Impress your guests with a simple and satisfying brunch

Home Cook: Impress your guests with a simple and satisfying brunch

Date published: 3/7/2007

S O YOU WANT to invite people to your house but you don't have quite enough faith in your culinary abilities to make it a dinner invitation. The thought of having everything ready at the same time makes you nervous.

Plus, Bob's a vegetarian, Carol's lactose-intolerant, and Ted and Alice are on the South Beach diet. You've about given up on the idea of entertaining.

Don't give up hope! We can solve this problem for you in one word: brunch.

Sure, there are some trade-offs: Your house will have to be "guest ready" earlier than the traditional late-afternoon gathering hour, and rather than pour a bowl of cold cereal or microwave some oatmeal, you will have to actually cook a few meals before noon. The rewards, however, outweigh these inconveniences.

Brunch by our definition must be simple and satisfying. It must offer a mix of sweet and savory dishes along with some that are light and others that are more substantial. And it must be flexible enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters, no matter their ages.

With these broad themes in mind, we have departed from our usual structure of three easy, moderate and advanced recipes to offer the following suggestions for an entertaining brunch. By all means, feel free to modify, add or subtract as you go--after all, it's your party!

Huevos Rancheros (Charles)

If you can fry an egg and chop some vegetables, you can make this Tex-Mex egg recipe. Even if you don't want to cut up vegetables, you can prepare this dish using store-bought salsa (you'll still have to fry some eggs, however).

While not exactly a portable entree--salsa stains are a bear to get out of carpet--this is a perfect departure from more traditional fare. I've added refried beans spiked with a bit of chipotle pepper to give it even more substance; the jalapeño peppers add a spicy and smoky note.

While the recipe calls for a simple homemade salsa--which really can't be beat in terms of pure fresh taste and texture--a quality store-bought salsa can be substituted if you're short on time.

Fresh citrus and good coffee make perfect accompaniments.

Baked Oatmeal (Charles)

Huevos Rancheros Preparation time: 45 minutes; 15 minutes if using store-bought salsa Cooking time: 10 minutes (including prep time for tortillas and eggs) Makes 4 servings. 4 corn tortillas 1 tablespoon butter 4 eggs 1 8-ounce can refried beans Salt and pepper 1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (found in most supermarkets' international or ethnic food aisles, or in local Hispanic food markets 1 cup shredded cheese (I prefer white cheddar, but others work fine) Salsa: 2 medium tomatoes, cored and diced medium red onion, diced red bell pepper, chopped 2 small tomatillos, husks removed, cored and diced (a green, tomato-like vegetable found in some large supermarket produce sections and all Hispanic food markets) (optional) yellow bell pepper, chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 bunch cilantro leaves and some stems, chopped cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes) cup olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Pinch red pepper flakes (optional) Procedure: Combine all salsa ingredients in medium-size glass, plastic or porcelain bowl and set aside. This makes about 1 cups. Leftovers will keep in refrigerator 2 to 3 days. Turn on oven broiler. Dice one or two of the chipotle peppers (one for moderate spice; two for those who favor a lot of heat). Empty refried beans into medium-size microwavable bowl, cover and microwave for 2 minutes or until soft. Mix in diced chipotles and set aside. Using metal tongs, lightly toast tortillas one at a time for approximately 30 seconds each over low gas flame or electric burner on stove, flipping frequently to avoid charring (do not let them become stiff). Place in single layer on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Fry eggs slowly in butter over low heat, seasoning with salt and pepper, then remove before desired doneness. Prepare in batches if necessary; one egg should be about the same size as a tortilla. Remember, the eggs will cook in the oven: if you like your eggs sunny-side up with runny yolks, fry until whites have just set; if you like hard yolks, cook until yolks just begin to set. Assemble by spreading a thin mixture of the beans on each of the tortillas, followed by an egg, salsa and a quarter of the cheese to cover. When each is done, place in preheated broiler and cook until cheese and salsa mixture is bubbling, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully, because not all broilers are created equal. Remove from oven and serve immediately with remaining refried beans and salsa. Baked Oatmeal Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25-30 minutes Makes 6 servings. 1 tablespoon butter cup vegetable or canola oil cup sugar (or less, to taste) 1 large egg, beaten 2-3 cups quick-cook oatmeal (3 cups yields a dense, fiber-rich dish; 2 less so) teaspoon baking powder teaspoon salt cup whole milk (skim or 2 percent milk is OK but will yield a less rich dish) Optional mix-ins: vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg, toasted sliced almonds or walnuts, or diced dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins or dates. Procedure: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8-inch square brownie pan, set aside. Combine oil, sugar and egg in medium-size bowl. Mix in oatmeal, baking powder, salt and milk; pour into greased pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Potato-Sausage Casserole Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Makes 6 to 8 servings. 2 pounds sausage (not links; I use Jimmy Dean fresh roll sausage) 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes cup grated Parmesan cheese Cook's note: The quantities of all ingredients are adjustable depending on your tastes. Procedure: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook sausage over medium-high heat until it's cooked through. Drain to remove as much of the fat as possible. Lay out sausage in the bottom of an oven proof 8- by 8-inch or 9- by 13-inch casserole dish. Place the potatoes over the sausage, smoothing out the top. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Spinach-Feta Frittata Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Half of a 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and drained red onion, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 eggs cup water Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled Procedure: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thaw and drain the spinach; set aside. Heat olive oil in an ovenproof saute pan; add onion and saute on medium-high for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add drained spinach; cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, water and spices. Pour egg mixture on top of the spinach in the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. This will set the bottom of the frittata. The rest of the cooking will happen in the oven. Place pan in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Using an oven mitt (the pan's handle will be hot!), remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the frittata with the feta cheese, then return it to the oven for another 5 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven. Slice frittata into wedges and serve. Frittatas can be served hot or room temperature. Variations: Other ideas for frittatas include adding chopped zucchini and peppers, sliced mushrooms, sausage or bacon, cubed potatoes and grated cheddar, sliced olives, or fresh herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, dill whatever grows in your garden). Cinnamon Streusel Cake 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt cup butter (1 sticks) 1 cups sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 eggs 2 tablespoons cinnamon cup brown sugar Procedure: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray the insides of a bundt cake pan with cooking spray, then dust with a sprinkling of sugar. Mix 1 cups sugar with eggs until well-blended. Mix in yogurt and butter, combine well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder; mix. Stir in vanilla. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour half of the batter into the bundt pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture over it, then add the remainder of the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 40 minutes.

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Date published: 3/7/2007

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