What started as a midday meal for late-night partiers has become a popular way to celebrate special occasions, connect with family and friends, or merely a way to enjoy a slow start to the day.
Brunch originated in England in the late 19th century and became widespread in the United States in the 1930s. Today, families and restaurants serve brunch for the social and culinary aspects of dining.
To help you plan a meal that is easy and delicious, we’ve gathered sweet and savory brunch recipes from our staff, copy editors and community board members.
Bon Appétit!
• Monkey Bread
ALM Market Support Associate, Christie Deese
“All my favorite recipes come from dear friends and this one is no exception. Thanks to Susan Miller for a fun and comforting food that everyone loves! Her mom, Pat served this to her and her siblings growing up in Roswell. And now we make this for our kids!”
Ingredients
• 2 cans Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits
• ¼-½ cup of sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
Topping
• ½ stick butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
Directions
Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray. Cut biscuits into quarters. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a gallon plastic bag and add 5 pieces of biscuit at a time. Shake to coat. Transfer biscuit pieces to bundt pan. Continue until all the biscuit pieces are coated with sugar. Save the leftover sugar for topping. For the topping, melt butter and mix with brown sugar. Spoon over biscuit pieces in pan. Sprinkle any leftover sugar from gallon bag to the pan as well. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Best served hot but you may make ahead and serve at room temperature.
• Three Cheese Quiche
ALM Executive Editor, Candi Hannigan
“Courtesy of my church friend Linda Wilson. I have fond memories of enjoying this treat with friends who met for a weekly small group when our children were young. Moms would gather and enjoy fellowship, and eat, of course.”
Ingredients
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Directions
Mix cheeses, onion and flour. Spread in a greased pie plate, 10-inch by 1 ½-inch or 9-inch by 2-inch quiche dish. Beat eggs slightly, beat in milk, salt, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cheese mix. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes, arrange tomato slices around the edges of the pie, overlapping slightly.
• Baked Cheese Grits
ALM Managing Editor, Jackie Loudin
“No self-respecting Southerner can host a brunch without serving grits!”
Ingredients
• 4 beaten eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 16 ounces cubed cheddar cheese
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups regular grits
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 stick butter
• 8 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 4-quart casserole dish. Bring the broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the grits and whisk until completely combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grits are thick, about 8 minutes. Add the cubed cheddar cheese and milk, and stir. Gradually stir in the eggs and butter, stirring until all are combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the white cheddar cheese and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.
• Smoke a Fatty
ALM Controller, Denise Griffin
Ingredients
• 1 pound sausage
• 1 ½ pounds thick sliced bacon
• ¼ cup diced onions
• ¼ cup diced green peppers
• 1 pound sliced cheddar cheese
• ½ package refrigerated uncooked hash browns
• salt and pepper
Directions
Weave bacon slices (this will be the base for rolling your fatty). Roll out sausage inside a gallon baggie, when rolled to the size of your weaved bacon, cut baggie off, then lay sausage over weaved bacon slices. Layer shredded cheese. Mix together the hash browns, onions, peppers, salt and pepper. Layer mixture over the shredded cheese. Roll up on the diagonal (start with a corner and end with a corner) and secure the ends with toothpicks. Smoke at 250 degrees for 2 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 165. Enjoy!
• Mmmmm Hash Brown Potatoes
ALM Executive Editor, Candi Hannigan
Ingredients
• 2 pound bag frozen hash browns, shredded or diced
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Cornflakes
• 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Mix all and pour into 9- by 13-inch baking dish, top with cornflakes mixed with 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Breakfast Burritos
ALM Art Director, Michelle McCulloch
“This is a family favorite camping recipe!”
Ingredients
• 1 roll of spicy sausage, browned
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 bag Ore Ida frozen home fries
• 12 eggs beaten
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 package of large flour tortillas
• Shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions and salsa for toppings.
Directions
Add oil to large frying pan, sauté onions and peppers and frozen potatoes. When potatoes are brown, add beaten eggs and browned sausage, stir constantly. Once eggs are cooked, sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese, let that melt. Warm tortillas in microwave for 30 seconds and let everyone add toppings to taste.
• Mini Chicken and Waffles
ALM Managing Editor, Jackie Loudin
“It doesn’t get much easier this! And they’re so cute!”
Ingredients
• Eggo Minis Waffles
• Chicken nuggets
(Make it really easy on yourself and order a tray from your favorite fast-food restaurant.)
• Maple syrup
Directions
Cook waffles and chicken nuggets as directed on packaging. Stack together using long toothpicks. Serve with warmed syrup and be prepared for the compliments to flow!
• French Toast
TowneLaker Community Board Member, Joe Lemmo
“My Uncle Doug made this recently and my wife loved it! That’s saying a lot because my wife doesn’t particularly like French toast whereas I love it! Now we found a dish we can share!”
Ingredients
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) loaf crusty French bread, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups milk
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, or as needed
Directions
Grease a 9- by 12-inch baking dish. Stir brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Pour into prepared baking dish and spread a 1 1/2- to 2-inch layer of bread pieces over the top. Beat milk, eggs and vanilla extract together in a bowl; pour milk mixture over bread into the baking dish and move bread as necessary to ensure all bread is absorbing liquid. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for eight hours up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove and discard plastic wrap from baking dish and sprinkle remaining brown sugar over the top of the bread mixture. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
• Breakfast Casserole
ALM Copy Editor, Eliza Somers
“My favorite brunch item is the breakfast casserole, which you can make the night before. I first heard it called the Christmas Breakfast Casserole, and the recipe varies depending on what you have in the fridge or whatever you fancy. I’m gluten free and use gluten-free bread and it is just as wonderful. I’ve also heard of people using hash browns instead of the bread.”
Ingredients
• 1 pound sausage or bacon
• 1 onion
• 1 package fresh mushrooms
• 1 green pepper
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk or milk alternative (coconut or almond milk)
• 6-8 slices of bread
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Brown sausage or bacon and place on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the grease. Sauté onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Grease 13- by 9-inch pan. Tear apart bread and line the pan with the bread. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl, add meat and veggies, then pour over bread. Cover with foil and chill overnight in fridge.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook, covered 40-60 minutes. Uncover and reduce temperature to 325 degrees and cook another 30 minutes or until set.
• Don’t Forget the Beverages!
One of the things that sets brunch apart from your typical breakfast or lunch, is that it’s perfectly acceptable to indulge in an adult beverage. In fact, it’s practically required.
Make it super simple and set up a mimosa or Bloody Mary bar and let your guests do the rest.
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