Eggs Benedict Bake
When you really want family or guests to feel spoiled, present this easy variation on eggs Benedict. No need to tell them it takes less than half an hour to bake and much of the preparation can be done the day before.
Editor's Tip: For an adult gathering, break out the champagne, Prosecco, or other sparkling wine. Alone or in Bellinis, mimosas, spritzers, and sangrias, the light, sparkling beverages inject an effervescent note into brunch. For guests without a taste for alcohol offer sparkling cider or sparkling water for a little fizz.
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 25 mins
Broil: 2 mins
Bake: 25 mins 350°F
Peach Pancakes with Chai Syrup
With a taste as sunny as a summer morning, these pancakes get a warm, spicy kick from an infusion of ginger and cinnamon. Peaches blended into the batter add a sweet twist that will make these pancakes a favorite.
Editor's Tip: Fresh peaches, if they're available, work equally well in the batter in place of the canned variety. Use peach juice in the syrup.
Makes: 6 servings
Start to Finish: 30 mins
Ham and Cheese Slab Pies
Family and friends will adore waking up to this cheesy ham-filled breakfast pie . You'll love that you can do all the prep work up to two months before serving! Just thaw the frozen pies in the refrigerator the day before serving, and pop them in the oven when you're ready to serve.
Editor's Tip: This ham-and-cheese treat is easy to carry to a morning potluck or tailgating party. Bake at home and keep warm in an insulated container to take along, or wait until you arrive to bake if an oven is available.
Makes: 12 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Bake: 25 mins 400°F
Overnight Breakfast Pie
Bacon, eggs, hash browns, and cheese: The breakfast classics combine in an oh-so-easy morning pleaser. Assemble it in just 20 minutes, then refrigerate until you're ready to bake. While it bakes, you'll have just enough time to set a stylish table, make coffee, and finish any other breakfast preparations you have in mind.
Editor's Tip: Please all your guests' appetites and still have time to enjoy their company. Offer a purchased fruit tray with dip, pastries or doughnuts, juices, and bagels or English muffins with spreads, jams, nuts, or fruit toppers to complement your main breakfast dish.
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 20 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Bake: 50 mins 325°F
Puffed Oven Pancake with Brown Sugar-Banana Sauce
This pancake looks like dessert, but it's a perfect breakfast main dish. Despite its guest-worthy presence, this dish won't trap you in the kitchen . Rather than requiring a griddle, the pancake bakes up to puffy perfection in your oven. Prepare the luscious sauce the day before, so you only have to reheat before topping and gently slicing the pancake.
Editor's Tip: Offer pancake topping options to your breakfast guests. Top an oven pancake with melted orange marmalade and fresh fruit, such as strawberries, peeled kiwifruit, nectarines, pears, or peeled peaches.
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 10 mins
Bake: 20 mins 400°F
Yummy Breakfast Smoothies
Start your morning with fruit! Watch our quick how-to on making breakfast smoothies. Our easy formula works with any of your favorite fruits.
Black Bean and Corn Breakfast Burritos
With peppy chiles, satisfying black beans, and crisp corn--as well as glossy eggs and melty cheese--these handheld wraps are a breakfast taste sensation. The other sensational aspect of this easy breakfast idea: It's cooked and assembled in 30 minutes or less.
Editor's Tip: Make assembling the breakfast burritos part of the morning fun. Arrange warm tortillas, the egg-and-vegetable mixture, cheese, and salsa on a buffet table; let guest fill their tortillas as desired. Include two or three shredded cheese choices (such as queso fresco, Monterey Jack, and a Mexican blend), as well as red and green salsas in differing levels of spiciness.
Makes: 6 servings
Start to Finish: 30 mins
Spicy Brunch Lasagna
Give the Italian-food lovers at your breakfast table a reason to rejoice. Serve lasagna for breakfast! This morning-suited combination incorporates eggs, Italian sausage, hash browns, Alfredo sauce, and lasagna noodles in a guest-friendly main dish. The lasagna needs to chill overnight, so in the morning you need only to bake the savory blend.
Makes: 16 servings
Prep: 40 mins
Chill: 8 hrs to 24 hrs
Bake: 1 hr 350°F
Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast with Salted Caramel-Banana Sauce
Stuffed with cream cheese and mascarpone accented with pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon, this French toast bakes into golden goodness after an overnight chill. As they revel in the rich filling, everyone at the table will also ooh and aah over the warm sauce.
Makes: 6 servings
Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 20 mins
Chill: 2 hrs to 24 hrs
Bake: 1 hr 375°F
Smoked Chicken and Asparagus Strata
What a way to start the day! Layers of focaccia, smoked chicken, and vegetables are soaked with a rich egg mixture to meld the flavors. Chilled overnight, the strata is ready to bake when you awake. Alongside, serve a fresh fruit medley, melon slices, or a fruit-and-yogurt parfait to balance the strata's complex flavors.
Editor's Tip: Brunch stratas are the quintessential make-ahead recipe. To allow the egg mixture to soak into the bread, stratas are designed to be chilled before baking. To feed a crowd, prep a couple of the easy-fix dishes the day before your brunch. Stash them in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
Makes: 12 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Chill: overnight
Stand: 15 mins
Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Nothing warms body and soul quite like oatmeal. Indulge morning guests (and picky eaters) with an-easy-to-customize cereal. Simply set out an array of toppers so everyone can create their own tasty combinations.
Makes: 9 servings
Prep: 10 mins
Slow Cook: 5 hrs 30 mins to 6 hrs (low) or 3 to 3 1/2 hours (high)
Cornmeal-Sage Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Warm homemade sausage gravy and biscuits is the ultimate feel-good food. This variation on classic biscuits features sage to complement the flavors of the pork sausage. Cornmeal mixed with the flour adds a country accent.
Editor's Tip: Simplify your preparations. Both the biscuits and the gravy can be made well before your breakfast gathering. Freeze the biscuits for up to 2 months. Refrigerate the gravy in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.
Makes: 12 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Bake: 12 mins 450°F
Kale-Goat Cheese Frittata
Kale makes this dish a vitamin A powerhouse; goat cheese adds a dose of naturally low-fat flavor and creaminess. The quick prep and pretty presentation make you the breakfast superhero.
Editor's Tip: Similar to an omelet, a frittata has at least two advantages when serving a family or a crowd. First, frittatas are cooked flat so there's no worrying about folding or flipping. Second, most frittatas are intended to serve four to six people, eliminating the stress of short order cooking.
Makes: 6 servings
Start to Finish: 25 mins
Smoked Salmon and Melon Salad
To satisfy diners who crave something unexpected, serve this light, no-cook salad for a perfect breakfast or brunch alternative. Lively, spicy-sweet cardamom adds depth of flavor and complements the smoky salmon and cool melon.
Makes: 6 servings
Start to Finish: 25 mins
Turkey and Brie Strata
Made with cinnamon-raisin bread, creamy Brie, and peppery turkey , these spunky little breakfast sandwiches swim in a tangy mustard-spiked egg mixture. Pair the eggy delight with crisp pear and apple slices to complement the flavors of the strata.
Editor's Tip: Dip pear, apple, or banana slices in a bath of pineapple juice or other citrus juice. The citric acid keeps the fruit from browning, ensuring an appealing display on your table.
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Bake: 55 mins 350°F
Honey-Rum Fruit Salad
If light, simple, and healthful are the watchwords for your breakfast, turn to fresh fruit. Berries, melons, grapes, and tropical and citrus fruits attract attention as a breakfast centerpiece. A dressing of mint, lime juice, rum, and honey bathes these fresh fruits with refreshing flavor.
Editor's Tip: The wonderful thing about fresh fruit is it's perfect alone or paired with yogurt, creamy dips, cheeses, or light dressings. Blend your favorites or choose just-harvested seasonal standouts. The mix of bright colors almost guarantees a can't-miss focal point.
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 25 mins
Stand: 15 mins
Pumpkin Waffles with Maple-Pecan Cream
Dripping with syrup or dolloped with whipped cream, fruit, and nuts, waffles overflow with breakfast pleasures. Subtle spices and the rich flavor of pumpkin make these waffles a morning hit. The Maple-Pecan Cream combines classic toppings to create a new favorite.
Editor's Tip: Keep waffles warm in a 300-degree F oven until serving time. Or, make the batch ahead of time: Freeze cooled waffles in a resealable plastic freezer bag, separating layers with waxed paper, for up to 2 months. To serve, reheat waffles in a toaster or in a 300-degree F oven for 10 minutes. The Maple-Pecan Cream can be chilled, covered, for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
Makes: 12 servings
Prep: 25 mins
Bake: Per waffle baker directions
Eggs Benedict Strata
A crowd pleaser, this strata is a one-dish wonder--you can make it ahead of time, leave it to rest in the fridge for up to a day, and cook it up about an hour before breakfast is served. Layered with spinach and Canadian bacon, this strata gets a flavor boost from the sour cream and Dijon-style mustard sauce.
Editor's Tip: Substitute your favorite sliced bread in this breakfast strata--whole grain, seedy, or country white will be delicious.
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Stand: 8 hrs to 12 hrs + 10 minutes
Chill: 2 hrs to 24 hrs
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