These recipes hail from the month Megan hosted cooking club (with a brunch theme). Have house guests? These are perfect — you can prep the day before and they won’t take much time to put together in the morning.
The following recipes are also extremely outdated and I apologize for that. In fact, I think she might have hosted spring 2009. So let’s just call this a one-year anniversary of a delicious brunch. Thanks, Megan!
Megan’s Egg Bake
10 to 12 servings.
Ingredients:
1 loaf challah, without crust
8 eggs
1/2 lb grated Cheddar
1/4 lb grated Swiss
8 oz package cream cheese
2 cups low-fat milk
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp chives
Dash cayenne
Recipe:
Tear bread into chunks. Place evenly in a well greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, mustard, pepper, and chives. Pour over bread and cheese. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Bake, covered, in oven preheated to 325 degrees for one hour or until egg mixture is set. Uncover for last 10 minutes.
Farro Salad
This recipe actually comes from Heidi Swanson’s blog, 101 Cookbooks. A wonderful resource for lighter, heart-healthy fare. I’ve adapted it slightly. Many of these components can be made early. Simply toss together prior to serving.
6 cups cooked farro (see below)
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
Splash of Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette (see below)
4 handfuls of mixed salad greens
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped chives
In a large bowl toss the farro, peas, and corn with the Citrus Parmesan Dressing. Toss until well coated. Add the salad greens and give the salad another toss. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve in the big bowl or on a large platter topped with the crumbled goat cheese and chives.
To cook farro: Combine farro, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat (Heidi covers the farro with water by a couple inches and salt generously). Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, or about half the time if you are using semi-pearled farro. Taste often as it is cooking, you want it to be toothsome and retain structure. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside until ready to use.
To make Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette: whisk together the zest and juice of 1 orange, 1 chopped shallot, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, and 1/2 cup good quality olive oil. Salt to taste.
Heart Spoon 