Brunch for a Bunch

  

I've always thought eggs Benedict was the perfect brunch dish.  Not only is it delicious, it also looks elegant:  a toasted English muffin topped with Canadian bacon, poached egg and a dollop of Hollandaise sauce.  As much as I like eggs Benedict, it wasn't something I wanted to fix at home, especially for a lot of people.  Poaching all those eggs wasn't something I wanted to do!  A couple of years ago, I found a recipe in the newspaper that lets me serve eggs Benedict without poaching a single egg!

Eggs Benedict Casserole uses the same basic ingredients as eggs Benedict, but they're not used in the same way.  The casserole starts by cutting the Canadian bacon into pieces and placing half of them in the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.

Instead of toasting the English muffins, they're split in half,

cut into 1-inch pieces and placed on top of the Canadian bacon.

The remaining Canadian bacon is sprinkled on top of the English muffins.

Eggs are whisked with milk -- it helps bind the casserole -- salt and pepper and poured over the ingredients in the baking dish.

Although salt and pepper aren't used in traditional eggs Benedict, they enhance the flavor of the casserole.

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight.  My experience has been the longer the casserole is refrigerated, the softer the finished product. Since my family prefers a firmer texture, I refrigerate it a minimum of four hours and no more than six.

Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and let it sit at room temperature.  Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Traditionally, Hollandaise -- a rich sauce made with butter, egg yolks and lemon juice -- is spooned over each serving.  You can make Hollandaise from scratch or, what I do, use two packages of Hollandaise sauce mix.  If I'm making the casserole for a bunch, I fix both packages of sauce.  If I'm only cooking for the three of us, I fix one package the day I make the casserole and the other when I reheat the leftovers.  Instead of pouring the Hollandaise over the casserole, I serve it separately so people can take as much or as little as they want.

The next time you need brunch for a a bunch, whip up a batch of Eggs Benedict Casserole.  Add some grits or Potatoes O'Brien, a fruit salad and some muffins and you've got a meal that won't break the bank!

Eggs Benedict Casserole

8 Servings

2 (5 oz.) pkg. Canadian bacon, cut into pieces

6 English muffins, split and cut into 1-inch pieces

8 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

1 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

2 (1.25 oz.) pkg. Hollandaise sauce mix, prepared according to pkg. directions

Place half the Canadian bacon in a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the English muffin pieces into the baking dish and top with the remaining Canadian bacon.  Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together and pour over the ingredients in the baking dish.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or a minimum of four hours.

Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and let it sit at room temperature.  Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375° for 35 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 to 15 minutes.  

Prepare the Hollandaise sauce according to the package directions.  Serve with the casserole.

© Margaret's Morsels

Cooking Q & A

I'm sorry my posts have been so sparse lately.  I've been really busy the last few weeks.  Things are beginning to settle down and I'm hoping to post a new blog next week.  In the meantime, I wanted to answer some questions readers have emailed me recently.

"What does it mean to steep tea and how do I do that?"  Zoe

Steep means to put an ingredient in a liquid so the flavor is infused into the liquid.  The longer something steeps, the stronger the flavor.  To steep tea, bring the water to a boil.  Pour it over the tea bags; cover and let sit -- steep -- 5 minutes.  Remove the tea bags and you've got steeped tea.

"What is an offset spatula?"  Rita

Unlike a regular spatula that is straight, an offset spatula has a bend in the blade.  This bend makes it ideal for smoothing batter or icing. 

"Everytime I boil eggs, they end up with a green tinge.  What am I doing wrong?"  Elliot

The green band around the yolk is a telltale sign that the eggs are overcooked.  The best way I've found to boil eggs is the way my mother taught me.   Put the eggs in a saucepan -- make sure you use a pan size appropriate for the number of eggs you're boiling -- and cover the eggs with cold water.  Put the pan on the stove and turn the burner to high. When the water comes to a boil, put the lid on the pan and remove the pan from the burner.  Let the eggs sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.  Drain the water and cover the eggs with cold water and ice cubes.  When the ice cubes melt, peel the eggs.

"Is 1/2 cup chopped pecans the same thing as 1/2 cup pecans, chopped?"  Meredith

No, it's not.  If a recipe calls for 1/2 cup chopped pecans, chop the pecans before measuring them.  If it calls for 1/2 cup pecans, chopped, measure out 1/2 cup pecans and chop them into smaller pieces.

"I don't have disposable pastry bags.  Can I use a resealable plastic bag instead?"  Courtney

Absolutely!  If you want to use a tip or coupler, snip a small hole in the corner of the bag and insert it before adding the filling.  Otherwise, fill the bag, squeeze out any air and close the bag.  Snip a hole in the bottom and it's ready to use.

If you've got cooking questions, email them to me and I'll try to answer them in an upcoming post.

© Margaret's Morsels

Eggs to Dye For

My son stopped hunting Easter eggs years ago, but I still dye a dozen every year.  It's a tradition just like the bunny shaped cake I make for dessert.  I've always used an egg dyeing kit, but not anymore.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw something on the Wilton website about using gel icing color to dye eggs.  I thought this was a great idea -- I could create the exact shades I wanted -- so I decided to give it a try.  I'm glad I did because these are the prettiest eggs I've ever dyed!

Gel icing color is a concentrated paste sold in small jars in a variety of colors.  It produces richer, more vibrant colors and, because it's concentrated, a little dab will do!

These are the colors I used

If you've never worked with gel icing color, the most important thing to remember is to use a toothpick to remove the gel from the jar.

If you need more color, use another toothpick and repeat the process. This keeps the gel from getting contaminated which is important when you're dipping the toothpick into frosting.  In this case, it keeps the gel from getting diluted with water.

Unlike kits that use lemon juice or vinegar to dissolve tablets, the gel is dissolved in very hot water.  If you're like me and don't have an instant hot water dispenser, turn the hot water on and let it run until the faucet feels hot to the touch.  Pour 3/4 cup water into a container -- I use clear plastic disposable cups -- and add the desired amount of gel.

Stir until the gel is dissolved.

Stir in one tablespoon of white vinegar and add the boiled egg.

Let the egg sit in the cup until it reaches the desired color.  Remove the egg and let dry.  I put the eggs back in the egg carton to dry and stored them in the refrigerator.

I definitely plan to dye eggs this way again next year.  In the meantime, I need to decide whether to use these for deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches.

© Margaret's Morsels

Labor Day Picnic

If Memorial Day marks the start of summer, Labor Day marks the end.  If you're going on a picnic this holiday weekend, here are some recipes that are good picnic fare.  Have fun and remember food safety:  keep hot foods hot; cold foods cold.

Egg Salad Sandwich

Easy Stove Top Beans

Deviled Eggs

Mini Mason Jar Cakes

Fruit Tea

© Margaret's Morsels

Brunch: Part 1

This is the first of a three part brunch series.

When my husband and I first started dating, we enjoyed going out to brunch on occasion.  One of our favorite restaurants served brunch on Saturday so it was a relaxing way to start the weekend.  After we got married, life became busier and going out to brunch became a thing of the past.  Every now and then, I recreate the brunch experience, but in the comfort of our home.

Brunch, the combination of breakfast and lunch, is a great way to enjoy a meal with your family or entertain a group of people.   Although my menu leans more towards breakfast, a combination of breakfast and lunch items is perfectly acceptable.  To make brunch even easier, serve the food as a buffet and let each guest fix their own plate.

I like to serve eggs, but I want something fancier than scrambled eggs and not as time consuming as poached or fried eggs.  Omelets are a good choice, but not if you're cooking for a crowd.  This is when I rely on a recipe that makes one omelet, but with six servings.

Baked Omelet Roll is an omelet that's baked in the oven, rolled into a jelly roll and then cut into six pieces.  Because you're not making and folding six omelets, it's easier to prepare than omelets made in the traditional manner.

The ingredients -- eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper -- are typical of most omelet recipes, except for the flour.  The flour gives the omelet form, making it possible to roll it up without tearing.

The ingredients are combined and poured into a 13 x 9-inch pan that has been thoroughly coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Don't skimp on the cooking spray; the omelet will be much easier to roll if it's not sticking to the pan.  Depending on your oven, the omelet bakes in 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too brown.

The baked omelet.

Like any omelet, you can add fillings after it's baked, right before it's rolled. Because the omelet is fully cooked, make sure the filling ingredients are cooked or safe to eat as added.  My family enjoys the omelet with bacon. However, when I serve this to company, I only put cheese on the omelet and serve bacon, sausage or ham on the side.

The omelet with cheese.

The omelet with cheese and bacon.

Once the omelet is baked and the fillings are added, it's time to roll the omelet.  The rolling needs to be done while the omelet is warm or else it won't roll easily.  Slide a spatula under one of the short sides to release the omelet from the pan.

Using your hands, roll the omelet to the other end of the pan creating a jelly roll.  Place the omelet on a platter and slice it into six pieces or let people cut their own piece. When cut, the omelet will have a pinwheel design.

Don't double the recipe if you need more than six servings; the omelet will be too thick to roll.  If you have two 13 x 9-inch pans that will fit in the oven without touching -- air needs to circulate to ensure even baking -- bake two omelets at once.  If not, or you don't have two pans, bake the omelets one at a time.

Check my blog later this week for an accompaniment that goes great with both breakfast or lunch items on the brunch menu.

Baked Omelet Roll

6 Servings

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Put the eggs and milk in a blender.  Add flour, salt and pepper.  Cover and process until smooth.  Pour into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 400° for 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are set.  Sprinkle the omelet with cheese.  Roll the omelet up in the pan, starting with a short side.  Place seam side down on a serving platter.  Cut into 1-inch slices.

© Margaret's Morsels

Egg-Cellent Egg Salad

My son is too old to hunt Easter eggs, but that doesn't stop me from dyeing a dozen eggs every year.  Although the eggs are colorful, they have a purpose other than decoration.  I use them to make a batch of egg salad the day after Easter.  Not only is this a good use for the eggs, it makes for a light meal the day after our Easter feast.


I have a couple of friends that love egg salad, but have never made a batch.  I tell them if they can cook hard-boiled eggs, they can make egg salad.


Egg salad is one of those recipes you can make your own.  Like deviled eggs, you can add anything you like to egg salad.  I've seen recipes that use pickles, onion, celery and bacon.  It all boils down to what you want in your salad.  My egg salad recipe uses the same ingredients -- mayonnaise, salt, vinegar -- as the recipe I posted for deviled eggs, but the technique is different.


Once the eggs have been boiled and cooled, peel and cut each egg into four pieces.  If you're using Easter eggs, don't be alarmed if some of the dye has been absorbed by the egg white.  Roughly cut the eggs into bite size pieces in a mixing bowl.

Combine the eggs with the remaining ingredients and store covered in the refrigerator.  I make the egg salad early in the day or the day before serving.  This gives the vinegar time to mellow.

Egg salad is a quick refreshing meal, especially when paired with a cold glass of fruit tea.  It's good year round, but it's definitely more colorful when made with leftover dyed Easter eggs.

Egg Salad

4 Servings

6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vinegar

Chop eggs into bite size pieces.  Combine eggs with the remaining ingredients; stir until well mixed.  Store covered in the refrigerator.  If you're using a dozen eggs, double the ingredients.

© Margaret's Morsels

A Tisket, A Tasket, A Gently Used Picnic Basket

Recently, while cleaning out a closet, I found a picnic basket my husband and I received as a wedding present.  We used it a few times, but it's been over a decade since that basket's seen the light of day.  It seems as though there's never time for a picnic.


When I was a kid, we went on picnics at least once a month.  My mother fixed the same meal for every picnic:  fried chicken, deviled eggs, baked beans and bread and butter sandwiches.  The sandwiches were nothing more than butter spread on bread, sandwiched together and cut diagonally, but they sure were good.


I remember those picnics everytime I make a batch of deviled eggs.  I use the same recipe my mother used.  It only uses four ingredients and isn't very fancy, but it's always the first plate of deviled eggs to be devoured at a potluck dinner.  I double the recipe when I'm fixing these for a crowd.


Normally when you cook, you use the freshest ingredients available.  This is counterproductive, though, when it comes to boiled eggs.  Eggs are much easier to peel if you use older eggs.  Egg shells that are easy to peel leave a prettier egg white, which is important when you're using them for deviled eggs.


Everyone has a preferred method for boiling eggs.  It seems as though there are as many ways to boil eggs as there are fillings for deviled eggs! I'm not saying my way is the best way or the right way.  It's the way my mother taught me and I've always had excellent results.  When I boil eggs this way, I don't end up with a green band around the yolks which is a telltale sign of overcooking.


Put the eggs in a saucepan -- make sure you use a pan size appropriate for the number of eggs you're boiling -- and cover the eggs with water.  Put the pan on the stove and turn the burner to high.  When the water comes to a boil, put the lid on the pan and remove the pan from the burner.  Let the eggs sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.  Drain the water and cover the eggs with cold water and ice cubes.  When the ice cubes melt, peel the eggs.

Cooked the way my mother taught me.

Once the eggs are peeled, cut the eggs lengthwise and remove the yolks. Put the yolks in a small bowl and mash them with a fork.  Make sure to mash them thoroughly so the filling doesn't have any lumps.  Mix in the remaining ingredients, blending completely.

My mother always scooped the filling into the egg whites using a spoon, but I use a disposable pastry bag.  The bag is quicker and not as messy.  If you want to make the eggs even prettier, put a cake decorating tip in the pastry bag before you add the filling.  The easiest way to fill a pastry bag is to stand it upright in a clean glass, turning the top down over the edge of the glass like this:

Once the bag is filled and removed from the glass, twist the top of the bag to close it and cut off a small corner at the bottom.  You're now ready to fill the egg whites.  Once the eggs are filled, store them in a covered container in the refrigerator.  It's best to make them a day ahead of time so the flavors have time to blend.

The finished product.

If you take deviled eggs on a picnic, be sure to keep the container in a cooler with ice.  If you want  a really good meal to go with the eggs, add some fried chicken and baked beans.  Don't forget the bread and butter sandwiches.

Deviled Eggs

6 Servings

6 hard-boiled eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Cut peeled eggs lengthwise in half; remove yolks and mash with a fork. Mix in remaining ingredients.  Fill whites with egg yolk mixture.  Keep refrigerated.

© Margaret's Morsels