks so easy! SOunds good served with the bellini-ified mimosas and frozen peach slice. Yum!!