CHRISTMAS BRUNCH IDEAS

CANADIAN BACON BRUNCH PIZZA

Crust:

8 cups frozen hash browns, thawed and water drained

1/4 C. butter, melted

2 beaten eggs

1/2 C. flour

Sauce:

4 oz. velveeta cheese, cut into 1 in. cubes

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Topping:

1 3.5 oz. pkg. sliced canadian bacon

6 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp fresh chopped chives (optional)

Heat oven to 425

Spray 12 in pizza pan with cooking spray. In large bowl toss all ingredients for the crust. Press potato mixture onto pan. Bake for 20-25 min. or until edges are brown.

In a small microwavable bowl, place cheese cubes and 2 tbsp. milk. cover with saran wrap. Cook on high for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Stir in parmesan cheese and mustard until well blended. Spread 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce over crust; top with canadian bacon. Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until bacon is heated through.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet. Combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour into pan. Stirring constantly, cook until the eggs are thickened but still moist.

Spoon eggs over hot crust. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Sprinkle with chives.

BUTTERMILK LIME TEA BREAD- Make ahead!

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/3 tsp salt

1 egg

1 cup butter milk (if you don't have, sour milk by adding 1 tbsp. lemon juice to regular milk. Let stand 10 minutes)

1/4 cup veggie oil

2 tsp lime zest

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp sugar

Heat oven to 350

Grease bread pan. Coat with flour.

In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. set aside

In another medium bowl, stir egg, buttermilk, oil, zest and 1 tbsp lime juice with spoon until well blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Spread in pan.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

While it is baking in a small bowl combine remaining 2 tbsp lime juice and 1 tbsp sugar.

Brush lime juice over top of warm bread. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 min. Cool completely. When completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap. Best served cold, the next day.

Top with your favorite fruity cream cheese spread.

HAM AND CHEESE CROISSANTS

1 package refrigerated croissant dough (in the can)

8 slices thinly sliced deli ham

8 slices havarti or swiss cheese (costco is great for the havarti)

Gently unroll the croissants. Lay on a large cookie sheet. Lay out one piece of ham and one slice of cheese on each croissant, arrange so that when you roll it up the meat and cheese is contained inside. You may have to cut the ham and cheese slices in half. Bake according to directions on package.

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Sounds complicated, but its really quite easy. I turn on the oven as low as it will go and keep them warm on a cookie sheet as I cook them until the syrup is done and everyone is ready to eat. Serves 8

1 loaf thick white bread ( you can use french bread, I prefer Grandma Sycamore's or similar)
8 oz. softened cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or almonds
4 large eggs
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (if you don't have it, use milk)


Beat the cream cheese with 1 tsp. vanilla until smooth. Stir in the nuts
Spread the cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread, and make a sandwich with two slices. (note: I started getting lazy and made the cream cheese mixture, set it aside, made the french toast how I normally would then had everyone assemble their own! You can spread the topping on the toast after it's cooked and top with the syrup.)
Beat together the eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, nutmeg and whipping cream. Dip the 'sandwich' into the egg mixture. Cook over medium low to medium on a lightly greased griddle until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes each side. Keep the toast warm in the oven while making the syrup.

Syrup:
1- 12 oz. jar apricot preserves
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tbsp. honey
Stir together all of the above ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium-low until hot. Serve warm.

WINTER FRUIT SALAD WITH LEMON POPPY SEED DRESSING

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tsp finely chopped onion

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup oil

1 tbsp poppy seeds

SALAD

1 large head romaine or red leaf lettuce

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1 cup cashews

1/4 cup craisins

1 apple, cubed

1 pear, cubed

In a blender or processor, combine all dressing ingredients except for the oil and poppy seeds. Process until well blended. While machine is still running, add oil in a slow steady stream, processing until thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds; process a few seconds to blend.

In a large serving bowl, combine all the salad ingredients; toss to mix. pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

ORANGE CRANBERRY SCONES

2 cups flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 egg

1 cup craisins

2 tsp orange zest

sugar (raw sugar looks pretty, plain white is great too!)

Oven to 425

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Work butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or fork, until the butter is the size of small peas. Add remaining ingredients, except sugar, mixing until dry ingredients are moist

turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Pat into a circle 3/4 in. thick; cut into 8 wedges. Place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown

Makes 8 scones.

SPARKLING BLUEBERRY POMEGRANATE JUICE

This is so pretty in a punch bowl, but be careful if you have kids and carpet involved!

2 cans 'old orchard' blueberry pomegranate frozen concentrate, made following directions on the can (winco has it)

Fresca

1 pkg frozen blueberries, or raspberries

In a small decorative or mixing bowl add frozen berries and enough of the juice mixture to just cover the berries. Throw into the freezer until ready to serve the drink. It freezes pretty quickly, but remember to do this the day before or a couple of hours before the party. Pour into a punch bowl, add Fresca, then add frozen fruit ring. Its Beautiful!