Weekend Brunch

Brunch is the perfect party on these busy summer weekends to enjoy with family and friends. Choose recipes that can be made ahead to make preparation easy. Today's brunches are so much more than bacon and eggs!

Decorate the tables with small pots of flowers and fresh herbs, you can use the herbs later to cook with. Tie ribbons on the pots and stick place cards in the centers for an individual touch. Another small touch would be to cut 8 inch squares or circles of light-weight fabric with pinking shears. Add some small stones or rice wrapped in plastic to the center to use as a weight, gather the edges and tie with a rubber band. Insert a small nosegay of silk flowers into the center. Hide the rubber band with ribbon.

Platters of fresh fruit look great and also make people feel they are starting the day off right. Bake a batch of muffins or scones or order them from a really good bakery. Some scones can be made the night before and baked in the morning. Bagels with cream cheese and fresh salmon are a special treat and require no cooking. Buy a head of pretty butterhead lettuce or radicchio and separate the leaves. Add a few perfect strawberries, blueberries or melon balls. Spoon in a few tablespoons of dip and you have pretty individual fruit salads.

Make ahead french toast recipes are really popular for brunches. Any kind of bread can be used, each will lend its own flavor and texture. Thin sandwich bread will soak up the milk egg mixture and create a moist, custard texture. Unsliced bread can be cut thicker and create a spongy, light texture. Whole wheat or grain breads will produce a moist, heavy french toast with a slightly nutty texture. Experiment with different types of bread to determine the flavor and texture you like best.

Think outside the box and have your brunch at the beach, outside in your garden or perhaps at the park. Frittatas work well for a carry-out brunch, bake it just before you leave. Turn it out onto a serving plate and cover well with aluminum foil. Wrap in a dish towel or several layers of newspapers to keep warm. Try sunrise on the beach with your children and surprise them with pancakes. Make the batter the night before and put it in a plastic bag. Snip off a corner and squeeze the batter into a pan. Be sure they have a grill available where you're going to avoid disappointment. Top with your favorite toppings.

Layered Fruits in Lemon-Pear Sauce

29 oz. canned pear halves in heavy syrup
1 egg, beaten
2 T. flour
1 t. butter
2 t. lemon juice
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped
2 T. powdered sugar
16 oz. canned pineapple chunks, drained
1 medium banana, sliced
1 pint strawberries, sliced
11 oz. canned mandarin oranges, drained
2 kiwis, chilled, peeled and sliced
1/4 c. slivered almonds or pecans

Drain the pears, reserve 1 c. juice. Combine the juice, egg and flour in a saucepan. Cook until thickened. Stir in butter and lime juice. Cool thoroughly and then fold in whipped cream sweetened with the powdered sugar.

Cut 4 pear halves in half lengthwise and reserve. Dice remaining pears. Layer diced pears, pineapple, bananas, strawberries and oranges in a large glass bowl. Spread the cooled topping over. Cover and chill overnight. Just before serving decorate with the peeled and sliced kiwis and reserved pear sliced. Sprinkle with the nuts.

Breakfast Tortilla Torta

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound new potatoes - thinly sliced
2 bunches green onions - sliced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
1 cup frozen corn - thawed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound turkey sausage
1 large sweet red peppers - seeded, chopped
1/2 cup salsa, bottled
5 large flour tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese - shredded
sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Coat 10-inch springform pan with nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray.

Heat the oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for12 minutes or until tender. Add 1/3 cup of the green onion, chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl.

Coat skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Beat eggs, egg whites, corn, black pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, in a bowl. Add to skillet; cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or just until set, stirring constantly. Scrape into a clean bowl. Wipe out skillet with paper toweling. Coat skillet with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage along with sweet pepper and remaining green onion to skillet; cook until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage meat with spoon. Drain well. Stir in 1/4 cup of the salsa.

Assemble torta: Place a tortilla in the bottom of prepared springform pan. Spoon on the potatoes, spreading evenly. Top with tortilla, pressing flat. Spoon on half of the sausage mixture, spreading evenly. Top with tortilla, egg mixture, tortilla, remaining sausage mixture and tortilla. Spoon on the remaining salsa. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes or until egg mixture is set, tenting loosely with aluminum foil during last 20 minutes.. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Remove sides of pan. Slice into eighths.

Serves 8

Cheddar Apple Breakfast Lasagna

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 (9 ounce) packages frozen French toast (or 12 slices homemade)
8 ounces sliced, boiled ham
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar, divided
1 (20 ounce) can apple pie filling
1 cup granola with raisins

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a small bowl blend together the sour cream and sugar. Chill.

Prepare the French toast according to the package directions and place 6 slices in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with a layer of the ham, 2 cups of cheese, and the remaining French toast. Spread the pie filling over the toast and sprinkle with the granola.

Bake in a 350° F. oven for 25 minutes. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and return to the oven until the cheese melts. Serve with the sour cream mixture.

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

One 10-ounce package unsweetened frozen raspberries
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
4 loaves day-old French bread
6 eggs
2 cups milk

Thaw and drain the frozen raspberries. Mix with the cream cheese, sugar, and allspice/nutmeg. Cut the ends off the French bread. Then cut the bread lengthwise, part way through (as if making a hero sandwich.) Pull out a narrow trough of bread in center. Fill the trough with raspberry cream cheese mixture and close the top over the bottom. Chill overnight or for several days. Can freeze for up to 1 month (wrap tightly).

Mix and beat together the eggs and milk. The amount needed may vary depending on how dry the bread is. Brush butter-flavored oil onto a 4 sided shallow cookie sheet. Cut stuffed French bread in 1 inch slices and dip into egg-milk mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once after 20 minutes. Pour small amount of heated sauce over French toast.

Serves: 8 to 9

To make raspberry sauce to go with the above recipe, pour raspberry juice drained from the frozen raspberries into a saucepan. Add 1-1/2 to 2 cups of sugar and heat slowly until melted. Boil for several minutes until syrupy. Pour over the French toast above. You will have more raspberry sauce than you need for his recipe.

Country Ham Balls

2 pounds cooked ham, ground
1 pound uncooked pork sausage
2 cups dry, unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 to 1 cup milk
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard

Combine ham, sausage and breadcrumbs and use side of fork to cut them together. Beat eggs slightly, and stir them into mixture briefly. Add 1/2 cup milk, and mix with your hands. When mixture is moist - add more milk if necessary - and can be formed into balls, shape into balls about size of walnut. (You can freeze the balls at this point.)

Mix brown sugar, vinegar and mustard in small saucepan. Add 1 cup water, and bring to boil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat.

Heat oven to 350° F. Pour sauce over ham balls and heat until ham balls are warmed thru and bubbly. Cooking time will vary from 30 - 45 minutes depending on if meatballs were frozen.

Written by Mary Ellen at That's My Home