festive beginnings

Holiday Breakfast and Brunch Ideas

While the main star of the show this time of year is dinner, your friends and family will need some delicious dishes to get them through the morning activites from parade watching to present opening. Here are some great recipes that can be made as standalone items or you can combine a few to create a delicious Holiday brunch spread.

Shredded Potato Casserole (SERVES 8)

• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

• 1 cup sour cream • 1/2 cup 2% milk • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 1/2 cup butter, melted, divided • 1 package (30 ounces) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed • 1 cup cornflake crumbs • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, milk, cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup butter. Stir in the hash browns.

Transfer to a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. • In a small bowl, combine the cornflake crumbs, Parmesan cheese and remaining butter; sprinkle over top.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until heated through.

Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze

(MAKES 12 SCONES)

SCONES:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided • 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes • 1 cup fresh cranberries • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream, divided • 2 eggs, divided • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GLAZE:

• ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar • ½ tablespoon orange juice

• Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a large bowl, sift together flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add butter and cut into the flour using your hands or a pastry cutter. Working quickly so the butter doesn’t melt, create pea sized crumbles. Carefully fold in the cranberries.

• In a small bowl, combine ½ cup heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, then pour in the liquid mixture. Use a spatula to carefully fold the ingredients until the liquid is just incorporated. • Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface forming it into a rectangle, about 6-inches by 8-inches. Add more flour as needed if it’s too sticky to work with. Cut the dough in half once horizontally and twice vertically to create 6 equal rectangles. Slice each rectangle in half diagonally to form 12 triangle-shaped scones. Carefully transfer scones to a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet, placing them about 2 inches apart. • In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Then add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and whisk together. Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until scones are lightly golden brown.

Let cool 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. • While scones are cooling, combine confectioner’s sugar and half the orange juice in a small bowl. Whisk until combined, adding more orange juice as needed to reach desired glaze consistency. When scones are cool, drizzle orange glaze on top.

Classic Quiche

Lorraine (SERVES 8)

• 1 frozen crust

• 1/2 lb thin strips of bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces • 1/2 yellow onion, diced • 1 cup shredded cheese , (I used sharp white cheddar, but gruyere is classic) • 1 3/4 cup half and half, (or equal parts whole milk and heavy cream) • 4 eggs, large • 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper, finely ground • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

PREPARE THE PIE CRUST:

• Place prepared pie crust in a tart pan and peirce the bottom of the crust with a fork every inch or so.

Follow the package instructions and blind bake the crust until it is a light golden color and almost baked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the inside of the baked tart with a whisked egg white - this will prevent the crust from becoming soggy from the filling.

MAKE THE SAVORY EGG FILLING:

• While pie is pre-baking, preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add chopped bacon. Cook, stirring often until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp.

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a separate dish. Add the diced onions to the bacon fat and cook, stirring often until the onions are golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to the dish with the bacon. • In a large bowl whisk 4 eggs. Add 1 3/4 cups half and half, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp paprika and 1/8 tsp of nutmeg and whisk together for about a minute to incorporate a little bit of air into the custard.

Stir in the cheese, prepared bacon and onion then pour the filling into the prebaked crust.

BAKE THE QUICHE LORRAINE:

• Bake the quiche at 350˚ for about 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean and the center jiggles slightly. The quiche will continue cooking after it is removed from the oven. Cool slightly before serving and garnish with parsley if desired.

Apple Cider Mimosas

(MAKES 4)

• 1 half gallon of good apple cider • 1 bottle of white wine of choice (pinot grigio works well) • 1 bottle sparkling wine or champagne of choice • Thin apple slices for garnish • Fresh Tyme sprigs for garnish

Mix equal parts of apple cider, white wine, and sparkling wine or champagne in four champagne flutes. Garnish with apple slices and a sprig of thyme if desired.

Apple Pie Parfaits (SERVES 6)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter • 3 large apples , peeled, cored, and diced very small • 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • pinch of salt • 2 greek yogurt • 1.5 cups granola (apple or maple flavored works best) • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla • Caramel sauce to drizzle • In a medium non-stick pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter and saute apples, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until they are very soft, but not mushy. • Add in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; cook for 1-2 more minutes until completely incorporated. • Take off the heat and let it cool completely. • Evenly distribute the apple mixture, granola, and yogurt in alternating layers, among 6 dessert cups or ramekins. • Sprinkle a little more granola on top, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve.

Traditional Shakshuka

(SERVES 6)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 2 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon cumin • ¼ teaspoon chili powder • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes • 6 large eggs • salt and pepper, to taste • 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped • 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped

• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped bell pepper and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.

• Add garlic and spices and cook for an additional minute.

• Pour the can of tomatoes and juice into the pan and break down the tomatoes using a large spoon. Season with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer. • Use your large spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well.

Cover the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking. • Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley.

Western Style Egg Strata (SERVES 12)

• 1 loaf (1 pound) herb or cheese bakery bread, cubed • 1 pound cubed ham • 1 medium green pepper, chopped • 1 medium onion, chopped • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 6 large eggs • 1 teaspoon ground mustard • 2 cups 2% milk

• Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish (or baking dish of your choice of equivalent size). • In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with pepper and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place sausage mixture over bread. Sprinkle the top with cheese. • In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard and milk; pour over top.

Refrigerate, covered, overnight. • Preheat the oven to 350° and remove strata from the refrigerator while the oven heats. • Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes.

Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake (SERVES 12)

CAKE

• 1 stick butter softened

• 3/4 cup sugar • 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 egg • 2 cups flour • 2 tsp baking powder • pinch salt • 3/4 cup milk

FILLING

• 3 tablespoons butter softened • 1 tablespoon cinnamon • 1/2 cup flour • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

TOPPING

• 5 tablespoon butter softened • 3/4 cup flour • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• Preheat the oven to 350F.

• In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add the vanilla and egg, mix in. • In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add one half of it to the mixer, and when mostly combined, add the milk. Once the milk is mostly incorporated, add the rest of the flour. • To make filling, put the softened butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the ingredients together until soft crumbs form • To make topping add the butter, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. You can cut in with forks or a pastry cutter. • Grease a 9x9 baking pan. Pour in ½ of cake batter, and spread to all four corners. Sprinkle the filling over top, then pour in remaining cake batter, and spread carefully across the top, disturbing the filling layer as little as possible. Sprinkle the topping over the top and press lightly so it adheres. • Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool to warm on a wire rack before serving.

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