Honeycomb Breakfast Casserole

closetcooking.com (pic has asparagus, recipe doesn't)

While we are nothing if not traditional around the holidays, this was one of my favorite new recipes from Akin Holidays 2K11. It was, as per usual, from my favorite old cookbook, Heart & Soul.

While I generally jump at the chance to make a new variation of Dot’s Breakfast Casserole, I saw this and knew that this sausage/mushroom/HOLLANDAISE concoction was clearly meant for me. And as with our standby breakfast casserole, it is stupid easy to make and just plain satisfying.

The interesting thing here is that it’s mushrooms (instead of the usual bread) that provide much-needed texture to the eggy goodness here. Also, while this is pretty much the same recipe you’ll find in H&S, I have taken some liberties (because what’s not better with Worcestershire?) and shortcuts (because water baths are for babies, not food), so it won’t match up exactly if you get to fact-checking.

1 lb hot sausage
8 oz portabella mushrooms
8 oz button mushrooms
dash of Worcestershire sauce + Cavendar’s
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8-10 eggs, beaten thoroughly

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Grease 9×13 in. baking dish and spread cheddar cheese on the bottom.
3. Cook sausage, drain, and layer on top of cheese.
4. In the drippings from the sausage, cook the mushrooms until just tender, adding Worcestershire and seasoning as needed.
5. Add into dish on top of sausage and pour egg mixture over the top.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until the liquid (egg) in the middle of the casserole is firm.
7. Serve and top individual portions with Hollandaise. Nom nom nom.

Seriously Easy Hollandaise Sauce

simplyrecipes.com

When I told Dot that The Chef and I would be making Hollandaise for (the third) “Christmas morning” (in a row), she did not look convinced. And I’ll admit, I had some reservations.

Any time a cookbook directs me to a double-boiler, I have flashbacks of making those damn cake balls that everyone loves that are 100% NOT worth it. Trying to squish cake and icing into balls so you can dip them in rapidly hardening “melted” chocolate does not bring holiday joy; it brings profanity.

Anyway, The Chef directed me through the cheater technique for sauces (i.e. the blender), and I have no idea why anyone would go old school ever again. The consistency came out perfect, and the lemon juice provided just the right amount of acidity to cut through all the glorious buttah.

2 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted

1. 

   flavoreddelights.com

   Add egg yolks to blender with salt and lemon juice. Blend.

2. Blend on low, slowly adding melted butter. Sloooooowly. That’s the key.
3. Serve immediately. Or if you have to wait a few minutes, keep in a warm – but not hot – spot in your kitchen until you’re ready.

I’d bet you can put this on top of anything from ham to cardboard, but we used it on the Honeycomb Breakfast Casserole, and I can verify that goodness first-hand.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls

Since Ripley Pickles is back on the Nummynumnum train, I feel it is only appropriate to post a cheese bacon ranch butter recipe in her honor.  BEHOLD the greatest recipe ever.  This recipe calls for bacon bits, but I say cook your own bacon and chop it up.  I have not tried this out, so please someone make it and send over your comments! – ts 

1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix

1. Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust.
2. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts.
3. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread.
4. Wrap in foil the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

National Chocolate Chip Day- Chocolate with Fleur de Sel Bruschetta

According to CNN (and only CNN as I cannot find another source), today is National Chocolate Chip Day.  Click here to find a great site that features 100 chocolate chip recipes.  For this special food holiday I thought I would offer up an easy, no bake, summer time chocolate treat from the lovely Martha Stewart.  This recipe takes like 10 minutes tops.  – ts

Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
Thick crust bread
Fleur de Sel (if you can’t find this use coarse sea salt)

1. Place thick slices of bread on an ungreased grill or grill pan. Toast each side for 5 minutes over medium heat. (If you don’t have a grill pan, broil bread until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.)
   For perfect golden-brown hatch marks, maintain medium heat. High heat will create instant dark lines without toasting the bread; low heat will slow the toasting process, which can result in blackened grill marks.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and spoon over toasts. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Toast preparation tips:  How to Grill Bread for Bruschetta – Martha Stewart Recipes

Breakfast Potatoes

This is a super simple breakfast potato recipe.  I don’t really have measurements because this is all by taste and what I have in the fridge or pantry. It takes no time at all, incredibly easy and is the perfect hangover cure.  I highly recommend topping with an egg over easy and using lots of hot sauce.  – ts

5-6 small potatoes (any potatoes will do)
1 small red bell pepper chopped
½ large yellow onion chopped
seasoning (whatever you have on hand) options:

• fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary
• dried oregano (make sure to squish dried oregano between your fingers to release the seasonings before using)
• cumin
• chili powder

1-2 scallions chopped green and white parts
2 cloves garlic minced
olive oil
salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

1. Boil water, and then boil potatoes for about 8-10 minutes or until tender
2. Drain and let cool while you chop the bell pepper, onions, and garlic
3. Heat pan with olive oil, and then add garlic.  Let cook about 45 seconds or 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add peppers and onions and sauté for a few minutes.  Season the veggies with salt and pepper.
4. While peppers and onions cook, slice potatoes up to about ½ inch slices.  Add potatoes to pan along with all seasonings.  Cook for about 20 minutes.  Top with fresh scallions. Serve hot with hot sauce and fried egg over easy.

Big D’s Brunchy Sausage Boat

This is not a picture of the actual boat, but it gives you the gist. Pic coming post haste.

Whenever I mention this to The Chef, he looks slightly befuddled and a little grossed out (I think the term “boat” evokes images of cruise ships and buffet lines or something). In my ever-present quest to prove him wrong, I am making him breakfast for dinner tonight, and this is on the menu.

Big D has been making this for years, and it is always quickly devoured. My dad actually once delivered one to my cousin’s house, and her husband (who is kept on a tight-but-healthy regimen) answered the door. He ate the whole thing by himself as though it were an actual 1-person sized sandwich. That is hilariously fat to the adorable power.

1 package hot sausage
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 package mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 loaf bakery bread, not sliced
hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Remove most of the bread from the inside of the loaf, leaving an inch or so around the outside (the crust and a little bit of bread cushion is the main event here, so as long as you leave those, you’re golden).
3. Cook sausage, onion, pepper and mushrooms. Drain.
4. Return to skillet and add Worcestershire, mustard and seasoning. Add cheese and mix. (This is yet another recipe like Big D’s Breakfast Casserole where the more you experiment, the better it gets. Different kinds of cheese, spices and veggies are super fun in here. Live a little.)
5. Stuff “boat” with sausage mixture, cover with foil and bake just until crusty and heated through (20 minutes).
6. Slice and scarf. And drop a slice by my cousin’s house.

Sidenote: If you have any leftover filling, it’s stupid good on chips, perhaps even mixed with a little cream cheese for dipping. I know, I KNOW, cream cheese/dip fixation. Work out your own issues first before you come at me, OK? You’re not my real dad anyway.

Cinnamon-Sugar Cream Cheese Roll-Ups

As I spent my Easter Sunday watching 12 hours of deliciously ridiculous docudrama programming about William & Kate (thanks Lifetime!), I started thinking that we needed a recipe for some dainty finger food for those of you who are planning Royal Wedding Watch Parties.

So I started discussing options with Carol, the resident guru of all things Will-and-Kate, and guess what? I hate English food. Or what I think is English food. Cucumber sandwiches, scones, crumpets, that nasty banana flan People magazine is pushing as Wills’ favorite dessert. All of it sounds like a big gray pile of Yick to me.

So we’re going rogue here. Or we’re going Big D, rather, with a recipe from the brunch mistress herself, Dot Akin. These are perfect little packets of fat-and-happy, and I can think of nothing better to snack on while you try to cope with the fact that you’re not becoming a princess and this is not the most special day of your life. Cinnamon and sugar do quite a bit to take the sting out of being a commoner. Cheerio!

1 loaf of Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Bread
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sugar
few tbsp cinnamon
1 stick butter

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut crust off bread and roll out with rolling pin until very thin.
3. Mix cream cheese, egg yolk and sugar.
4. Spread mixture on bread. Roll up and cut in half.
5. Mix sugar and cinnamon (however much you fancy) together.
6. Melt butter. Dip each bite in melted butter and then into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

These can be made a few days in advance or frozen. You know, in case you’re going to have some dignitaries in town to entertain. Whatevs.

Swiss Chard, Mushroom, Onion and Bacon Tart

Head to the store, pick up produce that looks good and create a recipe.  That was my plan for last night, and since spring is in the air (70 degrees in NYC today you better believe I am inappropriately showing leg at work!) and the veggies are looking fine, it was an easy task.  I grabbed some swiss chard, onions, herbs, and boomers; mix it with cheese, cream, egg, and bacon and dinner is served!  I am calling this a “tart” because that sounds much more modern than quiche even though it basically is a quiche.   I served this with a Kale Salad.  This recipe is pretty close to Liz’s  but with some extra nummy-ness.–ts

1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Handful rosemary chopped
4-6 ounces bacon (about 8 slices) chopped
1 bundle Swiss chard chopped ribs removed
Large handful mushrooms
1 large onion chopped
3 eggs
1 heaping cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to season
4-6 ounces gruyère cheese, grated (I filled a bowls worth of grated cheese)
1 deep tart shell, pre-baked in a 9-inch pan

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Cook bacon in large pan, remove from pan and set aside, also reserve bacon grease. 
2. In same pan add some bacon grease, sauté and fry the shallots until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Then add a little more bacon grease and sauté onions and rosemary on low-medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.  Then add mushrooms and sauté for another 8 minutes or so.  Add swiss chard and cook until wilted (about 5 minutes).  Season everything with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile beat the eggs together with the cream. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Combine sautéed veggies with almost all of the cheese. 
5. Add a little shredded cheese to bottom of the tart shell, then fill it with all the vegetable mixture, and pour over the cream mixture. Bake until the tart has set, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve at room temperature.

Big D’s Breakfast Casserole

This is a recipe I remember fondly from my childhood. I’ve re-purposed it many times over the past few years for brunches, bachelorette parties, pre-Steeplechase breakfasts – it has been a staple at every one because it is very easy and very good. In fact, I recall Rusty-Dusty in particular asking me 3 or 4 times if I “really actually made this, like seriously?” when he had some because he apparently thought me incapable of doing anything domestic. Preesh.

1 package hot sausage, cooked and crumbled
8 slices white bread (any bread you have on hand will work)
1 pkg Mexican shredded cheese (2 cups)
1 dozen eggs
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
salt & pepper or Cavender’s/Tony’s
hot sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line a lightly greased baking dish with bread slices.
3. Beat eggs. Season with Cavendar’s and hot sauce. Add cheese, sausage and Rotel tomatoes and mix. (You can do this the night before if you want.)
4. Pour over bread and bake for 30 minutes or until center of casserole bounces back when touched lightly. Cut into squares and serve.

I often use this recipe as a base for experimentation, so feel free to swap out the sausage for ham or chicken, add veggies such as mushrooms or jalapenos, or dress it up with an Italian cheese blend. Just don’t leave out the eggs. That tends to make for a very dry situation.

Truffled Egg Toast

Time to celebrate!   Yesterday I became an AUNT!  In honor of these little bundles (my sis had twins- not identical), it is only appropriate to post my favorite breakfast that luckily Chef John makes for me. This recipe is really just exciting to eat.  Needless to say this can also be filed under “Sealing the Deal.” -ts

Chef John says: This is “The Test.” If you are in a blossoming friendship or relationship and want to know if this person is worth your time, simply make them this. If they fall in love with it you’ve got yourself someone special and if not, show them the door, erase their contact info and never speak of them again. The dish comes from my favorite brunch spot in NYC, Ino Cafe. It has TRUFFLE OIL in it. I don’t think I need to elaborate anymore.

Brioche or Pullman bread
2 Egg yolks
Fontina cheese
Grilled Asparagus
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Truffle Oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and lightly spray baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Take a 1.5 inch thick piece of brioche and toast for about 3 minutes right on the rack so it is nice and crispy.  Remove from oven (keep the oven on), and cut a rectangle shaped outline in the slice enough to fit two yolks, do not remove this section.  Press the section down with the handle (butt) of the knife to create a trough for the eggs.
3. Separate 2 eggs (tip: use your hands when separating and let the egg whites slip through your fingers), and place the two yolks inside indention.  Cover remaining area of bread with fontina cheese slices; do not cover the yolks with cheese- fence in the yolk with the cheese.
4. Place bread in oven on baking sheet and bake until cheese is melted, but yolks are still runny about 2-3 minutes.
5. Surround plate with grilled slices of asparagus spears.  Salt and pepper everything and then lightly drizzle with truffle oil before serving.