Brunch is one of my absolute favorite things about the weekend.
I mean; what’s not to love? Relaxed, carefree time. Large portions of really tasty food. And last, but not least; it is the one meal where it is considered socially acceptable to drink alcohol in the mornings.
If you too love getting the family, in-laws and friends (great way to host a play-date, by the way; adults eating, children playing) together for brunch on a Sunday morning, here are three recipes that really should be in your reportoaire:
1. Blueberry Pancakes
This pancake recipe is a total no-brainer since it uses a basic pancake mix. But the added ingredients give it some extra melt-in-your-mouth flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pancake mix
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Heat griddle or pan on medium-high heat and grease with butter.
- Mix all of the ingredients together.
- Pour batter onto pan (about ¼ cup per pancake).
- Cook until bubbles forms and then drop in a small handful of blueberries onto each pancake.
- Once the edges are cooked, flip the pancake and cook until golden brown.
Recipe via LaurenConrad.com
2. Smashed Avocado Toast
It’s true what they say; simpler IS always better – something this perfect brunch dish and all-around crowd-pleaser proves. If you are as obsessed with avocado as we are these days; what are you waiting for?
Recipe serves two
Ingredients
4 pieces of multigrain bread, sliced thick
1 perfectly ripe avocado
1 pinch of sea salt
1 pinch of freshly grated black pepper
1 slice of lime
Instructions
Scoop the avocado out of the skin into a bowl. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, then spritz with one slice of a juicy lime. Mash with a fork (mash well to create a smooth spread, or mash just a few times to create a chunky spread). Toast your bread to perfection, then spread the avocado on top of each slice.
Recipe via Howsweeteats.com
3. Moroccan Baked Eggs
This Moroccan baked egg dish is quick to make, packs a ton of rich flavor without being too filling and will no doubt impress your brunch guests. So long scrambled eggs!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 lb chorizo
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp harissa (can vary depending on spice)
- 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes (15oz cans)
- 4 eggs (you can up the amount to 8 if you’d rather have 2 eggs per person)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander
- 4 tbsp crumbled chevre (goat cheese)
Instructions
Step 1: Heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat – add the onion and stir until they start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Finally, add the sausage and sauté for about 3 minutes. You want to be careful not to overcook the sausage, as it will cook more with the rest of the ingredients!
Step 2: Add the spices and salt and stir to slightly ‘toast’ them. Add the tomatoes and harissa and cook until the mixture has thickened a bit – about 5 minutes. The amount of harissa can vary depending on how spicy you want the dish. I only did one tablespoon to be on the safe side, as our harissa was fairly hot!
Step 3: Carefully crack the desired amount of eggs over the mixture, then cover and cook until the whites set but the yolks are still soft. It helps to create a little ‘bed’ for each egg as you add them to the mixture. I kept my heat at a medium-low for most of this setting, then turned it up at the end to get things hot again.
Step 4: This is the tricky part! Using a deep spoon carefully lift the eggs into warmed bowls, along with the tomato mixture. I tried getting as much tomato in the bed of the bowl as I could before adding the egg on top.
Step 5: Sprinkle with coriander and chevre, or put these toppings on the table for guests to add on their own, along with harissa for those who like an extra punch. The chevre acts as a nice balance to the spices. Serve with a warm crusty bread or naan to sop up the tomato goodness!
Recipe via Cocokelley.com
Now; whip up some Mimosas, Bellinis or a classic Bloody Mary, and you are all set! Dig in!
