Day 86: Two (really delicious) New Brunch Recipes
I don't know about you, but by Thursday I've definitely got brunch on the brain. It's one of my favorite meals of the week – a leisurely not-quite-breakfast, not-quite-lunch mid-day weekend feast. It's the perfect meal to host as well, since set-up can be casual, and once everyone leaves, you still have plenty of time left to do the dishes and have a relaxed evening.
When I'm creating a brunch menu, I like to make sure there's something sweet, something savory, something salad-y, something bubbly and something caffeinated. For example, here's my menu from yesterday's "Girly Midweek Brunch" post:
*Coffee
*Mini Goat Cheese Frittatas with Spinach and Roasted Tomatoes (recipe below)
*Parmesan Rosemary Biscuits with Fig Jam and Prosciutto (recipe below)
*Bittersweet Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis
As promised, I'm sharing a few new recipes below. Both of these were sort of developed last year, as I happened to cater a bunch of all-girls brunch parties (and bridal showers, baby showers, etc.). For these sort of events, I've learned that women love an array of small bites, like these mini frittatas and mini biscuit sandwiches. They're super-cute and absolutely delicious.
Best of all, both of these dishes can be made ahead: you can prep the ingredients for the frittatas (saute the spinach, roast the tomatoes, crumble the goat cheese, whisk together the eggs and milk) the night before, and quickly assemble and bake the morning of the brunch. The biscuits can actually be made a week or more in advance: just roll and shape them, freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, and store in a Ziploc bag until ready to use. The day of the event, simply arrange the frozen biscuits on a baking sheet and bake directly in the oven - no need to thaw. Given that I'm a Southern gal, these biscuits - with the fig jam and prosciutto - are an Italian twist on the classic ham and biscuits I grew up eating. (The combo of rosemary, Parm, sweet fig jam, and salty prosciutto is to DIE for!) Given that brunches happen late morning, I'm all for getting as much done as possible in advance so you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn.
Happy brunching this weekend! (For more brunch recipe ideas, click here.)
(Photos by Signe Birck; cutting board, bowl, and plate from ABC Home)
[recipe:best-mini-goat-cheese-frittatas-spinach-roasted-tomatoes-recipe][recipe:best-parmesan-rosemary-biscuits-fig-jam-prosciutto-recipe]
