Easter Brunch

Strawberry Tarts

(Virginia)

Crust:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup sugar

Filling:

8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese (softened)

1/4 cup sugar

strawberries (tops cut off and halved longways)

1/4 cup seedless red currant jelly

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350.  Combine ingredients in food processor or a blender until moist crumbs form.  Using your fingers, press dough firmly into mini-muffin cups sprayed generously with non-stick spray (makes about 2 dozens).  Put muffin tin in oven for 10 minutes, or until crust is firm.

Remove and perforate each mini crust with a fork.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, removing from oven halfway through and pressing down gently on crusts with a spoon if they are puffing up.  Cook until golden brown and cool completely in pan.

Mix filling ingredients together in a mixer.  Remove cooled crusts from pan by spinning them out with your finger individually.  Put a dollop of filling (or pipe it) in each crust and top with a strawberry half.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt jelly until it turns into liquid. Gently brush strawberries with jelly, or spread a little on top of the strawberries with the back of a spoon if you don't have a brush.  Chill in the fridge until you serve them.  

*Refrigerate for a few hours ahead of time to enhance flavor!!!*

Egg in a Nest (adapted from acozykitchen.com and the Domestic Mama) CROWD PLEASER!!!

(Liz)

24 oz. fresh hash browns/potatoes

2 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided

1/4 tsp ground paprika

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon

12 eggs

Generously grease a muffin tin and set aside.  Thaw hash brown potatoes and transfer them to a bowl; sprinkle with the Kosher salt, pepper, and 1/3 cup of cheese.  Mix until combined.  Preheat the oven to 425.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into each muffin cup, being sure to line the bottom and the sides. Since the potatoes will shrink when baked, make sure you go all the way to the top of the muffin tin when lining the sides.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, and until the outer sides appear lightly golden brown.  Decrease oven to 350.  Remove from oven.  In the center of each hash brown nest, add a teaspoon of grated cheese, bacon and then top with one egg.  Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, and until whites are set, but yolks appear soft.  Allow to cool for 2 minutes in pan.  Using a butter knife, run it around the edges of each hash brown nest and gently remove it.  Top with remaining freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Yields 12 "nests"

French Toast Casserole

(Dee Dee)

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)

8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline topping (recipe below)
Maple syrup

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each.  Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9x13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended, but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk/egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350.  Combine all of the praline topping ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  Spread the praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Lemon Monkey Bread

(Melanie)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

1 box (4-serving size) lemon pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)

2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Butter Tastin' refrigerated biscuits

3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring

Heat oven to 350.  Generously spray a 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, stir together brown sugar, lemon peel, and pudding mix.  Separate both cans of dough into 16 biscuits.  Cut each into fourths; place in another large bowl.  Add melted butter; toss to coat, making sure each piece of dough is covered with butter.  Roll each piece in pudding mix mixture; place in pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until goldne brown and no longer doughy in center.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Place serving plate upside down over pan.  Turn plate and pan over.  Remove pan.  In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and enough limon juice until smooth and drizzling consistency.  Add enough food coloring for desired yellow color; mix well.  Drizzle glaze over warm monkey bread.  Serve warm; pull apart to serve.  Store in airtight container in refrigerator.  

Notes:

For a less tart glaze, simply make the sugar glaze with water instead of lemon juice.  

Although Monkey Bread is best served fresh and warm, it can be reheated the next day in a 200 oven or in the microwave.

Yields 16 servings

Sausage and Egg Quiches

(Caron)

1/2 lb sausage

2 tbsp dried minced onion

2 tbsp minced chives

2 tubes (16 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cups (8 oz) Swiss cheese, shredded

1/2 cup (4 oz) 4% cottage cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika

In a large skillet, brown sausage and onion over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in chives.  On a lightly floured surface, unroll crescent dough into one long rectangle; seal seams and perforations.  Cut into 48 pieces.  Press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups.  Fill each with approximate 1 teaspoon of sausage mixture.  In a large bowl, combine the eggs and cheeses.  Spoon approximately 1 teaspoonful over sausage mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.  Serve warm.  Refrigerate leftovers.  

Yields 4 dozen

Lemon Cookies

(Mary Colleen)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar.  Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.  Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Beat to combine.  Stir in the dry ingredients.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon the dough (about 2 tbsp for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.  Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Spoon about 1/2 tsp onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread.  Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.  Pack the cookies into a decorative container.