Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Prepare the night before - Christmas Breakfast

Holiday dinners are always daunting and stressful for me. Holiday breakfasts on the other hand are my favorite. Probably since they are so easy. Just a few minutes of prep time the night before, pop some food in the oven while the kids rush the tree and you can have a delicious breakfast or brunch ready for after the gifts are opened. Since I didn't make Thanksgiving dinner this year and we went out, I made my usual Christmas brunch that morning:



On the menu:

Hot Chocolate with whipped cream, sprinkled with cinnamon
I use the Starbucks brand because it's just so yummy. Put the milk in the crockpot on high and everyone can make their own. Use the spray can whipping cream for convenience. Whipped cream that sits over night isn't the best. Crockpot Wassail would be great too and adds a great Christmas smell to the air.

Fruit
Usually we have a clementine in our stockings, but some thing else to add just a hint of healthy is refreshing. I like using a couple melon halves as bowl. Get persimmons if you can find them. My kids call them Per-cinnamons since they taste (and look) like they have been sprinkled with cinnamon.


Christmas Morning Casserole
A co-worker gave me this recipe shortly after I moved to the South. I was served it many times while I lived there. So easy, very filling and everyone likes it. You prepare the entire dish the night before. I think this is the same dish that the chick in the Family Stone spills all over the kitchen floor. Minus the mushrooms.

9 eggs
1 pound grated cheddar
1 pound breakfast sausage, cooked drained and crumbled
3 cups milk
1 tsp salt
6 slices of white bread (crusts removed and cut into cubes. I like Grandma Sycamore Bread)
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

Mix eggs. milk, salt and mustard. Stir in other ingredients and pout into 9x13 baking dish or 3 quart casserole dish. Refrigerate over night. Bake one hour at 325 degrees. Let set 5 minutes before serving.
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Cinnamon Rolls or Sticky buns.
Ina Garten has a really great recipe using puff pastry for sticky buns. I like to make them the night before and pop them in the oven the next morning. Though I recommend lowering the temperature to 350 and checking them after 20 minutes. If you cook them as long and as high as she suggests, they will burn. Oh, and only use 1/2 cup of butter instead of 2/3.

(Honestly though, I think the Rhodes Roll Cinnamon rolls you can get in the freezer section are awesome. We had them last Christmas and they were a hit. Just get up a little before everyone else to sit them on the pan to raise.)


Another fantastic idea is Cinnamon Roll Waffles. Phemomenon gives a great tutorial on how to make this super easy breakfast treat.


If you want something more special than cinnamon rolls, I always recommend Mace Bundt cake. We've made it twice already this season. Just as good for brunch as for dessert.

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Any other Christmas breakfast traditions out there? Growing up, we always found one of those mini cereal boxes in our stockings. 

4 comments:

Alzbeta said...

I love it! Since we're hanging out with my in-laws this year, I don't get to participate in my family's tradition - one of my younger brothers always makes his gift to the entire family a really yummy Christmas breakfast. It's great! We did it over Thanksgiving this year and he outdid himself.

Jessie said...

We have that casserole every year and I love it. Always wonder why I don't make it more often :) Happy Holidays Natalie!

Push Pop Mama said...

In our family we eat candy for breakfast!

Push Pop Mama said...
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