Brunching at Home

Hey ya’ll- Hope you had a great mdw! Was this Tuesday not the longest day ever? Please don’t let Tuesdays become the new Mondays <fingers crossed>.

So I’ve been on a brunch kick. Who doesn’t love mimosas and breakfast and lunch foods? I love the combination and the fact that pretty much anything goes. Plus brunch always feels super chic and classy. Definitely one of the easier meals to host and entertain.

I made this brunch meal for Mother’s Day a few weeks ago and repeated it again this past weekend. It’s been a hit every time so far with everybody!

I would keep your menu very basic and straight forward. I chose to do 1 sweet dish, and 2 savory mains (1 breakfast and 1 lunch item) along with a couple easy to prepare sides.

My sweet dish was from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook Crave. If I haven’t said it enough already, this book is amazing. Her French Toast recipe was OUT OF THIS WORLD. So boozy and delicious it had everyone eating seconds and thirds. Best of all you could prepare everything the night before and all you had to do was pop it in the oven in the morning. Simple! So everyone- BUY HER BOOK.

Next item on the menu was breakfast hash brown cups. Perfect for meal prep actually and they hold very well. Plus they look adorable- presentation is everything.

Hash-Brown Cups 

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen hash brown
• shredded cheese – I like spicy pepper-jack
• eggs
• non-stick spray
• cupcake tray
• Bacon
• green onion or chives
• 1/4 butter- melted
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Thaw hash-browns according to their directions. Spray the cupcake tray with non-stick spray (make sure to get every nook and cranny. Mix the hash browns with some salt, pepper and the melted butter. PACK the bottom of the cupcake trays with the mixture and pop it into the oven for 10-15 mins or until they start browning.
2. While the hash brown is baking, start to cook your bacon. Keep the strips nice and straight and cook until they’re about done, but not crispy. If they crisp up, it’ll be impossible to form the correct shape.
3. Take the hash browns out of the oven. Curl the cooked bacon inside the tin above the hash browns. Try to make sure they touch so that the egg won’t run out.
4. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the hash browns and then crack an egg on top. Be careful not to crack the yolk!
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and green onion and pop it back into the oven. Should take about 8-10 mins to cook. I like my yolk a little runny so it’s up to your preference!
6. Carefully take out the bites (I use a rubber spatula) and serve hot.

Can be refrigerated and reheated up to a week!

Next up is that something lunch oriented.

I follow Giada’s Salmon Cake recipe with some minor modifications. I use wheat saltines and add in some green onion into the combination. Make these the night before and refrigerate them over night. Then all you have to do in the morning is give it a quick pan fry.

For my sauce, I add in some Sriracha for a kick and more flavor.

Serve the cakes over a bed of arugula, fresh tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon.

Try these brunch tips and recipes and let me know what you think! Remember to make things easy for yourself so you can enjoy your company!