An Easy Christmas Breakfast

Christmas morning, one of the most hectic mornings of the year. Here are a few recipes that are easy to make ahead or a quick dish to whip up before opening presents. These easy dishes are sure to be a hit with the family! 

Eggs Benedict Strata

Servings: 8-10

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients for the Strata

6 English muffins, split and cut in half

12 large eggs

2 c. whole milk

½ c. half-and-half

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ tsp. black pepper

1 tbs. olive oil

8 oz. Canadian bacon sliced, quartered

1 10-oz package baby spinach

Salted butter for the pan or cooking spray

2 ½ c grated white cheddar cheese (8 oz)

Ingredients for the Hollandaise Sauce

1 ½ sticks (12 tbs) salted butter

3 large egg yokes

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

A few dashes of hot sauce

Directions

1. For the strata: Preheat the oven to 425 ̊. Arrange the English muffins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Combine the eggs, milk, half-and-half, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the Canadian bacon in a single layer and cook until browned, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining Canadian bacon; add to the plate. Add half of the spinach to the pan and toss until partially wilted, then add the remaining spinach and toss until all the spinach is wilted. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove the spinach to a paper towel–lined plate and press with the back of a spoon to release some of the liquid.
4. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer half each of the English muffins, spinach, Canadian bacon, and cheese in the prepared dish. Repeat the layering with the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheese. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the top. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. About 30 minutes before baking, remove the strata from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350 ̊. Remove the plastic wrap and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and slightly crisp on top, 25 to 30 minutes more.
6. Just before serving, make the hollandaise: Melt the butter in a small saucepan until sizzling. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks and lemon juice to a blender. Then, with the blender on, slowly drizzle the hot butter into the yolks. It’ll start to thicken right away. Add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water to loosen the sauce until it is pourable. Stir in the salt, pepper and hot sauce. Drizzle some of the sauce over the strata and serve the rest on the side.

Red & Green Fruit Salad

8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

½ c. sugar

½ c. fresh mint

2 qt. strawberries halved or quartered

½ honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 c. red grapes, halved

1 c. green grapes, halved

4 kiwis, peeled and cut into half moons

1/3 c. pomegranate seeds

Directions:

1. For the mint syrup: Bring the sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the mint. Let steep until the syrup cools, 20 to 30 minutes. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the mint. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve.
2. For the salad: Combine the strawberries, melon, grapes, kiwis, and pomegranate seeds in a large bowl and toss to combine. When ready to serve, drizzle the fruit with the mint syrup and gently toss to coat.

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients for the French Toast:

1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread

8 whole eggs

2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

3/4 c. sugar

2 tbsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients for the Topping:

½ c. all-purpose flour

½ c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

1 pinch nutmeg (optional)

1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

Fresh fruit (optional)

Directions:

1. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.
4. When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350° F. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.
5. Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

 Thank you to Pioneer Woman for some great breakfast ideas!