Recipe(tried): First Communion Brunch Menu for Karen

Dear Karen,

Here is the menu and recipes for the Mother's Day Brunch I had at my house a few weeks ago. All of the recipes listed have been tried and they are winners! The quiche is one of the most delicious ones I have tasted...

Since you are having from 30 to 40 people, I would make about 6 quiches (they each serve 8) and about 4 9x13 aluminum pans of the french toast. Each pan serves 12. I would make 2 giant fruit salads that could be served out of punch bowls and put the vanilla sauce in gravy boats.

This is an easy and elegant menu. Make sure to have lots of flowers in vases and a pretty lace tablecloth on the buffet table. Because there will be children, I would have a punch in a punch bowl for them.

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This is the Menu:

Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Cheese and Honey
Bellini Cocktails
Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Dressing
Banana Crunch Muffins and Marmalade Butter
Baked Apple French Toast Dusted with Powdered Sugar
Quiche Lavita
Coffee

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BRUSCHETTA WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE AND HONEY
Source: Giada DeLaurentiis

36 slices (1/2-inch thick) baguette bread, about 1 loaf
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces Gorgonzola, sliced
3 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

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BELLINI COCKTAILS
Source: Michael Chiarello

4 tablespoons white peach puree
1 bottle Prosecco or Champagne, chilled (use sparkling juice or seltzer for a non-alcoholic cocktail)

Place 1 tablespoon white peach puree into the bottom of a Champagne flute. Fill the glass with Prosecco or Champagne.

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FRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY VANILLA DRESSING
Source: Ina Garten

2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons good honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean, optional
1/2 orange, juiced
1 banana, sliced
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 bunch seedless green grapes, halved

Combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and set aside.

Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together.

Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.

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Karen, omit the nuts and granola from this recipe if you are going to use it.

BANANA CRUNCH MUFFINS
Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

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MARMALADE BUTTER
Source: Ina Garten

1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup good orange marmalade
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the butter, orange marmalade, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Serve at room temperature.

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BAKED APPLE FRENCH TOAST
Source: Cottage Style Magazine, June 2006

This delicious French Toast is one of the many favorites served to guests at The Inn at Playa Del Rey in Playa Del Rey, California. This recipe and a Lemon Delight Pound Cake, were both featured in Cottage Style Magazine.

12 eggs
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3 to 4 medium green apples, sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. water
6 to 10 slices of white, wheat or French bread
cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch pan.

Melt butter and mix in the brown sugar and water, set aside.

Thinly slice the apples and place them evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the apples.

Cut the bread slices in half and place them, overlapping slightly, over the apples covering the entire dish.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy, pour in the milk and vanilla, mixing until no yolks are showing. Pour this mixture over the bread slices, making sure all have been saturated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Just before baking, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and place in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden.

Serve dusted with powdered sugar and warm maple syrup.

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QUICHE LAVITA
Serves: 8
Source: Occasions to Savor, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie shell
1 1/2 cups torn spinach, washed
crumbled bacon, to taste
grated cheese of your choice, to taste
chopped onion, to taste
3/4 tsp. seasoned salt
4 large eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a pie plate with cooking spray.

Unfold the slightly chilled pastry, place in the baking dish, and crimp the edges. Line the pastry with the spinach. Layer the bacon, cheese and onion; sprinkle with the seasoned salt.

Beat the eggs slightly in a medium bowl; beat in the cream and the remaining ingredients. Pour into the pan.

Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake 30 minutes longer. Place aluminum foil around the edges and tent over the top, if necessary, during the last 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Serve in wedges.