It’s really no surprise that I love brunch.  I’ve hosted Easter brunch several times and love it.  There are so many fun recipes you can assemble and even make the night before so you’re not spending all of your time in the kitchen.  Here are a few of my go-to crowd pleasing recipes.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:
Blueberry Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.
3. Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.

Healthy Bacon, Egg, Potato Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (~ 1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (~ 1 cup)
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 strips uncured antibiotic free turkey bacon, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Fines Herbes or other herb blend
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup non-fat cottage cheese, pureed in food processor
• 1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups shredded Yukon gold potatoes
• 9 cups baby kale

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, bacon and fines herbes until onions are translucent. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir in shredded potatoes. Add sautéed bacon and vegetables. Spoon into lightly greased 9×9 square dish.
4. Bake 45 minutes until casserole is firm.
5. Serve on bed of baby kale.

 

Bourbon Banana Nut Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Brioche, sliced 1 ½”-2″ thick
• 2 Bananas, sliced
• 4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp Bourbon
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• ½ cup Finely chopped Pecans
• 2 Eggs
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Maple Syrup

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place sliced bananas onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until the bananas start to gently caramelize. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
2. While the bananas are baking, take each slice of brioche, using a sharp pointed and serrated knife, lay the slice flat and like you were slicing the bread horizontally, insert the knife flatly into the bread and slice a small pocket into the middle of the bread, ensuring you don’t puncture through the bread. Repeat with each slice of brioche. Set aside momentarily.
3. In a bowl, mix together cooled bananas, bourbon, cinnamon, ¼ cup pecans, and cream cheese until smooth. With a spoon or knife, or a piping bag with a round tip and filled with banana mix, spread into the pocket of each bread slice.
4. In another shallow bowl whisk together, milk, eggs and vanilla. Dip each slice of stuffed brioche into the egg wash and place into a heated, and non-stick sprayed pan over medium to medium-high heat. Cook until each side is deep golden brown. Flip and cook completely. Serve immediately with additional bananas and chopped pecans on top. Top with maple syrup.

Party Potatoes:

Ingredients:

• 32 Ounce Bag Frozen Cubed Hash Browns
• 1/2 cup Melted Butter (More for Greasing Pan)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
• 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 Pint Sour Cream
• 2 cups Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Butter a large baking pan.
3. Place frozen hash browns in baking pan, spread evenly.
4. Combine butter, salt and pepper. Pour over hash browns.
5. Stir together onions, soup, sour cream and cheese and spread over hash browns.
6. Baked for 45 minutes, stirring half way through.
7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve.