Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Jean,

Those strudels look great. They are on my to do list!

Alina, thanks for the popover breakfast casserole recipe. I made it last weekend and it was delicious!

You are very welcome. I am always surprised at how good it is considering how easy it is to make. I tested this recipe and remember thinking, I don't care what the final version is, I am not changing it. The final was the same. This casserole and the reduced fat strawberry shortcakes are probably my 2 favorite CC recipes.

I made the strudels yesterday. Very easy but lots of wrapping, I took Jean's advice and doubled the recipe. I am going to do an asparagus salad and pancakes and make some sausage patties. Plus the cheese cake and my MIL is making an apple cake. I still want muffins and cinnamon buns and the French toast casserole and breakfast popover. I think I will have to start doing brunches again just to get all these things made!

Mary

CI's old muffin recipe (January 1997) freezes very well. You just portion them into a greased muffin tin as if you were going to bake them, but pop them into the freezer instead. Once they are solid, just put them in a plastic bag. Then you can bake as many as you want (after putting them back in a tin, of course.) Anyway, you don't have to wait for a lazy morning to make brunch. You can just have them for breakfast.

I'm sorry I overlooked this thread - lots of great ideas. I imagine it's too late, but I always recommend the Strata from CI - it was one of the few recipes that Jack Bishop developed, it's vegetarian, it's great with kale or spinach and it's make ahead. And Fuzzy thanks for the reference to my Asparagus salad - I always buy Bay's English muffins since then. It's basically a bread salad. Here's the recipe if anyone wants it:

Ingredients
For the Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons minced, fresh thyme
• Salt & Pepper
For the Salad
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 4 English muffins, split (8 halves)
• 2 shallots, diced
• 4 ounces feta cheese, cubed

Instructions
To Make the Vinaigrette
1. In a jar with a good-fitting lid, add the vinaigrette ingredients and shake until well-combined.
To Make the Salad:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil. Lay the asparagus on the pan and toss with the oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the spears out in a single layer. Roast the asparagus until the spears are crisp-cooked, about 8 - 10 minutes, turning once. Allow the asparagus to cool, and cut into 3/4 inch pieces.
3. Toast the English muffins until brown. When cooled, cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
4. In a large bowl add the asparagus, muffin cubes, shallots and feta cheese. Reshake the vinaigrette if needed, and toss (start with 1/2 cup and add more to taste). Allow the salad to sit for five minutes before serving

Hope you enjoy them Mary.
JB- what a fantastic idea. Do you know if that recipe is in The NBR or their new book? I don't have the 97 annual but have these.
Like Mary I know what to host a brunch and make all of these things.

Jean--
I don't have NBR, so I'm not sure. It is in The Best Make-Ahead Recipe, although it has different flavor variations than the original. I should really add it to my Living Cookbook, then I can have all of the variations in one spot. I'll post it when I'm done.

All these suggestions sound delicious. I need to try the popover casserole. When I do a brunch it always includes deviled eggs and smoked salmon with creme fraiche, capers and dill.

Since we are doing brunch dishes, I thought I'd post one of my favorite sweet ones. I don't usually have orange juice concentrate on hand, or I'd be making this all the time. If anyone has any ideas as to subs. I'd love to hear them. I have KAF orange powder and always have regular oj and oranges.

EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK

ORANGE BRUNCH CAKE***** Servings: 16

Cheerful and sunny for coffee time or Sunday brunch. Can sub almonds or walnuts for the pecans. and raisins for the cranberries.

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

CAKE
1 9 X 13 PYREX baking dish
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (¾ cup)
2 cups sifted GM bleached flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. table salt
1/4 lb. salted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 cup dried orange/cranberries
1/3 cup chopped pecans
TOPPING
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 TBS. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350° F.

CAKE

Grease and flour bottom of a 13" X 9" Pyrex pan. In a large mixer bowl, combine ½ cup orange juice concentrate with flour, sugar, soda, salt, butter, milk and eggs. Blend at lowest mixer speed for 30 seconds. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Fold in raisins and nuts. Pour into pan. Bake in preheated 350° F oven 30 to 40 minutes. Drizzle remaining orange juice concentrate over warm cake

TOPPING

While cake bakes, combine topping ingredients in a small bowl.

Sprinkle cake with topping. Can be served warm, at room temperature or cold.

Recipe Type: ALINA'S ADAPTATION, Breakfast and Brunch Foods, Cakes, Dried Cranberries, Orange, Pecans

Author: Naomi Arbit and June Turner
Source: Quick and Delicious Gourmet Cookbook page 145