Good Morning.
One of the best parties I ever had was a breakfast at nine o'clock in the morning. It was a baby shower and I can't remember why we decided on such an interesting time but it worked, especially since it was during the summer and we could eat on the patio before it got really hot. I like morning meals with people, inside or out. A couple of decades back there was a fad of having your guests show up in their jammies and it was kind of dumb and not particularly attractive. Sleepover girls look darling in their robes and big slippers but adults look as if they just crawled out from under a rock. At this time of year you're likely to have shorts and a Hawaiian shirt walk in the door or maybe a long, flowy thing which is what I choose to cover up my love of good food. Throw some colorful fabric on your patio table or tables, a few posies from the garden or grocery store, and you're all set.
I've moved the time up to eleven so we can begin with a beverage. This one is summer all over the place, a Rose Float.
For four servings:
1 pt. raspberry sorbet
3/4 cup vodka
1 cup rose
Assorted fresh berries
Combine the vodka and rose in a pitcher. Scoop some sorbet into stemmed cocktail glasses and fill with the vodka/rose mix.
Garnish with a few fresh berries. The men probably won't like this drink so here's an alternative: a Pain Killer.
1 cup cream of coconut
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup dark rum
Combine the ingredients in a pitcher and stir well. Pour into glasses over ice. Garnish with a slice of orange.
The breakfast bake is meatless, but we'll get to the meat later.
Spinach, Feta, and Artichoke Casserole
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and squeezed dry
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts from a can, drained well
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
8 large eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup Half and Half
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Feta
In a small bowl combine the spinach, green onions, artichokes, red pepper, garlic, and dill. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray and spread the spinach mixture evenly. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, Half and Half, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir in the Feta and pour over the spinach mixture. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Sort of like a spinach-artichoke dip in brunch form.
The meat dish is a bit odd and kind of down home Alabama or somewhere but quite tasty. Between the berries in the float and the pineapple and banana in this dish, you won't need the usual bowl of fresh fruit that people think offsets the bake thing loaded with cheese and the coffee cake packed with sugar. It's a ridiculous train of thought. People who go to a brunch at a restaurant or at a private home expect to eat food that will make them sleep all afternoon.
Sausage and Fruit
1 12 oz. package sausage links
3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, drained from a can
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 firm banana, sliced
In a large skillet, cook the sausage, drain, and slice. Put the pineapple, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the skillet and heat through but don't let it burn. Add the sliced sausage and stir to combine. Add the sliced banana just before serving or it will get mushy.
And to fulfill the promise of a big fat sweet loaded with calories, we suggest Chocolate-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake.
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. flour
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla, divided
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp. milk
In a bowl, mix the flour with the brown sugar. Cut in the butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Stir in the chopped walnuts and set aside. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and gradually add the granulated sugar and tablespoon of flour. Add the egg and half a teaspoon of vanilla and beat until well combined. Prepare the cake batter according to package directions and spoon it into a 9x13 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon the cream cheese mixture in dollops over the cake batter and swirl it around with a knife. Sprinkle the walnut mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool completely. In a bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar, milk, and the other half teaspoon of vanilla with a whisk. Drizzle over the coffee cake and cut into squares.
I write this on Tuesday as a small thunderstorm passes through town. The dog is jammed up next to my chair, the cars are sloshing through the rain on the street outside, and I find it sort of comforting on what would be my husband's 76th birthday.
I would cook up something swell for dinner tonight if he were here: his favorite roast chicken loaded with garlic and herbs, his favorite Brussels sprouts with bacon and Parmesan, and his favorite rice because he preferred rice to potatoes. Other than that last item, we were very compatible.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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