The serving of a meal early in the day or before lunch anyway, usually signifies a celebration of some sort; hence the word “brunch.” Not breakfast and not lunch, but something in-between.
The dishes do not need to be heavy or too light. Sausage balls, egg casseroles, and cut-up fruit are rather predictable, but there are many options to kick it up a notch. Simply glazing your fruit with fresh lime and confectioner’s sugar will make it tangy, shiny, and sweet. Brighten it up with the addition of fresh lime zest and mint.
Puff pastry is a clever way of making a casserole-type dish that includes your meat and cheese without actually preparing the usual egg, sausage, and bread dishes. The presentation is quite spectacular and impressive, yet very easy to prepare. Using milk and cream in your grits will keep them very creamy and easy to reheat. All of these recipes can be made ahead of time. Just bake the puff pastry just before guests arrive. Have an assortment of jams or honey on the side to serve with biscuits or muffins.
Make brunch easy like Sunday morning for your next celebration or leisurely weekend gathering, and happy winter y’all!
GLAZED CINNAMON ROLLS
These rolls are light but rich, with ample butter and a shiny glaze!
¼ cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
1 teaspoon plus ¼ cup sugar, divided
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, chilled
3 egg yolks
1 cup milk
FILLING
4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon plus more for garnish
GLAZE
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream
In a small bowl, put warm water and sprinkle yeast over. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, then stir, and let dissolve for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, ¼ cup sugar, and salt with a fork. Cut butter into small pieces. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, rub or cut butter into flour mixture until distributed and there are coarse lumps of butter throughout. Stir yeast mixture into egg yolks and milk, then add to flour mixture, stirring well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured board, roll out half of dough into a rectangle about 10 by 12 inches. Spread 2 tablespoons melted butter over rectangle. In a small bowl, mix 6 tablespoons brown sugar and cinnamon together Sprinkle half of sugar mixture over dough. Starting with wide side, roll rectangle like a jelly roll. Cut roll into 12 slices and place in a round pan or muffin tin. Repeat process with the remaining half of dough and filling. Cover pans loosely and let rise for 1 hour. Bake rolls in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and place on a wire rack over waxed paper. For glaze, in a small bowl, mix sugar, butter, and cream. Spoon glaze over each roll while hot. Serve immediately.
HAM AND SWISS IN PUFF PASTRY
1 (17.3-ounce) package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
½ cup brown or Dijon mustard
1 pound thinly sliced ham
½ pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon cream
On a floured board, roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness. Brush with mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around outside. Layer ham and cheese on top. Brush again with mustard. Move to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll out second pastry sheet on a floured board, cutting off excess and setting aside. Place on top of first, pinching the edges together to form a seal. In a small bowl, whisk egg and cream together. Using a pastry brush, brush pastry with egg mixture. Roll remaining scraps of dough, and cut shapes using leaf cookie cutters or other shapes. Place cut pastry shapes on top of filled pastry, brushing with egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until ready to bake. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and cut several slits into top. Place pastry in hot oven and bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.
Yield: 12 servings
APPLE MUFFINS
These muffins are particularly moist and full of spicy flavor.
4 cups diced Granny Smith apples
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten lightly
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Sparkling sugar for topping
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 16 muffin tins or line with paper liners. In a large bowl, mix apples, sugar, and brown sugar; set aside. In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, and vanilla; set aside. In a third bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir egg mixture into apples and mix thoroughly. Then add flour mixture and mix well. Sprinkle pecans over top of mixture until evenly distributed. Spoon into prepared pans and sprinkle each muffin with sparkling sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center. Serve warm with butter.
Yield: 16 muffins
CREAMY CHEESE GRITS
1½ cup water
2 cups milk
Salt
2 teaspoons Cavender’s Seasoning
1½ cups quick-cooking grits
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon or more hot sauce
½ cup chopped green onions
Paprika
In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring water, milk, a generous pinch or two of salt, and Cavender’s seasoning to a boil. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook the grits for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring, adding more milk if needed. Taste grits, making sure they are tender. Add cream and butter, stirring constantly. Gradually add cheeses, mixing well after each addition. Remove pot from heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Recheck seasonings, adding more if desired. Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle chopped green onions and paprika on top. Serve hot.
Yield: 12 servings
FRUIT WITH LIME-SUGAR GLAZE
This recipe works with any seasonal fruit. The lime-confectioners’ sugar makes a very shiny glaze coating.
3 cups fresh fruit
2 cups firm, seedless (black or green) grapes
Zest and juice of 2 limes
¾ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
For garnish: fresh mint leaves
Wash and dry fruit and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lime zest and juice and gently toss. Add confectioners’ sugar and toss gently until melted. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to serve, garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Yield: 5 cups
HOT CHEESE WAFERS WITH PEPPER JELLY
These are a spicy version of Julia Reed’s Thumbprint Wafers and are especially good if you have access to homemade pepper jelly!
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup hot pepper jelly
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add butter and pulse a few more times until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheeses and pulse again until dough begins to form a ball. Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured board. Bring dough together to form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. With floured hands, pinch off a tablespoon-size piece of dough. Roll into a small ball and place on parchment-lined baking pan. Repeat process until all dough has been used. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove pans and using your thumb or back of a spoon, make an indentation in each wafer. Fill each indentation with ½ teaspoon pepper jelly. Return to oven and continue baking 6 to 8 minutes or until wafers are golden brown.
Yield: about 20 wafers