Holiday Breakfast Ideas

Thaw potatoes, press between two sheets of paper towels to remove excess moisture.  Grease a small casserole dish.  Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.   Bake potatoes uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.   Remove casserole from oven and cool for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees . .Layer Pepper Jack cheese, ham,  and Swiss cheese over the potatoes.  Mix together the eggs and half and half.  Pour over potato cheese mixture in casserole.  Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until center appears set.  Cool 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe can easily be doubled.

Combine custard ingredients, mix well.  Combine filling ingredients and place in bottom of tart shell.  Pour custard over filling.  Bake at 300 degrees for 40 – 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, rotate pan to coat the entire bottom with the caramel sauce.  Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl.  Arrange six of the bread slices in the prepared pan, cover with 1/2 of the egg mixture.  Repeat with the remaining slices of bread and remaining egg mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the strata uncovered for 40 – 45 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.  Let stand for five minutes.  Cut into portions and invert onto plates, serve warm.

Can’t find ciabatta bread?  You can definitely substitute any bread of your choice.  A hearty bakery style bread works the best.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch cake pan.  Prepare filling by mixing all of the filling ingredients together until well blended.  Set aside.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  With a pastry blender or fork , cut in the butter until crumbly.  Stir in the milk to form the dough.  I find using my hands the best tools to combine the ingredients to form the dough.  Place the dough on a floured surface and knead a few times.  Let the dough rest a few minutes and then roll into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle.  Spread with the filling.  Roll up, staring with the 16 inch side.  Pinch ends together and slice into 12 equal slices. Beginning in the center, place rolls in the prepared pan.  Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.  While the rolls are baking,  make the glaze mix together the glaze ingredients, add a bit more milk to reach your desired consistency.  Remove the rolls from the oven when golden brown and spread the warm rolls with the glaze.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Thaw puff pastry as directed on package.   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When the pastry has thawed, cover the pastry with the cheese, ham and parsley.  Cook the eggs as directed, let cool for 4 minutes.  Then layer the eggs on top of the cheese and ham.  Salt and pepper, if desired. You will roll from the short side of the pastry.  Brush the ends of the pastry with egg wash to seal the roll.  Now, carefully roll the mixture, if some of the filling falls out, you can tuck the filling back in   When you get to the end rolling, pinch the edges to seal.   Cut the roll into  8 slices.  Place the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush each roll-up with the egg wash. Bake rolls for 25 – 30 minutes.  Serve warm. —–

EGGS -In a small bowl, beat eggs with milk and salt.  In a medium skilled, melt butter over medium high heat until foamy. Add eggs, continue stirring until fluffy curds form and eggs are fully cooked, about 3-4 minutes.  Season with pepper. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour one 9 inch square baking pan.

Combine Flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and milk, beat until smooth.  Add flour mixture (reserve 1/4 cup) and beat until well combined.  Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1/4 cup flour mixture and fold into the batter.  To prepare topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon, cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle over cake batter in pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes.