CH Runners

Not Running => Food => Topic started by: rocketgirl on May 02, 2017, 11:15:04 AM

Title: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 02, 2017, 11:15:04 AM
We often do Sunday brunch with a group of friends, but it's getting more and more crowded as people have found out who has good brunch.  Anyway, we are hosting brunch at my place on Mother's Day (because holy shit we are not going to try to navigator brunch out on Mother's Day).

So, easy recipe ideas?  Especially things that can be made on Saturday.

I have two pie dishes (and I'm sure the boyfriend has one or two), so we can easily knock out some quiche.  We normally do "leftover surprise", but we'd be up for recipes.  At least one will need to be vegetarian

I have a muffin tin, 2 silicon loaf pans (and the boyfriend has loaf pans) if we do any breakfast breads (like banana bread or something - not full on bread-bread that requires fancy giant mixer or kneading and stuff).  And a few casserole dishes, cookie sheets, and that sort of thing.  I don't have any of those 9 x 12 pyrex dishes that I see people do casseroles in for parties, but the boyfriend might.  We each have a crock pot.

I think we'd like to do some sort of breakfast casserole, but while I've eatens ome, I've never made one.  And I was thinking making a bunch of canned biscuits and some sausage gravy (made the day before and re-heated in the crock pot).  Of course, I've never made sausage gravy before either...

Other people should bring stuff, but we'd like to nail down enough so that if not everyone brings stuff, there's still plenty of food.  Ideas?

Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: monster2 on May 02, 2017, 11:24:42 AM
Waffle bar, pancake bar . Scrambled eggs. If you are doing quiche a breakfast casserole is probably not necessary. Lots of bacon.

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Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: ihop on May 02, 2017, 11:34:19 AM
Frittatas. They will sit better than scrambled eggs.

Fruit.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: siamesedream on May 02, 2017, 11:35:01 AM
I love eggs benny.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Chasing Amy on May 02, 2017, 12:59:22 PM
Do you have a crockpot or can you borrow one? I made an excellent and *very* easy cheese and spinach strata with a crockpot that fed a brunch crowd and was a big hit. You can also add sausage.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 02, 2017, 01:01:30 PM
I don't think I would do pancakes.  I might consider waffles as they can reheat ok in the oven.  But both are kind of a pain in the ass and fairly time consuming.  I don't plan on cooking DURING the brunch. 

I also love eggs benny, but poaching eggs is outside my skill set, and no good way to keep them warm for a few hours.  Sounds kind of gross.

Neither the boyfriend nor I have chafing dishes.

We do both have crock pots.  I would take the cheese and spinach strata recipe for sure.

Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Chasing Amy on May 02, 2017, 01:04:03 PM
I don't remember the exact recipe I used, but this is close: http://diningwithdebbie.net/2009/11/22/crock-pot-wednesday-and-spinach-parmesan-strata/ (http://diningwithdebbie.net/2009/11/22/crock-pot-wednesday-and-spinach-parmesan-strata/)

I soaked the bread and the egg overnight and then threw all the ingredients together in the morning.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: witchypoo on May 02, 2017, 04:59:39 PM
monkey bread
"christmas breakfast" (http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/favorite-christmas-breakfast-casserole)
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: merigayle on May 02, 2017, 06:00:36 PM
monkey bread
"christmas breakfast" (http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/favorite-christmas-breakfast-casserole)
Monkey bread is the most delicious food on earth, esp right from the oven hot.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: caribougrrl on May 03, 2017, 11:16:46 AM
if you do quiche, that should be plenty to provide if others are bringing stuff... as long as you can make enough quiche for everyone to get a piece

when I do brunch for a crowd, depending how much I like the people:
- gravlax (http://moosecurrry.blogspot.ca/2014/06/spruce-juniper-gravlax-recipe.html) (swap out spices and booze as you wish for flavour), various mustards, creme fraiche (http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/02/how-to-make-creme-fraiche-in-1-easy-step.html), and montreal style bagels (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6795-montreal-bagels) with fruit salad
- smoked salmon, bagels, cream cheese, etc. and fruit salad
- french toast sandwiches (sauteed veg and dark leafy greens for filling, with or without melty cheese) and roasted sweet potato
- savory bread pudding (more or less the same ingredients as the french toast sandwiches but WAY EASIER) with roasted sweet potato or salad or fruit salad
- muffins* (some sweet, some savory) or popovers, a selection of cheese and fruit

*an advantage of muffins is you can make-ahead, freeze, and thaw overnight and they are still pretty good... popovers are really best straight out of the oven
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Natasha on May 03, 2017, 03:02:15 PM
Paula Deen's French Toast Casserole is another one you can assemble the night before and bake in the morning. It's really sweet but people love it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/ (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/)
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: The Turtle Whisperer on May 03, 2017, 06:50:01 PM
Breakfast taco bar is pretty easy. 
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Natasha on May 04, 2017, 11:19:49 AM
I love biscuits and gravy, but canned breakfast biscuits suck. And they don't work with sausage gravy either, imo.

Good biscuit recipe - http://www.homesicktexan.com/2007/04/everythings-better-with-biscuits.html (http://www.homesicktexan.com/2007/04/everythings-better-with-biscuits.html)
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 05, 2017, 10:34:40 AM
I don't mind canned biscuits.  And how do you even tell much about them if smothered in gravy?

Anyway, if the boyfriend wants to make biscuits at his house, we might.  But I'm not making scratch biscuits at my house.  (Also not buying a rolling pin so I can "whack" things.)
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Natasha on May 06, 2017, 12:11:38 AM
I don't mind canned biscuits.  And how do you even tell much about them if smothered in gravy?

Anyway, if the boyfriend wants to make biscuits at his house, we might.  But I'm not making scratch biscuits at my house.  (Also not buying a rolling pin so I can "whack" things.)

It's the texture. I can't stand them.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: radial on May 06, 2017, 12:20:52 AM
It's the texture. I can't stand them.

They are all doughy like little pucks of Wonderbread. 
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Magic Microbe on May 09, 2017, 10:14:20 AM
It's the texture. I can't stand them.

And I like canned but despise bisquick biscuits.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 09, 2017, 01:02:40 PM
We have 3 confirmed and 18 maybes.  Ummmmm...

Depending on what happens, my coworkers may eat well Monday morning.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 12, 2017, 03:40:36 PM
What do I do if I don't know if my guest list is 2 or 15?

This is obnoxious.

Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Run Amok on May 12, 2017, 05:06:40 PM
I would reach out to people individually and get a better sense of their commitment level
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 12, 2017, 05:19:07 PM
I would reach out to people individually and get a better sense of their commitment level

They're hashers.  I don't have hardly anyone's individual contact information.  And they are a flighty bunch.  It's hard to tell if you'll get 1 person or 30.  But I put it out in plenty of time rather than last minute and I guess I expected better.

I'm tempted to just cancel.  Except I want to make the recipe Amy posted and have an excuse to buy things like maple bacon.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: Run Amok on May 12, 2017, 06:24:41 PM
Could you follow up in some way and encourage people to update their rsvps now that the date is near?
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 13, 2017, 02:07:25 PM
I did that Tuesday.  But I will entice later this afternoon with pictures of goodies purchased.  Worse comes to worse, my coworkers eat well Monday.

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Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: BonitaApplebum on May 13, 2017, 02:18:44 PM
I'm with 'bou -- quiche is the way to go here. And breakfast burrito bar sounds awesome.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: seattlegirl on May 13, 2017, 03:46:44 PM
I posted this in the wrong thread!:

If you come up with a 9x13" Pyrex, this cake has been a hit at potluck brunches:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/blueberry-crumb-cake/ (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/blueberry-crumb-cake/)

Anyway, the lack of RSVPing would irritate me, too.
Title: Re: Brunch!
Post by: rocketgirl on May 15, 2017, 11:55:31 AM
So, the boyfriend estimated guests at 6-8.  We had 7, although one of them just ran in with some delicious smoked meat and ran back out.  (Apparently, he'd made a bunch of food for a family thing, and then his family decided to eat out).

So, we made the strata.  It needed a bit more spicyness, but was good.  We had about 2/3 left over though.

And blueberry bread (basically blueberry muffin mix with slightly different directions, baked in a loaf pan).  The silicon loaf pans are pretty nifty as it turns out.

And bourbon maple bacon.

And we found frozen biscuits instead of the canned ones.  And per a restaurant owner we know, we just used the gravy packets and added pre-cooked sausage crumbles.

And some frozen fruit.

And many, many sparkling alcohol mimosa-type beverages.  (We had orange juice, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice). 

Guests brought a breakfast casserole, proscuitto wrapped cheese, fruit, and more bubbly (in addition to the aforementioned smoked meat).

Then we played Disturbed Friends and Cards Against Humanity.    It was fun.