Breakfast Party

I love breakfast and I love to entertain so I married the two together and had some friends over for breakfast. Not that she has ever steered me wrong, but the Barefoot Contessa was right when she said early morning entertaining is easy!

I have been wanting to try two of my friend’s recipes and this was the perfect opportunity to test-drive them. The best part was they are make-ahead wonders. I am usually weirded out but making things made a head of time, but these two bad boys proved me wrong. The ingredients were easy for me to find at the commissary here and the prep is minimal, pretty much consisting of cracking eggs and whisking them together, and clean up is a breeze.

The recipes call to bake them at two different temps, so I started them both off at 350 and then halfway through turned the oven to 375 and the came out great!

When I woke up in the morning, I took them out of the fridge, set the table, preheated the oven and once the oven beeped, I put ‘em in. While they were cooking I made some bacon and started the coffee pot AND took a shower (crazyness)! My guests arrived and about five minutes later breakfast was ready, pretty awesome in my book! And the best part was the food was awesome! Try ‘em out!

Italian Strata 

Compliments of Emily Borland 

Grocery List:

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped, (if in oil you may want to rinse off)

12 oz. Italian sausage, bulk (I opted for mild)

3 1/2 cups milk

8 eggs

1 tsp. Thyme minced (1/2 teaspoon if using dried spices)

Salt and Pepper to taste

11 slices of white sandwich bread

1 onion chopped (I cheated and used frozen, chopped onions)

1/4 cup chopped fresh Basil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano (Not the Kraft kind people!) 

Topping:

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (I omitted this)

1/2 cup Flat Leaf Parsley

The Low Down:

1. Sauté sausage over medium heat until cooked through, breaking up with a spoon. Transfer to towel-lined plate to drain. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.

2. Whisk milk, eggs, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Add sun dried tomatoes, sausage, onion, bread, basil, and grated cheese.

Stir to blend and transfer to buttered baking dish. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.

Next Day:

1.    Preheat oven to 375. Bake Strata uncovered until puffed and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella, and goat cheese and bake till cheeses melt, about 5 more minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Creme Brulee French Toast


Compliments of Emily Borland’s Mother-in-Law Zebbie 

Grocery list:

1/2 cup Butter


1 cup Brown Sugar


2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup


1 8-9 inch round loaf of bread like Challah, or the Hawaiian Sweet Bread

5 eggs


1 1/2 cups of Half and Half


1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract


1 Tbsp. Almond Extract (Or if you don't have it, double the Vanilla. It's just as good)


1/4 tsp. Salt


1/2 cup Sliced Almonds (I ommited these)

The Low Down:

Heat butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until it is all melted together.

Pour mixture into the bottom of a 13x9x2inch pan.

Slice the bread into 1-inch slices and layer upright into the pan and you may need to squeeze the bread slightly for it to all fit in.

Whisk together in a medium size bowl eggs, half and half, vanilla and almond extract and the salt.

Pour custard mixture evenly over the bread. Push the bread down slightly so that it soaks up all of the mixture.

Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight.

In the a.m. Preheat oven to 350. Remove casserole from fridge and let come to room temperature. Top with sliced almonds. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes.