Brunches are a fun, elegant, economical and versatile way to entertain. They make for a memorable occasion and beat the cost of dinner parties ten (dollars) to one. Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, the 4th of July, a Trim-the-Tree gathering, and so many more occasions lend themselves really well to a brunch.
From simple scrambled eggs and bacon with store-bought sweet rolls to an elaborate layered Crepe Gateau and homemade Almond Danish, the menus are endless and alluring. Many of the dishes can be prepared ahead, allowing the host and hostess to enjoy the party as much as their guests.
It’s just a matter of advance organization to prevent last-minute flurries. It’s important to have a timetable in mind and tailor your schedule to allow advance preparation or at least partial preparation. Keep cooking utensils and appliances in mind also. Make sure you don’t have two dishes that require baking at different temperatures if you only have one oven. And make sure you have ample refrigerator space. A pres-assembled casserole, pitchers of juice and eight fruit cups can take up a lot of space.
Set the table or arrange your buffet the night before and have serving dishes and utensils out, ready to go to work. Make a list of the cooking times of each dish you are serving. Working backwards from your scheduled serving time, decide when you should start the first dish and proceed accordingly. It’s just a matter of advance organization!
Sound fun? Let’s have brunch! Here are a few recipes to get the creative juices flowing:
Cheese Krispies
This appetizer recipe makes 6 dozen
1 C grated sharp Cheddar cheese
½ C butter, softened
1 C flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper
1 C Rice Krispy cereal
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Mash together until well combined. Stir in flour, salt and red pepper. Add rice cereal and mix thoroughly. Dough may be refrigerated or frozen at this point, if desired (can be refrigerated for up to 10 days in advance, or frozen for up to one month). Drop by teaspoonfuls (1-inch apart) onto an unbuttered cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 12 min.
Download this recipe.
Tangy Raspberry Soup
Serves 12
(If you have leftovers of this soup, pour it into ice cube trays or small paper cups for a frozen snack for the kids.)
1 ½ Tbsp unflavored gelatin
1/3 C cold water
¾ C hot water
3 pkgs (10 oz. each) frozen raspberries, thawed; or use 4 C fresh raspberries
3 ½ C sour cream or plain yogurt
2 C pineapple juice
2 C half and half
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Soak gelatin in cold water for 5 min. in small saucepan. Add hot water and place over low heat, shaking pan until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Puree berries in food processor or blender. Strain raspberries to remove seeds (unless pureeing in a Vita Mix, in which case no straining is needed). Combine with gelatin in large glass bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients until mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Download this recipe.
Sausage and Mushroom Strudel
Serves 6-8
Buttery, flaky pastry wraps around a creamy sausage and mushroom filling for an unusual and tasty treat. Purchase phyllo at your local deli or in the gourmet section of your grocery store.
1 lb bulk sausage
6 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
½ C minced green onions
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
12 sheets phyllo pastry
1 C fine dry bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute sausage in heavy skillet over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain thoroughly and set aside. In another skillet, melt butter with oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and green onions and cook, stirring until liquid has evaporated. Stir in salt and pepper. Add cooked sausage and cream cheese, blending thoroughly. Lightly dampen a tea towel. Lay a sheet of phyllo on the towel. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. Repeat four times., ending with sixth sheet of phyllo. Place half of the filling on the narrow edge of the phyllo, leaving a two-inch border on each side. Fold in sides and roll up pastry. Place roll on a buttered baking sheet. Brush with additional melted butter. Repeat procedure using remaining phyllo and sausage filling. Bake for 20 min. or until golden.
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