Easter Brunch

This year the boys and I experimented with natural Easter eggs dyes and ended up with the eggs shown above.

Back in 2004, my sister, my mom and I had an Easter themed meal published in Taste of Home magazine.  I’ve been hunting around on my hard drive for the article we submitted, but I suspect it didn’t get transferred when we switched computers a few years back.  Luckily, though the magic of the internet, I can still find the recipes at the Taste of Home website and don’t have to retype them all.

The main theme of the meal was Easter bonnets, and there were two salads decorated to look like bonnets to decorate the table.  Along with the salads we served Spring-Ahead Brunch Bake and Caramel-Pecan Cinnamon rolls.

 

Spring-Ahead Brunch Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 slices deli ham
• 8 flour tortillas (7 inches), warmed
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms, onions and green pepper in butter until tender; set aside. Place one slice of ham on each tortilla. Top each with about 1/4 cup mushroom mixture. Combine cheeses; set aside 1/4 cup. Sprinkle remaining cheese over tortillas.
• Roll up tortillas. Place seam side down in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. In a large bowl, beat the flour, eggs, milk, garlic powder, salt and hot pepper sauce until blended.
• Pour over tortillas. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-45 minutes or set. Yield: 8 servings.

 

Bavarian Cream Bonnet Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/4 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
• 1 green fruit roll-up
• Blueberries, strawberry halves, peach slices and kiwifruit wedges

Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, gelatin and salt. Whisk in milk and egg yolks. Let stand for 1 minute. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 12 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon.
• Remove from the heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until thickened, but not set.
• Fold in whipped cream. Transfer to a 9-in. round pan lined with plastic wrap and coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
• Invert onto a serving platter; remove plastic wrap. Cut fruit roll-up into strips with a width equal to the height of the Bavarian cream. Wrap fruit roll strips around bonnet and tie into a bowl. Garish with fruit. Yield: 8 servings.

 

Caramel-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
• 2 eggs
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• CARAMEL SAUCE:
• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• FILLING:
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the eggs, butter, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside.
• Punch the dough down. Turn onto a floured surface. Roll into a 17-in. x 15-in. rectangle. Spread butter to within 1/2 in. of edges. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; inch seams to seal.
• Cut into 15 slices. Place cut side down over caramel sauce. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes; invert onto a serving platter. Yield: 15 rolls, 15 servings, 1 per serving.

These rolls were a family favorite that mom used to bake for most holidays, along with kolache and rolache (no idea of the proper spelling on that one – same dough as kolache, but rolled up into a crescent, brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with salt and poppy seed).  Christmas time would have Polish tea rings.  I bake less than mom did (trying to avoid so much white sugar and white flour), but special occasions call for special recipes and memories of family traditions.  It’s going to be hard not having mom around this Easter, but we’re planning to get together with the rest of the family and cook up a meal that would make her proud.

I hope you and your family have a joyous Easter.