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SERVES 6 TO 8
Breakfast Enchiladas
Hot Tomato Grits
Skewered Fruit With Rum Drizzle
Pepper Jelly Danish
Brunch Punch
Rudolph's Spritzer
Hot Chocolate With Almond Liqueur
CHRISTMAS BRUNCH IS A FAVORITE in households across the South. Start the most anticipated day of the year with a menu that's festive enough to celebrate the spirit of the season and diverse enough to satisfy everyone at the table. Breakfast Enchiladas and Hot Tomato Grits will keep you going until supper time, set off by the bright flavors of Skewered Fruit With Rum Drizzle. Rudolph's Spritzer complements them all with its fruity, fizzy charm, just right for children and adults. Finish with a sweet touch: Serve Pepper Jelly Danish, or offer a smorgasbord of leftover cookies and cakes.
Breakfast Enchiladas
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
PREP: 20 MIN., COOK: 16 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN.
1 (l-lb.) package hot ground pork sausage
2 Tbsp. butter
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
14 large eggs, beaten
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Cheese Sauce
8 (8-inch) soft taco-size flour tortillas
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
Toppings: grape tomato halves, sliced green onions, chopped fresh cilantro
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes or until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove from skillet; drain well, pressing between paper towels. Wipe skillet clean.
2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and cilantro, and sauté 1 minute. Add eggs, salt, and pepper, and cook, without stirring, 2 minutes or until eggs begin to set on bottom. Gently draw cooked edges away from sides of pan to form large pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until eggs are thickened but still moist. (Do not overstir.) Remove from heat, and gently fold in 1 ½ cups Cheese Sauce and sausage.
3. Spoon about ¾ cup egg mixture down center of each flour tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in a lightly greased 13-x 9-inch baking dish. Pour remaining Cheese Sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Serve with desired toppings.
Cheese Sauce:
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
PREP: 10 MIN.. COOK: 8 MIN.
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 (8-oz.) block Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 (4-0Z.) can chopped green chiles
¾ tsp. salt
1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and whisk in remaining ingrethents until cheese is melted.
Skewered Fruit With Rum Drizzle
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
PREP: 25 MIN., SOAK: 30 MIN., BROIL: 10 MIN.
We served these kabobs on a platter with fresh strawberries, currants, and pears. They are aho great for dessert with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut.
8 to 10 (6-inch) wooden or metal skewers
2 bananas, cut into ½-inch slices
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 star fruit, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. dark rum
1. Soak wooden skewers in hot water 30 minutes. Toss banana slices with lemon juice.
2. Thread banana slices, pineapple, and star fruit alternately onto skewers. Place on a wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan. Cover and chill up to 8 hours, if desired.
3. Preheat oven to broil. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over fruit.
4. Broil 4 inches from heat 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drizzle with rum.
Hot Tomato Grits
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 30 MIN.
2 bacon slices, chopped
2 (14 ½-oz.) cans chicken broth
½ tsp. salt
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp. canned chopped green chiles
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
Garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, shredded Cheddar cheese
1. Cook bacon in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving drippings in pan. Drain bacon on paper towels.
2. Gradually add chicken broth and salt to hot drippings in pan; bring to a boil. Stir in grits, tomatoes, and green chiles; return to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Stir in Cheddar cheese until melted. Top with chopped bacon. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.
Pepper Jelly Danish
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
PREP: 25 MIN., BAKE: 18 MIN. PER BATCH
Reader Martha Foose uses a locally produced honey-infused pepper jelly; we added honey to regular pepper jelly for a similar taste.
4 (8-oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup red pepper jelly
1 Tbsp. honey
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Unroll 1 can crescent roll dough on a lightly floured surface; divide into 2 pieces, separating at center perforation. Press each piece into a 7-inch square, pressing perforations to seal.
2. Bring corners of each dough square to center, partially overlapping each; gently press corners into centers using thumb, making a small indentation. Repeat procedure with remaining cans of crescent rolls. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheets.
3. Stir together cream cheese and egg; stir together pepper jelly and honey. Spoon 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture into center of each dough circle, and top with 2 tsp. pepper jelly mixture.
4. Bake, in batches, at 375° for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
-MARTHA FOOSE, GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI
Brunch Punch
MAKES ABOUT 3 QT.
PREP: 10 MIN.
1 (46-oz.) can pineapple juice, chilled
3 cups orange juice, chilled
2 cups cranberry juice, chilled
¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup lime juice
Garnishes: citrus wedges and slices, maraschino cherries
1. Stir together all ingrethents. Serve immediately, or cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. Stir before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Rudolph's Spritzer
MAKES ABOUT 2 QT.
PREP: 10 MIN.
5 cups orange juice
2 cups chilled lemon-lime soft drink
½ cup maraschino cherry juice
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Garnishes: lemon slices, fresh rosemary sprigs
1. Stir together all ingrethents; serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.
Rudolph's Tipsy Spritzer: Prepare recipe as directed. Stir in 1½ cups vodka. Makes about 9½ cups. Prep: 10 min.
Hot Chocolate With Almond Liqueur
MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS
PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 8 MIN.
Serve hot chocolate with sugar cubes, chocolate chunks, candy-coated chocolate pieces, and biscotti.
¼ cup boiling water
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
4 cups milk
1/3 cup almond liqueur
Garnishes: whipped cream, ground cinnamon, cream-filled cookies
1. Stir together boiling water and chocolate syrup in a medium saucepan; add milk, stirring until blended. Cook over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in liqueur. Garnish, if desired.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Amaretto for almond liqueur.
Hot Chocolate With Hazelnut Liqueur: Substitute hazelnut liqueur for almond liqueur. Proceed with recipe as directed.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Frangelicofor hazelnut liqueur.
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Copyright 2008 Southern Living
