Ah, Brunch - 5 New Recipes to Enjoy!

Wow. It has been a much too long hiatus. Somehow between my move to Milwaukee, the new house, a new job, having a dog dart and go missing and now nursing our beloved dog back to health - life just got in the way. Well, I'm attempting to be back! I was just inspired by an email from my dear friend Steph (Picky Pepper) on brunch. Since it's early (for me) Saturday morning and I'm summoning the willpower to get back into my running routine, brunch is definitely on my mind. Though I'm not usually a breakfast person, some of these do seem extremely irresistible! Easter is now just over a week away and perhaps you'd like to break out of your ordinary menu for guests or any company this year. Here are some delicious recipes to get you inspired for Easter brunch or any brunch!

Overnight Apple Oatmeal (Serves 4)

• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 T melted butter
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats (5 minute kind)
• 1 cup chopped apple
• 1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds

Grease crockpot. Put in milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir. Add the rest. Mix. Turn on low for about 9 hours.

Steph's Grandma Lu's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream

Topping (mix well)

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (Steph omits these - doesn't like nuts in baked goods, she's weird like that)

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat well. Add sifted (or whip with a whisk) dry ingredients and sour cream alternately. Pour 1/2 batter in a 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of topping. Add remaining batter and rest of topping. Bake 35 minutes at 350º or until toothpick comes out clean. When putting last batter over topping I (Grandma Lu's words) put small dabs of batter all over or else you can't spread it out.

Overnight Caramel French Toast (serves 6)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
  6 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 T light corn syrup
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/4 t salt
• 12 slices sandwich bread

Combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a small sauce pan. Cook on medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour syrup mixture into 9X13 pan. Place 6 slices of bread on top of syrup mixture. Top with remaining 6 slices. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and salt, stirring , stirring until blended. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Bake at 350º 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit 10-15 minutes.

Stuffed French Toast

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1-2 T butter
• 1-16 ounce loaf French Bread
• 1-12 ounce jar apricot preserves
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
  1 T orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

Beat cream cheese and 1 t vanilla until fluffy. Add nuts. Slice bread into 18 (1 1/4 inch slices). Cut pocket into top of each. Fill with 1 T cream cheese mixture. Gently squeeze together. Beat eggs, cream, 1/2 t vanilla and nutmeg. Dip and stir each slice. Cook on lightly buttered griddle until golden on both sides. **At this point, can be refrigerated, covered, and when ready arrange on a baking sheet, uncovered, and bake at 350º for 10-15 minutes.** Heat preserves, orange juice and liqueur. Serve hot over French toast.

Overnight Egg Dish

• 10-12 eggs
• 1/3 t salt
• dash pepper
• 7 slices of cubed bread
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• shredded cheese (Colby)
• 1/2 t mustard powder
• 2 cups milk
• Optional: cubed ham or crumbled sausage or bacon, vegetarian sources, of course

Mix all the ingredients from the first column in a mixer. Grease a 9X13 pan. Spread the bread in the pan. Next, pour the egg mixture in. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle cheese on just before putting in the oven. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.