Make-Ahead Brunch

Brunch Menu

A brunch is a cheery way to wake up your family. An easy, make-ahead menu such as this one makes it enjoyable for you, too.

Fresh Fruit Compote

Cheese-and-Mushroom Brunch Eggs

Sausage and Apples

Overnight Coffee Cake

Coffee with Whipped Cream

• For Fresh Fruit Compote: Cover and chill orange and grapefruit sections and grapes in a bowl overnight. Just before serving, add sliced bananas. Top with plain or flavored yogurt and slices of kiwifruit.
• For Cheese-and-Mushroom Brunch Eggs: Prepare casserole the night before. Cover and chill.
• For Overnight Coffee Cake: Stir up batter the night before, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Cheese-and-Mushroom Brunch Eggs

• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup shredded process Swiss cheese
  (1-1/2 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine or milk*
• Nonstick spray coating
• 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
• 12 beaten eggs
• 1 medium tomato, chopped

1. For sauce, in a medium saucepan melt the 2 tablespoons margarine or butter. Stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add the 1 cup milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheeses. Cook and stir over medium heat until cheeses melt. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons wine or milk. Set aside.

2. For eggs, spray an unheated large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and green onions to the hot skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Transfer vegetables to a small bowl; set aside.

3. In the same skillet, melt the 1 tablespoon margarine or butter. Add eggs. Cook over medium heat without stirring until eggs begin to set around the edge. Using a large spatula, lift and fold the partially cooked egg mixture so the uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking until eggs are set, but still glossy and moist. Transfer half of the scrambled eggs to a 2-quart square baking dish or an au gratin dish.

4. Spread half of the mushroom mixture over the eggs in the baking dish. Drizzle about half the sauce over. Top with the remaining scrambled eggs, remaining mushroom mixture, and remaining sauce. Cover and chill overnight.

5. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven about 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with tomato. Let stand 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

6. For a lower-fat version: Use skim milk and reduced-fat Swiss cheese and use 2-1/2 cups refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, instead of the whole eggs.

*Note: If using milk instead of wine, stir 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard in with the 2 tablespoons milk.

Overnight Coffee Cake

With the batter already made,
this coffee cake is easy to make
the morning of the brunch.

• 2/3 cup margarine or butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 8-ounce container dairy sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup red candied cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup green candied cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. In a mixer bowl, beat margarine or butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs or egg substitute, sour cream, and vanilla; beat until well combined. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to sugar mixture; beat until combined. Stir in raisins and 1/3 cup each of the red and green cherries (reserve remaining cherries for topping). Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and reserved cherries; sprinkle evenly over batter. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Uncover and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or cooled. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Sausage and Apples

• 1-1/3 pounds fresh pork sausage links
• 6 medium cooking apples (about 2 pounds total)
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. In a 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat about 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain well and discard juices. Cut sausage links in half crosswise. Return sausage links to the skillet.

2. Core apples and cut each into eight wedges. Add apple wedges to sausage. Sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

3. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until apples are just tender, gently stirring once or twice. Makes 6 servings.