Newsletter

December 2011 Newsletter

Christmas Brunch by Pat Harley

This is a great time of the year to invite our neighbors over for a Christmas celebration and a brunch is the perfect way to do it. Everything can be prepared ahead of time and it can be relatively inexpensive. The first two recipes came from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Entertaining Summit Style". The Orange Salad is from my dear friend Juanita Lott. All can be made ahead and the eggs can be popped into the oven an hour before brunch is served. It is a little different and delicious! Greet guests with a glass of chilled cranberry juice/orange juice combined. For dessert offer an assortment of your favorite Christmas Cookies.

Christmas Day Strata (Can be made a day ahead of time)

• 6 slices white or sourdough bread, crusts removed and torn into bite size pieces
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
• ½ pound crabmeat (optional)

• Preheat oven 375.
• Butter or spray with non-stick spray a 13 X 9 inch oven proof dish.
• Cover bottom of dish with torn bread: Pour melted butter over bread.
• Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl, add milk and mix well.
• Add mustard, salt, peppers, onions, cream cheese, mushrooms, tomato and cheddar cheese to mixture. Mix well.
• Add crab if using and stir gently.
• Pour mixture over bread.
• Cover with foil. At this point the casserole can be refrigerated overnight if desired.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 30-40 minutes or longer if it has been refrigerated overnight. Serves 8-10 people.

Danish Almond Coffee Cake (Can be made ahead of time and frozen if necessary.)

Filling:

In a food processor blend together:

• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 - 7 ounce container or roll of almond paste
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 10-12 cup tube or Bundt pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 2 tablespoons sliced almonds and set aside.

Cream together:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter (one stick)

Add:

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Beat together until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.

Mix together and add:

• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Add and beat together until combined.
• 1 cup sour cream
• Spoon one third batter into a tube or Bundt pan and sprinkle with half of the filling. Repeat with another one third of batter and the rest of the filling. Spoon remaining cake batter over all.
• Bake 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Unmold carefully onto a wire rack and cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired.
• Serves 8-10 people.

Orange 'Champagne' Salad

(Oranges and grapes can be made ready a day ahead. Can add cucumbers two hours ahead and the salad assembled and refrigerated an hour before serving.

On a lettuce lined platter, pile a mixture of navel orange sections, peeled and thin sliced cucumbers, and red seedless grapes. Sprinkle top with feta cheese and slivered toasted almonds. Drizzle with Girard's Champagne Dressing or a Poppy Seed dressing.