Good Morning.
I am tired of Mimosas with orange juice. I offer, in my ennui, a variation to begin this brunch.
A shot of cranberry juice
Champagne
A slice of lime
Into whatever glass you have, stemmed or not, place the shot of cranberry juice, then add champagne. Garnish with a slice of lime and off you go. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic beverage, substitute 7-Up for the champagne. For those who like
the higher-octane version in a sweeter form, use a combination of champagne and 7-Up. We aim to please.
There has to be a bake at a brunch and this one is a bit different than the savory thing with puffy eggs. It is sweeter and may appeal to younger guests if your brunch includes a mess of relatives, nothing particularly implied here. We all have one or two who stand out a bit and they tend to be delightful.
BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM BREAKFAST BAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 pound sausage, browned and drained
1/2 cup butter at room temp
8 oz. sour cream plus more for garnish
The sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh blueberries: wash them, drain them, and get rid of any little stems
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Mix the flour, baking powder and soda and set aside. Beat the butter until creamy and add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs, one at a time, beating each addition for a minute. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Fold in the sausage and sour cream. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly before serving warm with the blueberry sauce. To make it, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan, then add the
water and blueberries and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. To serve the bake, cut into squares, drizzle with the sauce, and top with a dollop of sour cream. Makes 12 servings. I haven't tried it but you could substitute apples or peaches for the blueberries if desired.
Traditional on the buffet: MAPLE-GLAZED HAM
1 fully cooked 6 to 8 pound ham
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Coke or Pepsi
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Place the ham, fat side up, on a rack inside a roasting pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 18 minutes per pound. In a saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, Coke or Pepsi, mustard, ginger, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Half an hour before the ham is done, baste two or three times with the maple mixture. Serves 10.
This easy format gives ham a nice glaze and flavor, and the flavor is definitely better with real maple syrup rather than the cheaper substitute. My aunt, never married, often brought us a big tin of maple syrup when she came to visit. She was a brilliant woman who couldn't follow a map to save her soul and frequently got lost, even on a familiar route, but when she finally arrived after a couple of phone calls to apologize for her delay, she had a large supply of the good stuff with her.
Add a simple seasonal vegetable, SAUTEED ASPARAGUS with PARMESAN.
1 pound asparagus
3 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, okay out of a plastic thing
A bit of salt and freshly ground pepper
Remove the tough ends of the asparagus for sure and scrape off the thorns if desired. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, maybe a titch more. Add salt, pepper, and Parmesan and toss to coat. This will serve four, so multiply for more people and do in batches if necessary. This will mean preparing this
thing at the last minute. Enlist the assistance of someone who is drinking his or her cranberry juice with 7-Up.
Asparagus is fabulous when it's fresh. Don't get the spindly things. Fat is good here and the color is perfect as long as you don't cook it to death and end up with olive drab instead of spring green. The former belongs in the Army, the latter in asparagus.
And for dessert: STRAWBERRY DIVINE
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups strawberries
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
In a bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and butter. Add the pecans. Press two-thirds of this mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 15 minutes or until slightly brown. Remove and cool. In another bowl, place the egg whites, granulated sugar, strawberries, and lemon juice. Beat with an electric mixer for pretty close to 10 minutes. This is when you wish you had an expensive one that doesn't require your presence. In another bowl, whip the cream until it has stiff peaks and carefully fold it into the strawberry mixture. This is when it's okay to have a hand mixer. Spread this deliciousness over the cooled crust and sprinkle with the remaining third of the crust mixture. Freeze overnight before serving.
This brunch starts pink and ends pink. To appease the men in attendance, head for the back yard.
These people showed up in their Easter best but brought along a change of clothes. One can hope.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
Save
Save
Comments