Category: Brunch

Brunch, Sweet Treats

Recipe—Pistachio Bread

Diva di Cucina

When it comes to the classic Jell-O one of my favorite flavors has always been pistachio. I know, I’m kind of a freak. Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate but there is just something about the pistachio that is pretty fabulous too. When I saw this recipe for pistachio bread that called for my favorite tasty green pudding I knew I had to give it a try. I served this bread as a brunch item but with it’s cake base it could easily be a dessert. It ended up super moist, fluffy, and had just the right amount of nutty pistachio flavor. My four-year-old son got a kick out of making and eating green bread. It is so easy to make that I recommend putting the kiddos in the kitchen and letting them help. Such a fun recipe to make together!

INGREDIENTS
15 oz box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/4 c oil
3/4 c water
3.4 oz package instant pistachio Jell-O pudding, unprepared
1 c sour cream
10 drops green food coloring
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 c pistachios or pecans, chopped

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Grease two bread loaf pans.
  • Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
  • Divide the batter among the two loaf pans.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
  • Cool 10 minutes and remove from bread pans.
  • Allow to cool an additional 15 minutes or more before slicing.
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Brunch

Recipe—Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Diva di Cucina

I run a household that always seems to be full of friends and family who come to visit on the weekends. I absolutely love entertaining and cooking delicious meals for my visitors. What I don’t love is when I’m in the kitchen for hours on end. It means I am missing out on valuable time with them. This is a breakfast dish that is perfect for when you are entertaining, or heck, even if you just want an easy breakfast in the morning for the family. You prepare this in advance before your company even arrives, and then just pull it out and pop it in the oven in the morning. And by make it in advance is that you literally take the ingredients, plop them in a dish (in an orderly fashion of course) and refrigerate. How much more easy could it get? Easy to prep and easy to bake. That is my kind of breakfast!

INGREDIENTS
12 slices French toast bread, cut into 1” cubes
16 oz (2-8 oz blocks) cream cheese, cut into cubes
2 c blueberries
12 eggs
2 c milk
1/2 c syrup
1 tsp vanilla

STEPS

  • Grease a 9” x 13” baking dish.
  • Spread half of the bread cubes into the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle about three quarters of the cream cheese cubes over the bread.
  • Sprinkle about three quarters of the blueberries into the dish.
  • Top with remaining bread, cream cheese, and blueberries.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, syrup, and vanilla.
  • Pour the egg mixture over the entire dish.
  • Using your fingers or the back of a spatula gently press all of the bread pieces down into the egg mixture.
  • Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the fridge 8 hours or overnight.
  • When ready to bake remove the dish from the fridge and allow it to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Keep the dish covered in foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is s nice golden brown and the egg mixture is set, about an additional 20–30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Cut and serve.
Brunch, Sweet Treats

Recipe—Raspberry Turnovers

Diva di Cucina

Over the summer my mom was coming for a visit and I was trying to think of something fun that we could do outside. I decided to take her, my husband, and son berry picking at Patrick’s Mountain Grown Fresh Berry Farm. It was a total blast!

We ended up picking 12 pounds of delicious raspberries and blackberries.

Within 24 hours of picking we made raspberry jam, blackberry jam, blackberry ice cream, blackberry cobbler, mixed berry hand pies, and these tasty raspberry turnovers. (Don’t worry, I will eventually get around to sharing all of those fabulous recipes.) We ended up making these for breakfast and oh my goodness were they tasty! The perfect balance of sweet and tart. While it may not be berry season right now, you can most certainly find some at your local market. So please, give these a try. They are the perfect treat for breakfast or dessert.

Note: If you don’t think you will eat these all in one sitting, no need to waste. Just freeze some of them! They freeze great and can easily be baked at a later date. Just place any extra unbaked turnovers on a wax paper lined sheet and freeze for at least an hour. Once they are frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight bag or container. When you are ready to cook them just place them on the parchment paper lined baking sheet for 15–20 minutes and then bake as directed below.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 c flour
1 package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1/2 c raspberry jam
1 1/4 c fresh raspberries
1 egg
1 tbsp water
2 tsp sugar

STEPS

  • Spread the flour around your work surface and unfold the puff pastry sheets.
  • Cut each sheet into either 4 or 9 squares. It just depends how small or large you want your turnovers.
  • In a small bowl mix together the jam and raspberries.
  • Place an even amount of the raspberry filling in the center of each square of puff pastry.
  • Fold each puff pastry square in half diagonally gently pinching around the edges to seal.
  • Carefully transfer the turnovers to a parchment paper lined baking sheet as you finish them making sure they are at least an inch apart.
  • Using a the prongs of a fork carefully press down along the unfolded edges “crimping the pastry dough.
  • Whisk together the egg and water and brush the egg wash over the top of each turnover.
  • Sprinkle the top of each with a little bit of the sugar.
  • Using a small paring knife cut one slit in the top to help with venting.
  • Place your baking sheet in the freezer for approximately 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350º while the turnovers are chilling.
  • Once they are finished in the freezer and your oven is preheated bake them until they are a nice golden brown, about 18–20 minutes.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Brunch, Dinners

Recipe—Mushroom and Swiss Cheeseburger Pie

Diva di Cucina

Finding family friendly low-carb recipes can be a struggle. One go to ingredient you can work miracles with are eggs. Yes, the incredible, edible egg! I love that you can mix in practically any ingredients with eggs, throw the mixture in a pie dish and voilá! Dinner is done! Call it a frittata, a quiche, a pie, whatever your heart desires. My son is a cheeseburger fanatic (what 3 year old boy isn’t?) so when I told him we were having a cheeseburger pie for dinner his little blue eyes lit up. (It amazes me that all I have to do to get him to try something new is give it a fun name. Now if only that trick worked with my husband…) When I initially made this it was for dinner, but I will tell you the leftovers make an awesome breakfast too. Who would have thought of throwing all your favorite hamburger toppings right into a pie dish? I will tell you who, this crazy diva!

INGREDIENTS
3/4–1 lb of lean ground beef
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 c slice white mushrooms
6 large eggs
3 tbsp milk
1 1/2 c shredded Swiss cheese

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • In a large skillet cook the ground beef over medium high heat.
  • When the meat is still a little pink add in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion, and mushrooms.
  • Cook until the onions are translucent and meat cooked through.
  • Remove from heat and drain off any excess fat.
  • In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and 1 cup of the shredded Swiss cheese.
  • Add the cooked meat mixture to the mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  • Transfer the egg mixture to a greased pie dish.
  • Sprinkle the remaining Swiss cheese over the top.
  • Bake for 25–35 minutes or until set and no longer “jiggly” in the middle.
  • Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Brunch

Recipe—Breakfast Portobellos

Diva di Cucina

This is one of those recipes I found on Pinterest and have been meaning to make for quite some time. I only wish I would have made it months ago! It was absolutely delish! Being a semi-frequent low-carb eater I am always looking for new and exciting breakfast recipes. This was completely decadent and unlike anything I had ever had before. The portobellos have this great earthy flavor that is perfectly complemented by the sallty prosciutto, and if you cook them just right you get a nice little bit of yolk to sop up with the mushroom. So I If you are looking to make a fabulous breakfast then give this recipe a try. It would be the perfect dish to serve mom for Mother’s day!

Note: If you end up with shallow mushrooms the eggs may try to slide out of the caps when you put them in, so if you have the ability to examine the underside of the mushrooms look for ones that have a deeper well and are even in depth.

INGREDIENTS
2 large portobello mushrooms (4”–5” in diameter)
olive oil
salt & pepper
3 ounces of sliced prosciutto
4 eggs
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 375º.
  • Wash the portobello caps and pat dry.
  • Using a spoon scrape out the stem and all the gills creating a well in the mushroom cap.
  • Rub the mushrooms with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper.
  • Line each mushroom cap with a couple of slices of the prosciutto making sure to go up the sides. (This will help keep the eggs in if your well isn’t quite large enough to hold two eggs.
  • Place the mushrooms in a glass baking dish.
  • Carefully crack two eggs into each mushroom cap.
  • Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20–30 minutes. (Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your mushrooms and how you like your eggs cooked.)
  • Remove the eggs from the oven and garnish with the chopped parsley and additional salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from Paleo Spirit.

Brunch

Recipe—Almond Poppy Seed Bread

Diva di Cucina

There are several occasions throughout the year when I am scrambling to put together a brunch menu, Easter, Christmas, etc. One staple item I always have is some sort of breakfast loaf. I love making breakfast loaves because I can have them done the day before, giving me one less thing to worry about the morning I am entertaining. This glazed almond poppy seed loaf is a classic recipe. It is super simple (you literally throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix) and goes with everything from a simple cup of joe, to a full brunch spread.

Note: This batter works great for almond poppy seed muffins too. Just follow the directions as written but use greased muffin pans instead of bread pans and bake for 18–23 minutes.

BREAD INGREDIENTS
3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/4 c cooking oil
2 1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c milk
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

GLAZE INGREDIENTS
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp water
1 1/2–2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c sliced almonds (optional)

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Mix all of the bread ingredients together.
  • Pour the batter into greased 2 loaf pans.
  • Bake for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick when inserted comes out almost clean. (I like my bread moist so I pull it out when the toothpick still has a little bit of crumbly residue on it. A totally clean toothpick will mean a dryer loaf.)
  • After removing the loaves from the oven, place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and roast them for 3 minutes or until they just start to turn a golden color.
  • Allow loaves to sit for 15 minutes after removing from the oven.
  • Gently remove loaves from pans and place on a cutting board or cooling rack to cool.
  • Once the bread has completely cooled, combine the melted butter, almond extract, vanilla, water, and powdered sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth. (Start with 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and add more as needed to get desired consistency. I like mine slightly runny so it drips down the sides when drizzling over the bread.)
  • Drizzle the frosting over the bread and then immediately sprinkle with the roasted sliced almonds.
Brunch

Recipe—Sausage Gravy

Diva di Cucina

I was never really a huge fan of biscuits and gravy, until I had this recipe. Oh my goodness! Now I am hooked! I am a huge fan of breakfast and this is the perfect side to serve up with some scrambled eggs and potatoes. It is the ultimate in breakfast comfort food (especially after a night of drinking). I actually really like this gravy with Pillsbury biscuits, they are cheap, quick, and convenient. Sausage gravy and biscuits are perfect for a cold winter day and best of all it is super easy to make.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb roll breakfast sausage (not link or patty)
2 tbsp flour
2 c milk
salt and pepper

STEPS

  • In a medium skillet brown the sausage over medium high heat.
  • Remove the sausage when done and set aside.
  • Leaving the drippings in the pan, stir in the flour.
  • Cook over medium heat for 1–2 minutes.
  • Pour in the milk and whisk to combine.
  • Cook over medium or medium-high heat until thickened.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve over warm biscuits.
Appetizers, Brunch, Side Dishes

Recipe—Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Diva di Cucina


Are you looking for a classy appetizer to serve at your New Year’s Eve party tomorrow or any other night of the year? Search no further! These crab stuffed baby portobello mushrooms are easy, can be made ahead of time, are really elegant, and of course delicious. These will be a hit with all your guests. The crab filling is creamy with a nice little kick to it thanks to the Tabasco and the breadcrumbs give them the perfect little crunch. If you are serving a steak for a main course these can also be the perfect complementary side dish. Either way enjoy this fabulous recipe as you ring in 2013! Happy New Year everyone!

Note: You can completely make and assemble the stuffed mushrooms a half day in advance and store in the fridge until ready to bake.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 c olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp shallot, chopped
10–12 baby portobello mushrooms, washed and destemmed
salt and pepper
3 tbsp red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz lump crabmeat
1 tsp hot sauce (I like Tabasco)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp old bay seasoning
1/2 c breadcrumbs

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • In a medium sauté pan heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.
  • Add the garlic and shallot and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • Add the mushroom caps and season with salt and pepper.
  • Sauté the mushroom caps for 2 minutes.
  • Remove the mushroom caps from the skillet and place them upside down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Add the chopped bell pepper to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute.
  • In a medium bowl mix together the crabmeat, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, old bay seasoning, and a dash of salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the sautéed veggies and mix well.
  • Stuff each mushroom cap with the crab mixture and top with breadcrumbs.
  • Bake for 12–14 minutes or until the breadcrumbs start to brown.
  • Allow mushrooms to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Brunch, Dinners

Recipe—Leek Quiche

Diva di Cucina

I recently started following this fabulous gourmet blog called C’est la Vie Cuisine. On the day I found out I would be receiving leeks in my next produce box Lucie posted a recipe for leek quiche. I knew it was meant to be! I adapted her recipe (see the original here) based on what I had on hand and by adding in some extra eggs and cheese to accommodate a deeper pie dish. This recipe turned out great! I served it for dinner with some breakfast sausage and toast but it can be enjoyed for any meal. One of the many fabulous reasons I love quiche! This recipe was so easy and really tasty! The caramelized leeks and onions take on a nice sweet flavor making it a fabulous complement to salty breakfast meat like sausage or bacon.

Leeks are a part of the onion family and are very mild and sweet in flavor. The leek basically looks like a HUGE green onion. Leeks are known for being very low in calories and having wonderful health benefits. They are high in dietary fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, folic acid, and vitamins A, B, C, and K.

Notes: Leeks can have a large amount of soil and dirt between the layers so after you slice them make sure to wash them thoroughly. I submerge them in water and use my hand to swish them around. The leeks float to the top and the dirt sinks to the bottom. I then use a salad spinner to help remove all the excess water.

You can omit the piecrust all together to create a low-carb version of this recipe. To do this, grease your pie dish and whisk the mozzarella in with the egg mixture. Bake time will be the same.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (see above note about washing)
1 tbsp garlic
1 sheet of refrigerated piecrust at room temperature
salt and pepper
9 eggs
1/2 c half and half
1 c mozzarella

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • In a larger skillet melt the butter over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, leeks, and garlic to the skillet.
  • Cook stirring frequently until the onions begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
  • While the leeks and onions cook gently press the crust into your pie dish.
  • In a medium-mixing bowl whisk together your eggs and half and half until well incorporated.
  • When the leeks are done cooking season with salt and pepper and gently fold the cooked veggies into the egg mixture.
  • Sprinkle half of the mozzarella into the bottom of your pie dish.
  • Add the egg mixture to your pie dish and top with remaining mozzarella.
  • Bake the quiche in the oven for 30–35 minutes or until the middle is firm.
  • Allow quiche to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Adapted from C’est la Vie Cuisine.

Brunch, Dinners

Recipe—Broccoli and Cheddar Egg Bake

Diva di Cucina

A few weeks back I received some violet queen purple broccoli in my produce box. It was the most gorgeous piece of produce I have ever seen! It was almost too pretty to eat… almost being the key word there. I was over the moon about this exciting piece of produce and wanted to do something really spectacular with it. Alas, my busy schedule kept me from really thinking outside the box so I made one of my favorite broccoli recipes with it, a broccoli and cheddar egg bake (a.k.a. a quiche with no crust, perfect for the low-carb lover).

This purple broccoli was just too pretty not to show you! I just wanted to put it in a vase on my table. Once the broccoli was cooked it looked slightly darker than a typical bunch of green broccoli. It ended up loosing most of that purple coloring.

One thing I truly love about egg bakes is that they are perfect for any meal of the day, breakfast, lunch, or dinner and they are so versatile. You can add any ingredients you want! This recipe is written with some pretty basic ingredients but you can go wild with whatever you like. Red bell peppers and mushrooms are also great additions. I made this one for dinner the other night and just served it with some toast. The leftovers made an awesome breakfast the next day. Gotta love it when you make a meal you can stretch out over a few days.

INGREDIENTS
8 slices of bacon, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
12 eggs
1/4 c milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 1/2 c broccoli, chopped and steamed
1 small tomato, chopped
2 c cheddar, shredded (divided)

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • In a skillet over medium-high heat cook your bacon until done.
  • Remove cooked bacon from skillet and dispose of most of the grease leaving a tablespoon.
  • Sauté the onion in the reserved bacon grease over medium-high heat until brown and caramelized.
  • While the onions are cooking scramble the eggs, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  • Mix in the bacon, steamed broccoli, chopped tomato, sautéed onion, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese to the mixing bowl.
  • Pour the egg mixture in a greased 8” x 8” baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top.
  • Bake for 35–45 minutes or until the center is set.
  • Remove the egg bake from the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.