Brunch

Easy Flaky Butter Pie Crust

This easy flaky butter pie crust is so good, and so easy, that you’ll never buy pie crust again!

Let’s talk pie crust.

Updated January 8, 2018

Let’s talk about an easy, melt in your mouth support system for all your favorite fillings. Let’s talk about butter, and flour, and the delightfully rich and flaky marriage of those two ingredients.

Seriously, I have a confession to make.

I’d rather have pie than birthday cake.

There. I said it. No, I wasn’t traumatized by frosting as a child. And it’s not that I don’t like cake. But these days, a slice of cake seems like just too much sweet, and cake tends to be around for days. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, except of course for the good ole waistline.

Pie just seems so much simpler though you know?

And then there’s that whole ice cream melting into it thing. That is definitely a thing I love about pie, which isn’t strictly about pie of course. But pie without ice cream is kind of like Elvis without Blue Suede Shoes. You find yourself thinking – what’s the point?

photo of whole apple pie with cutout stars on top — SO EASY! This is my absolute go to easy flaky butter pie crust recipe that can be made into sweet and savory versions. It’s ready in minutes, but is so good you’ll never buy store bought again!

Pie Crust by Any Other Name…

So we are talking pie crust today, or shortcrust as it is more widely known. Here in the US we typically say pie crust or pie dough. In the UK and other English speaking locales, they call it shortcrust. In France, its called pate brisee.

Want to know more about these differences, and some technical aspects of pie crust? Check this out on For Love of the Table. I can’t be the only food geek here who is interested in this kind of thing right?

Are those crickets?

Its actually easier than anyone thinks to make pie crust.

Or maybe its just easier than I thought to make pie crust?

I wanted to have a good basic recipe for an easy buttery and flaky crust that could be made into both sweet (blueberry pie! apple pie! chocolate pie!) and savory versions (quiche all the ways!). Because if you’re going to have pie it should be GOOD right?

These heart shaped blueberry hand pies are easy to make, and feature our easy homemade flaky buttery pie crust.

For me, the best pie crusts are all butter pie crusts. You can also use lard, or Crisco, but I like the richness of butter, and I like frankly find it soothing to work the butter into the flour. Also, I’m a vegetarian, so lard isn’t happening in my kitchen anymore.

This is my current go to recipe for pie crust. You can see this Easy Flaky Butter Pie Crust in action here, as a crust for quiche, and here, as a pie crust.

I love that the Easy Flaky Butter Pie Crust can be made quickly and turned into breakfast quiche in no time, or made in advance and left chilling in the refrigerator for when you’re ready. Because we all need our lives to be a BIT easier, am I right?

Do you have a favorite pie crust recipe? And tell me – birthday cake or pie?

Easy Flaky Butter Pie Crust

This is a basic butter based pie crust recipe that can be made into sweet or savory versions.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 Pie

Calories 2490 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Butter (or 2 Sticks)
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1 Large Egg, Beaten to use as an egg wash

Instructions

Slice cold butter into pats.
Whisk salt and flour together.
Add butter in and using a pastry cutter mix it together until it forms a sablage, or looks really, really crumbly and there isn’t much flour left that hasn’t been incorporated into the crumbles.
Form a well in the sablage by digging your fist down in to the center, and then add in the egg and milk.
Mix the egg and milk in with the sablage until a dough forms.
Form the dough into a ball, and then pat the ball down so it is more of a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and up to a day. When you bring it out of the refrigerator, give it a few minutes to soften so that you can roll it out, but don’t let it take too long, or come to room temperature, or the butter fat will start to melt.
Place the dough on a well floured surface and/or parchment paper. Roll the dough out to your desired thickness for a pie, quiche, or galette.
Either line a pie pan with it for a traditional pie or quiche, or place on parchment paper in the center of a baking sheet and fill with your desired toppings.
Brush the sides of the crust with the beaten egg/egg wash, so that the crust bakes to a warm golden brown color.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is done and the pie crust is golden brown.

Blood Orange Scented Cornmeal Vegan Waffles

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Blood Orange Scented Cornmeal Vegan Waffles are easy to whip up, fluffy, and full of flavor. Non-vegans won’t even know they are missing anything!

Diet Deets

I am actually a pescetarian, which means my husband and I eat a small amount of fish and seafood, mostly when we’re out. At home, we are almost 100% vegetarian. But after I had my baby last year, I was full on vegan for awhile because I was nursing and we thought he was reacting to the dairy in my diet.

I obviously love to cook, but at that time I had a tiny newborn, was getting sleep in 30-45 minute stretches, and couldn’t be as creative in the kitchen as I normally am. We obviously figured out all was fine, and dairy returned to my diet, but I spent a month eating vegan, and it was an interesting experiment.

Fast forward to this past week when my two besties come for a visit for my birthday. One of them because vegan just a few weeks prior to visiting, and messaged me asking if she needed to bring anything special.

Of course not! I enjoy a challenge 😉

Anything for a Friend

It may seem easy to go vegan when you’re already vegetarian, but it isn’t. For me, particularly, I LOVE cheese and runny eggs. I don’t ever plan to go fully vegan by choice, but I enjoy eating that way frequently.

And I was more than happy to make some lovely treats for a friend I too rarely get to see now. We had vegan Phad Thai, vegan baked gnocchi, and vegan biscuits with my vegan sweet potato gravy.

And because I love (LOVE) a good, long, lingering breakfast, I also made these vegan waffles.

Where do Waffles Come From Anyhow?

According to Jeff Wells in an article for Mental Floss entitled “From Wafel Wafers to Belgian Breakfasts: A Brief History of Waffles” waffles originated:

Food historians trace the waffle’s DNA back to ancient Greece, when cooks roasted flat cakes between two metal plates attached to a long wooden handle. Obelios, as the cakes were called, weren’t particularly sweet or decadent, but their design evolved over time as people began customizing the plates.

According to Wells, innovations in waffle irons, and presses, in the early twentieth century helped speed the rise and popularity of the waffle. And further, he adds that “In the convenience-obsessed ’50s, when women began leaving the household and taking jobs, being able to save time in the mornings was a big sales-driver.”

And As for the Waffle that Is Belgian…

I know I grew up eating frozen waffles, but I would almost always prefer pancakes. And once I had a real, pressed, Belgian waffle I was ruined for all commercially made frozen waffles. Julie R Thompson, in an article for The Huffington Post called “The History of the Belgian Waffle, Which Apparently We’ve Been Eating All Wrong” points out:

The irony of the Belgian waffle’s popularity in the U.S…. is that the large, heavily loaded breakfast item that graces so many of our morning menus has little resemblance to the original waffle that hails from Belgium. Actually, the American breakfast version pales in comparison to the waffle sold all over Belgium, where it is a traditional street food eaten with your hands (not a calorie-laden meal served with gallons of syrup). In Belgium, the treat is the waffle itself because they’re so well made; they aren’t just a vehicle for toppings.

The first time I had the real thing, though, I confess it was NOT in the US but it WAS topped with ice cream (#sorrynotsorry). Thompson is right though – it didn’t need that scoop of vanilla, strawberries, or whipped cream. It was delicious all on its own.

Convenience

Truly, waffles, even vegan waffles, are EASY to make, and they DO freeze well, but freezing your own is so much better than the packaged product! One batch of batter for this recipe makes four full waffles. I like to split them apart, though, so that everyone can have just as much as they want.

Also, split apart waffles freeze easier. So I can make a batch or two of these vegan waffles this week and freeze them for us to eat over the next month or so.

If they last that long. Like I said – these vegan waffles are THAT good!

Why Cornmeal?

I actually love cornmeal waffles, and have had them in many non-vegan savory waffle preparations. This time the cornmeal came of necessity. I have been making so much pastry of late that I only had enough flour left for about a half batch of vegan waffles. But I also had some lovely White Lily fine cornmeal, and I blended regular all purpose flour and cornmeal together.

The result was vegan waffles that are light, crispy, and smelled ever so faintly of toasted corn, or popcorn! Basically, the house smelled exactly like you want your house to smell when company is over; warm, nutty, sweet, and inviting.

I want my girls to want to come back and visit me again, ya know? Winky emoji.

Why Blood Orange?

Honestly, almost every recipe like this calls for vanilla, which I find so boring! I like to chang eit up, like here in my homemade whipped cream. And I actually just purchased some Solerno Blood Orange Liquer. I thought, why not try it instead of whipped cream?

And oh my, did that experiment every pay off!

These waffles are not exactly citrusy, but the Solerno does give them a bright, fresh taste. We served some roasted peaches and blackberries over them, but they would also be good with just maple syrup and butter.

Variations

I also used some leftover waffles in a savory preparation too. I put some freshly roasted tomatoes on top with some whipped goat cheese and balsamic, and the result was lip smacking good!

And I plan on making these again when blood oranges are in season. I think topped with some blood orange curd, or even candied slices of blood oranges would be ah-mazing!

Blood Orange Scented Cornmeal Vegan Waffles

Blood Orange Scented Cornmeal Vegan Waffles are easy to whip up, fluffy, and full of flavor. Non-vegans won't even know they are missing anything!

Print Recipe

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, Belgian, French

Servings 4 Waffles

Calories 396 kcal

Ingredients

1 Cup All Purpose Flour I like White Lily because it is soft and fluffy!
1 Cup Cornmeal I also like White Lily because of the softness here too.
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Cup Almond Milk
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur May substitute Grand Marnier or Cointreau

Instructions

Preheat waffle iron.
Mix flour and baking powder together with a whisk.
Add almond milk and mix together.
Add Solerno and olive oil and stir until just combined.
Pour onto waffle iron being careful not to overfill the waffle iron. It takes about 1 cup of batter for my waffle iron.
Serve hot, or allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the freezer for approximately 1 month.

Roasted Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, & Goat Cheese Summer Quiche

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Roasted Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche is easy to prepare, and fabulous for weekend brunch. It also makes a great portable lunch for the work week!

Sweet Corn, Sweet Summer

Last weekend we bought a lot of corn at our Farmer’s Market, and I brought it home, eager to pull back the bright green sheaves. I just love corn on the cob.

Every time I shuck corn I think of my great grandmother. Her sitting across from me, a black handled paring knife in one hand, two five gallon buckets at her feet. Sandals gripping her swollen-in-the-summer-feet. A black and white polka dotted dress, a once-was-white apron.

A pile of corn beside me as tall as I was. To our right, the curled black handle of the hand pump at the well my grandmother hated, because that’s where she had to draw water for the family as a child for washing, bathing, and summer heat hydrating.

I would shuck the corn, stripping the sticky silks, and dropping it in one bucket. She’d grab from that bucket, and slip that knife like quicksilver through the milky rows. The kernels would drop into one of the buckets in tight clusters, or single golden dewdrops.

Occasionally, a silk worm, grown fat and happy on field corn, would show itself and I would squirm. She would simply laugh, pierce it with that black handled knife, and toss it over her shoulder.

This Roasted Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche is easy to prepare, and fabulous for weekend brunch. It also makes a great portable lunch for the work week! Vegetarian | Vegan | Brunch | Easy Quiche | Summer Quiche

We would shuck, and silk, and slice our way through that big golden pile in our chairs on red Carolina clay soil.

Later we’d slide those kernels into gallon size bags for freezing, or for canning, or maybe just for giving away. Because maybe cousin Sadie has pearl beans and will give us some pearl beans in exchange for some of this pretty ripe corn we have to share.

And that night we’d have creamed corn with biscuits and fresh bright tomatoes, sprinkled with salt,and dappled with pepper, that we’d also picked that morning. Salt cured country ham, and maybe, if I was lucky and asked nicely, fried okra.

This to me is what corn tastes like. An afternoon with my great grandmother in the high hot heat of a North Carolina summer. It tastes like red clay and rusty well water, like biscuits and fried and gone.

Corn tastes like summer and butter and biscuits and gone.

Why Silver Queen Corn?

You might be wondering why, or perhaps even WHAT, silver queen corn is. Silver Queen corn is an older corn variety, popularly grown in the Maryland area. Recently most growers have replaced it with more modern varieties, created for stability and longevity, and without such romantic names.

Want some M86 on your plate? Want to gnaw on a cob of M86? Ugh. It makes it sound like a flu virus.

Kim Farmer, in an article for City Paper entitled The Cult of Silver Queen Corn, says:

Offering a slower sugar-to-starch conversion, the newer varietals, if kept cool in the husk, can retain their sugar up to four weeks post-picking depending on the type. The conversion process for Silver Queen ears begins as soon as they are plucked from the stalk. To rightly experience Silver Queen, you must eat it on the day it was picked.

Of course, it’s not always possible to eat the corn straight from the fields, but I feel this is true of so many good summer eats. A tomato plucked ripe and ready and fresh from the vine tastes like sweet summer sunshine when you eat it right there amidst the rows, juicy and dripping.

But it also tastes good when you take it in the kitchen, serve it on a crusty fresh bread or hot biscuit, generously slathered with mayonnaise, sprinkled with salt, and topped with a fried egg.

So I don’t worry too much about the ephemeral quality here. I made this quiche with the corn the next day and it was still so, so good.

Check out this crust! This Roasted Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche is easy to prepare, and fabulous for weekend brunch. It also makes a great portable lunch for the work week! Vegetarian | Vegan | Brunch | Easy Quiche | Summer Quiche — Roasted Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche

But I chose Silver Queen not just for the poetry of its name.

I found Silver Queen at my local farmer’s market, and was super excited to see it. I bought a bunch of ears and took them home to grill, slather with butter, and nibble with wanton abandon.

Silver Queen corn has sweet white neat kernels that, to me, still taste of CORN. I don’t want to get into a discussion of GMOs here today, though I may tackle that subject soon. There are a lot of misconceptions about GMOs and many of our heirloom varieties were themselves GMOs of their generation.

But for now, let’s just say, to me, Silver Queen corn tastes like the corn I ate as a kid.

And I. Love. Summer Corn.

Grill it, boil it, roast it doesn’t matter. I’m yours.

I love to nibble on sweet butter dripping ears. I love to make summer chowder from the corn cobs (recipe coming soon!). Truly, I don’t even mind shucking corn. There’s something sort of soothing and magical about peeling away those layers and stripping the silks to reveal those perfect rows of kernels.

Unless you find worms. And I’m a girly girl still, so ew.

Quantity and Quality

I wanted to use a fair amount of corn in this summer quiche, and let me say, I am so glad I did. The sweet, slightly caramelized corn was still crunchy and made a perfect pair with the hint of tart creaminess of the goat cheese. The zucchini was also super fresh, so it balanced out the corn by adding a bit of earthiness.

While I used Silver Queen, you can use any corn really. And I chose to roast it, but you could grill or even boil it. It’s really up to you. One of the things I love best about quiche is how versatile it is!

A Note On Crust

I used my Easy Flaky Butter Pie Crust, but you really can use any crust, even a store bought one. Though seriously – if you haven’t made your own crust for quiche before, I urge you to try it. It doesn’t take long, and is a soothing Sunday endeavor in my opinion. Plus, oh that richness!

That substantive something (it’s butter, really, it’s butter) is just lacking in the store bought ready made crusts. But the filling is so good for this quiche maybe you won’t notice!

This summer quiche recipe is part of my ongoing A Quiche for Ever Season series. Check out my Spring Quiche here!

This is what a sablage looks like! Mixing butter into flour for pie crust. Pie Crust Recipe | Vegetarian | Easy Crust | Quiche Crust

Satisfying Summer Quiche

This Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche is so satisfying. It has a sweet crunchiness from the corn that pairs nicely with the rich, creamy egg custard. The zucchini balances all this out nicely with some earthy depth.

It’s delicious for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, especially if paired with a salad. If you make it, I hope you enjoy it!

And let me know in the comments – do you have a favorite variety of corn? A special summer-produce-inspired memory?

Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche

Roasted Silver Queen Corn, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Summer Quiche is easy to prepare, and fabulous for weekend brunch. It also makes a great portable lunch for the work week!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch

Cuisine American, French, Southern

Servings 8 Slices

Ingredients

1 Pie Crust I use my Easy Flaky Buttery Pie Crust
2 Ears Roasted Corn, or about 1 cup frozen This recipe uses Silver Queen, though any corn can reasonably substituted.
1 Small Zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
1 Cup Heavy Cream, Half and Half, or Milk
1/4 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese Optional. May use more or less depending on desired taste
6 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Shuck whole ears of corn and wrap in tin foil with a small pat of butter.
Place wrapped corn on a roasting pan and place in oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes remove from oven and set aside to allow to cool.
Turn oven heating down to 375 degrees.
Slice zucchini very thinly using a paring knife or mandolin.
In a medium bowl, whisk six eggs.
Add the salt and pepper, cream, and goat cheese. Whisk to combine.
Once the corn has cooled, remove from tin foil and slice from the cob. You should have 1/2 cup to 1 cup kernels.
Add corn kernels to egg mixture and stir to incorporate.
Pour egg mixture into the prepared pie crust.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, then carefully remove from oven.
Arrange zucchini slices in circles on the top, or scatter them as you desire. Sprinkle with additional fresh ground black pepper if desired.
Place quiche back in oven for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the center is set.

Notes

*Quiche may be served hot or cold. **The goat cheese is optional, and other cheeses may also be used such as blue cheese, gorgonzola, feta, or swiss. ***Any type of sweet corn may be used. Silver Queen is just a favorite!

Vegetarian Southern Sweet Potato Gravy

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Vegetarian Southern Sweet Potato Gravy is a coconut milk based curry that’s lightly sweet, rounded out with a touch of curry, and wholly satisfying. And it’s ready in 20 minutes!

Reader Request

This week’s recipe is one I am so excited to deliver, because this one came from a reader request! If you’re not already on my mailing list, do sign up! I send sneak previews of upcoming recipes, and often ask readers to vote for what they’d like to see on the blog. Signing up is easy – you can do it right here!

This request came after I posted a photo on Instagram of a Vegetarian Sweet Potato Gravy from Biscuit Head in Asheville.

I ADORE Biscuit Head by the way. They have a jam bar y’all! What’s not to love?

And since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I was happy to try my hand at a vegetarian southern sweet potato gravy. This one even gets bonus points for being vegan.

This is so easy and SO delicious! Vegetarian Southern Sweet Potato Gravy is a 1 pan coconut milk based gravy that's lightly sweet, rounded out with a touch of curry, and wholly satisfying. Vegetarian| Vegan | Comfort Food — Vegetarian Southern Sweet Potato Gravy is a 1 pan coconut milk based gravy that’s lightly sweet, rounded out with a touch of curry, and wholly satisfying. Vegetarian| Vegan | Comfort Food

Unabashed Love of Comfort Food

I recently had the opportunity to attend BlogHer 17. BlogHer is a conference for bloggers of all kinds, and while it is very women centric, 20% of attendees are male. It was an absolute smashing good time and very educational too.

One of the highlights for me was getting to see Carla Hall and hear her speak. You know Carla Hall yes? From The Chew and Top Chef? I am SUCH a Top Chef fan, and Carla Hall is one of my favorite contestants ever. That pot pie dance!

Seeing her in person at BlogHer in Orlando was powerful for me though. Because it was like she was speaking my language:

“I unapologetically love comfort food and soul food and I won’t be shamed because I love that. It’s how I give back.” Carla Hall

I feel like this could be my mantra as well, and I want to take a minute to thank BlogHer for helping me do what so many bloggers say you have to do – define yourself.

I mean, geez, I thought I’d know who the hell I am by this age.

But blogging is a whole other thing.

Blogging, and find your blogging style, takes time. I’m still early in this game, but one thing I realized at BlogHer is that the recipes I enjoy creating and sharing most are the comfort food ones.

I began this blog thinking that I would blog about both vegetarian and pescetarian recipes. Because that’s who I am. But after talking with other bloggers and listening to the informative panels at BlogHer, I feel that perhaps I should narrow that focus. Perhaps I should just be sharing vegetarian comfort food with you.

Because those are the posts that YOU all seemed to like best too.

So maybe this is like one great big party where we’re beginning to get to know each other. And now we know. Veggie comfort food.

I have been everywhere with food.

I’ve been a fad dieter, I’ve been a Weight Watcher, I’ve been a long distance runner. But now, now I am simply a cook, an eater, a woman with a family. I believe in heating healthy, and I believe in eating well.

As a lifelong writer, and artistic, creative person food is a creative outlet for me as much as a nutritional base. I want to make it look good, and sound good, and taste good. Food is my art. And comfort food my is my favorite mode of expression.

Am I right? Let me know what you think in the comments, or hop on my email list and send me a private message!

It’s All Gravy, Except when It’s Not

In the south we have a lot of different gravies. You can have sawmill, sausage, red eye, or tomato gravy, and all that’s just for breakfast. If you want to get Creole there’s sauce piquante, and then of course there are the meat based brown gravies, turkey gravies, and so on for dinner. And then, of course, there’s sweet potato gravy.

Most southern breakfast gravies are actually variations on Sauce Bechamel, which is one of the Five Mother Sauces. A Bechamel is made with butter, flour, milk, salt, and nutmeg. A southern white gravy is made with all of those minus the nutmeg, and the fat usually comes from sausage or bacon drippings instead of butter.

You can see the legendary Emeril’s recipe for Sweet Potato Gravy here. You’ll note it’s starts with pork chops.

But here at Coquette Kitchen, we want all the yummy comfort of the gravy without the meat base.

This Vegetarian Southern Sweet Potato Gravy recipe even uses coconut milk as it’s base, which means even vegans can get in on the party. It’s awesome served over our Sea Salt and Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits, but I also love it as an accompaniment to eggs, or even over rice!

Vegetarian Southern Sweet Potato Gravy

This vegetarian and vegan southern sweet potato gravy is made in one pan, ready in about 20 minutes, and wholly satisfying.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course

Cuisine Southern, Vegetarian

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Medium Yellow Onion
1 Can Coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Muchi Curry
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
a Pinch of Cardamom
2-3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
2 Tabslepoons Olive Oil

Instructions

Bake your potato in the microwave for 2-4 minutes. You don't want it to be mushy, just soft enough to easily dice. Peel and dice potato and set aside.
Slice onions.
Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat until soft and just starting to brown.
Add sweet potatoes and spices (salt, curry, cardamom, black pepper)
Add flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it is incorporated. For a thicker gravy you can use slightly more flour, for a thinner gravy, slightly less.
Slowly add in the coconut milk, stirring continuously with each add. I like to add about 3 tablespoons worth of coconut milk at a time, stir several times, then add more coconut milk.
Once all the coconut milk has been added, serve immediately over warm biscuits, eggs, or grits.

Smoked Salmon and Brie Galettes with Strawberry Lime Jam

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Smoked salmon and brie galettes with strawberry lime jam are basically all of the things – salty, creamy, sweet, and tart, all packaged in a flaky and buttery crust. They’re also easier to make than they sound!

Once upon a weekend

I was tinkering in the kitchen and trying to figure out what I would make for breakfast. My husband was not my husband yet. We had recently moved in together, though, and we both share a love of cooking and eating. I had just a little bit of left over smoked salmon, and just a little bit of brie left from when we had company over for one of those pre-baby evenings that involve cocktails and Cards Against Humanity into the wee small hours of morning.

One small galette on a granite plate with three strawberries in the corner. — Smoked Salmon and Brie Galettes with Strawberry Lime Jam

It was one of those lazy mornings.

The kind you have when you don’t have children. The kind where you don’t have to be up by a certain time, or do anything by nap time, or try to figure out the healthiest option for a meal that can be made in 20 minutes or less.

I know I sound a bit nostalgic, here, and in one way I am. Free time is a beautiful thing. Spending long afternoons reading, spending two hours on a Wednesday making dinner – these are all things I enjoy.

But.

You knew there was a but coming right?

I know those days will come back. And I know that when they do, I’ll actually be a bit sad. Just this very morning I was nursing my baby in the predawn not-yet-light morning, and one look at that serene, contented little baby face made me swoon.

Frankly, he is worth a little less reading time, and a little restructuring of the cooking time. And those pre-baby days now seem to me so – empty. Even though I was happy.

And I am happy now. Free time or no!

Easy to make, crowd pleasing smoked salmon and brie galettes with strawberry lime jam are salty, creamy, sweet, and tart, all packaged in a flaky and buttery crust. www.biscuitsandbooze.com

The Evolution of a Company Friendly Dish

Which brings me back to these smoked salmon and brie galettes, and that pre-baby lazy weekend morning. I decided to take some leftover pastry I had and wrap things in it. I had sort of intended this to be topped with poached eggs, but the eggs would combat the brie, I decided, and since my little eye had spied this leftover brie it HAD to be used.

Which is code for, I had to use it in something because I wanted to eat it, but didn’t want to be selfish and stand there in my pajamas and eat it all by myself.

I worried, though, that this little pastry wrapped leftover pie would be plain without something on it to bring it all together. But hollandaise just seemed wrong. It would be waaaaayyyyy too rich, in my opinion.

But I had some tart jam. I started with a sour cherry jam, but opted instead for some Strawberry Lime jam I had on hand. I now make my own, but that was my first foray into the delicious sweet tart world of such jams.

I drizzled a bit on top, and the result was spectacular. So good, in fact, that it became a go-to company dish, for both breakfast and dinners. I’ve served it to both friends and family, and usually, they’re skeptical.

Until they try it.

Then they’re hooked!

Many even request it for return visits.

It occurs to me, then, that this is how my best dishes evolve. With a little relaxed creativity, and a little scrounging to make what’s on hand work in new and exciting ways.

A Pie By Any Other Name…

Did you know that galette is just a fancy word for a rustic pie?

And did you know that rustic is code word for it doesn’t have to be perfect? Doesn’t have to be perfectly pretty is where I’m at right now y’all, though that said, I adore galettes and DO think they’re pretty.

A galette is basically a free form pie, or a pie that doesn’t have to be baked in a pie pan. Unless you’re in France, where a galette is actually a crepe made of buckwheat. But don’t fall down that rabbit hole now – we’ll go there in a future post!

Baking without a pie pan means less clean up!

I bake my galettes on a regular old baking, or cookie, sheet. I use, for this, my go-to easy flaky butter pie crust recipe, but you could just as easily use store bought crust or pastry.

Size Means Everything

The beauty of these Smoked Salmon and Brie Galettes is that they can easily be scaled to mini, individual, and whole pie portions. In other words, I sometimes make bite size versions of this as an appetizer at parties, individual pie size portions for sit down brunches or dinners, and a whole pie, or whole galette size version for a family style meal.

It’s really up to you. This galette is versatile, and you can make it your own!

Do you have any spur of the moment dishes you’ve created? Tell me all about it in the comments!

These crowd pleasing smoked salmon and brie galettes with strawberry lime jam are salty, creamy, sweet, and tart, all packaged in a flaky and buttery crust. www.biscuitsandbooze.com

Smoked Salmon and Brie Galettes with Strawberry Lime Jam Topping

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Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

1 Pie Crust Prepared from This Recipe, or Store Bought
8 Ounces Smoked Salmon May use more or less depending on personal preference.
6 Ounces Brie
4 Tablespoons Strawberry Lime or Other Tart Jam I use a sour cherry jam instead of Strawberry Lime if I don't have it on hand.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out pie crust as if to make a traditional pie.
Using a small plate or bowl cut a circle out of the pie crust that is about 4 inches in diameter.
Place about 2-3 ounces of smoked salmon in the center of your 4 inch pie crust round.
Top it with 2 ounces of brie.
Fold the sides up over the smoked salmon and brie.
Place on cookie sheet.
Repeat with your remaining crust until you have four individual galettes on your cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until pie crust is golden brown and flaky.
Top each galette with a tablespoon of jam.
Serve immediately.

Notes

These can actually be made about a day ahead, stored in an airtight container. Make sure you sit them out for ten minutes or so prior to baking.

Berry Brioche Baked French Toast

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Berry Brioche Baked French Toast is bright, fresh, and both light and richly decadent thanks to the brioche. It can even be made the night before, so it scores major points for both ease and deliciousness!

I have this thing about breakfast.

When I was a little girl, breakfast was a big deal. Not every day of course, but I come from a big southern family, and any time people would come in to town to visit us, there’d be big breakfasts.

Sometimes they’d be out at a diner or local breakfast spot, but more often they’d be at home. There’d be biscuits, and gravy and grits and eggs, and pancakes or french toast. There might be an egg casserole, there might be sweet rolls or donuts. Whatever there was, though, there’d be a lot. We’d linger around the table for hours, talking about what we’d do that day, and perhaps most importantly, what and when we were going to eat later that day.

Does it sound strange to you to talk about future meals WHILE you’re enjoying one meal? It doesn’t to me. This is how we’ve always been. The kitchen and the kitchen table are the heart of the home. It isn’t entirely about the delight of eating food – though to be fair and true it is a little about that 😉 It’s mostly about the coming together. The lingering. The coffee and conversation.

This berry brioche baked french toast is a crowd pleaser that can be made the day before. Alternate the berries for a dish that's both pretty and tasty! www.biscuitsandbooze.com — This berry brioche baked french toast is a crowd pleaser that can be made the day before. Alternate the berries for a dish that’s both pretty and tasty! www.biscuitsandbooze.com

This is my happy place.

Loved ones, friends seated around a table. A spread big enough to keep digging back into, to keep the faces facing each other and the seats in the seats for as long as possible. I think, essentially, this is why southerners are known for their hospitality. Keeping others satisfied keeps others around, and that’s what’s in it for us!

Whenever we have company I try to make a big breakfast. Of course, when my in-laws came after the birth of my son I planned out several dishes that would be fun and filling, but easy for me to do in the still-nursing-around-the-clock schedule we were under. But my in-laws are anti-breakfast!

I try not to hold this against them! 🙂

Instead, I rallied, and came up with a few lunches that were bigger than I’d planned. Lunch isn’t the same to me, because people are far less willing to linger at lunch I find. At least here. When I’m travelling in France or Spain it’s a different story! There lunch reigns supreme.

It was all fine in the end of course.

But it was so hard for me to wrap my southern-hostess-brain around the fact that someone wouldn’t want to eat a home cooked breakfast. Of course, I completely get health concerns, and we don’t eat that way all the time.

But seeing loved ones you don’t get to see all the time is cause for a little celebration with some oven baked carbs and berries, amiright?

A French Toast Perfect for Spring and Summer

Which brings me to the subject, or recipe, at hand. There are a lot of versions of overnight french toast out there. My version here is perfect for spring and summer. I absolutely believe, though, in using good bread. I bought the brioche for this baked version at my local supermarket. If you can’t find brioche, I would recommend challah bread, or a very good sourdough.

If you use a different kind of bread, though, you may want to adjust the amount of eggs. Brioche is such a light bread I find I need fewer eggs, and that using too many can make it a bit dense and eggy. But a heavier bread like sourdough would probably want a bit more of the egg mixture, so I’d add more.

Tools to Make Baked French Toast Easy

I invested in a 9×13 dish with a tight fitting plastic lid. I have a tiny side-by-side refrigerator, and fitting this baked french toast in to chill and soak for three hours takes up – well, an entire shelf. And my mustn’t spend money side was refusing to buy one of these, even though they aren’t expensive, because I could use tin foil of course! But seriously – being able to stack things on top of it and not muss the whole thing up is worth the few dollars a new baking dish costs.

Sometimes my stubborn side is just too darn stubborn.

Don’t tell my husband I said that!

Anyhoo, I also thought you might be interested in this sifter for powdered sugar. I use it for sprinkling confectioner’s sugar on this baked french toast, crepes, and a host of other baked goods. It is in the category of not necessary, but I’m certainly glad I have one 🙂

Serving It Up

I serve this baked french toast with a dusting of powdered sugar and real maple syrup or honey, or topped with sugared berries and real homemade citrus whipped cream. I always have a savory dish on the side, even if it is just basic scrambled eggs.

How about you? Do you have a big breakfast tradition? Do you have a company cake or go-to company recipe?

Berry Brioche Baked French Toast

This berry brioche baked french toast is perfect for spring or summer as you can make it with any combination of berries. Can be made the day before as well!

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

1 loaf Brioche
1/2 Cup Butter
6 Medium Eggs
1 Cup Milk or Half and Half
1 Teaspoon Orange Flavoring May substitute vanilla
1/4 Cup Pecan Halves optional
1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries
1/2 Cup Sliced Fresh Strawberries

Instructions

Melt butter in bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
Slice brioche into 12 slices and then half each slice again.
Lay bread on top of melted butter in baking dish. Try to spread bread evenly.
Whisk six eggs.
Add your once cup milk or half and half.
Whisk eggs and half and half mixture together, and add teaspoon of orange flavoring.
Pour egg mixture over bread.
Sprinkle with pecans.
Cover bread and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
When you remove the dish from the refrigerator, set it on the counter so that it can come closer to room temperature before you place it in the oven. I wait at least 30 minutes, because I don't want that dish to crack!
This is when I preheat my oven to 375 degrees.
When dish is at room temperature, or close to it, place in oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until it turns golden brown and has cooked through.
Top with berries. I like to use a combination of fresh blueberries and fresh strawberries. May also sift with powdered sugar.
Serve warm with fresh whipped cream, and honey or maple syrup. May also top with sugared berries.

New Orleans Style Easy Eggs Sardou

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This recipe is an easy to follow version of the New Orleans classic Eggs Sardou – creamed spinach, artichokes, hollandaise, and poached eggs will send your next brunch over the top and laissez le bon temps rouler!

Are you a fan of spinach artichoke dip?

If so, you’ll love New Orleans Style Easy Eggs Sardou. The first time I had eggs sardou was at a little out of the way brunch spot in in New Orleans. If you’ve visited, I doubt you’ve found this one, as it’s tucked away in the Riverbend. It’s an affordable spot, and when I saw this dish on the menu, I was utterly confused.

This recipe is an easy to follow version of the New Orleans classic Eggs Sardou - creamed spinach, artichokes, hollandaise, and poached eggs! www.biscuitsandbooze.com — This recipe is an easy to follow version of the New Orleans classic Eggs Sardou – creamed spinach, artichokes, hollandaise, and poached eggs! www.biscuitsandbooze.com

What on earth is eggs sardou?

The answer is creamy brunch perfection, as my friends laughingly told me. I actually ordered this thinking that it might be a “healthier” option with spinach. I had yet to see it of course. It is not, in fact, a health food, with cream in the spinach, and topped with hollandaise. But I am an 80/20 girl. I believe in eating healthy most of the time, but I am all about a splurge from time to time. This dish is definitely going in to your splurge category, though I will offer some suggestions to lighten it up in the recipe notes as well.

From my first bite I was in love. The first time I had it it was served atop a crispy southern biscuit, but I’ve also had it on top of English muffins, or even just all by it’s onesies on a plate. The lemon of the hollandaise paired with the creamy spinach and tang of the artichokes, all served on top of a crunchy biscuit – oh my. I’ve had spicy versions of this dish, and completely spice free versions. What’s not to love? I mentioned the cream and hollandaise right?

I loved it so much that became my favorite brunch spot for ages, until I discovered that Eggs Sardou is a popular New Orleans brunch dish, and can be had just about anywhere.

And I’ve never had a bad version!

It was actually years before I tried to replicate this at home. It seemed COMPLICATED. But like most things, I discovered that it is actually super easy to make. My version pairs creamed spinach with marinated artichokes (that you can buy already made, because the one thing I think no new mom home cook has time for is preparing artichokes). I top it with poached eggs and homemade hollandaise.

My homemade hollandaise is ready in a blender in less than ten minutes. Seriously – I whipped this up in five minutes the last time I made it, because baby needed to nap! And blenders and baby naps don’t go together!

I do add a little spicy kick to mine – but it is completely optional. You do you! You can spice it up even more, or tone it down. Your choice! This New Orleans Style Easy Eggs Sardou has the added benefit of being a gorgeous dish on the table. In the photo I’ve served it up in a single Le Creuset baking dish – but you could also plate it individually, or use a plain old 9×9 dish.

A Lighter Side of Sardou

And while this dish calls for heavy cream, you can substitute half and half, or even whole milk, though like I said before, I personally would never go for anything less than half and half, because this is a special occasion dish in my house. I bring it out for company, Easter, and other holidays. I believe in celebrating, and I believe in celebrating with food. And then getting everyone together for a long walk after, cause you gotta keep those good times rolling, amiright?

Easy New Orleans Style Eggs Sardou

This recipe is an easy to follow version of the New Orleans classic Eggs Sardou - creamed spinach, artichokes, hollandaise, and poached eggs! If you like spoinach artichoke dip, you're sure to love this!

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Ingredients

12 Ounces Frozen Spinach, well drained I honestly prefer to use fresh, but if you do use fresh, I use 16 ounces.
1 Medium Onion, Diced
1 Jar Marinated Artichokes, Chopped
8 Ounces Heavy Cream May use half and half instead
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Flour
1-2 Teaspoons Chili or Hot Sauce May use more or less to taste
4 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vinegar Tis helps bind the eggs whites together when you poach your eggs
approximately 1 Teaspoon Salt, to taste

Instructions

Set a medium pot of water on the stove and bring it to a gentle boil.
Saute your onions, and sprinkle them with salt.
When your onions are starting to soften, add spinach. If using fresh spinach, saute until just wilted.
Add marinated chopped artichokes, and stir to combine.
Add two cloves of garlic, and saute a minute longer, or until you start to smell the garlic.
If using frozen spinach, or if the fresh causes excess liquid to form in the pan, drain. If not, set the pan aside, off the heat.
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over low heat.
Add two cloves of garlic and saute for one minute, or until garlic becomes fragrant.
Sprinkle in flour and keep stirring so as not to burn the butter. Mix in flour until you have a thick paste of butter and flour.
Slowly stir in heavy cream. I add a couple tablespoons at a time until it is all incorporated.
Once you have your cream sauce, turn the heat off, and transfer the skillet with the spinach mixture back to low heat.
Mix the cream with the spinach, stirring it in over low heat.
Incorporate all of the cream with your sauted spinach mixture, and then transfer to a baking dish.
I set the baking dish in my toaster oven on a very low heat, or warm setting, while I prepare the hollandaise and poached eggs.
Prepare your hollandaise, and set aside. As a note, sometimes I do this step first. Hollandaise will hold for about an hour, but should be eaten within that timeframe.
In the pot of boiling water, add your vinegar. Lightly swirl the water in the pot, and crack four eggs into the water. For medium poached eggs, leave them in for about 4 minutes. Personally, I like my poached eggs still runny inside, but with the whites done on the outside. This is about 4 minutes - so if you like your eggs more done, leave them longer. If you like them less done, remove them after 2-3 minutes.
Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and gently place them on top of the sardou, or spinach, mixture in your baking dish.
Drizzle with hollandaise, and serve immediately. May serve over a split biscuit, an English muffin, or on its own.

Notes

Half and half may be substituted for the heavy cream.

You can make this dish more or less spicy by using more or less chili or hot sauce.

Hollandaise may be made first, or after you've finished creaming your spinach/sardou mixture.

Poached eggs will continue to cook a bit even after you remove them from the boiling water, so try to serve immediately.

Spring Quiche: Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Dill Recipe

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One of my favorite things to make for a company-is-coming weekend is quiche.

Quiche is so easy! It can be made ahead, frozen, and thawed when you want to serve it, which gives it mega points for practicality. But it can also be made to look either rustic or fancy, with or without cheese (the answer is always to add cheese in my humble opinion), and with myriad vegetables and meats.

A Quiche for Every Season

I wanted to talk about a quiche that will be gracing my Easter brunch table here, as part of a series I am doing this year – A Quiche for Every Season. Because quiche is so adaptable, you really can incorporate whatever is fresh and tasty and just ripe for picking. Asparagus has a relatively short growing season, but is relatively inexpensive when it IS in season. I adore it, and try to make it as often as possible when it’s fresh.

I am also a planner (which is a necessary blogging skill for sure). This means I am already thinking about what I’d like to have on our Easter brunch table, even though at the time of this writing Easter is weeks away. This Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Dill quiche will definitely be there.

I’m a new Mom, who’s still nursing, and working full time, and blogging (yikes I just made myself tired thinking about all that). I need things this year that are tasty, yet require minimal effort. This quiche fits the bill.

This easy to make asparagus, goat cheese, and dill quiche is perfect for spring, easily adaptable, and great for Easter Brunch! www.biscuitsandbooze.com

Where does Quiche Come From?

I was a bit curious about the history of quiche. Quiche is actually a savory pie with a custard filling. This comes as no surprise, really, because I am all about savory pies. Where my husband is from (bonny England!) savory pies are commonplace.

Cornish Pasties are delicious, filling, and can be stuffed with just about anything. When I first studied abroad in the UK I gained far too much weight because pasties were quick, easy, warm and STUDENT BUDGET friendly.

I actually had Cornish pasties before I had quiche. And even though they fit so nicely into the savory pie category, I never thought of pot pie as PIE really, but it is.

But it’s French you protest!

Actually, in all likelihood, quiche was German first, and hails from the Lorraine region. It has certainly evolved over time, and if you think it’s French, that’s probably because the French have made it divine. Apparently, cheese as a filling is a more recent addition.

Here in the US, we are more likely to have quiche as a breakfast or brunch dish than for lunch or dinner. In France, though, quiche would definitely not be a breakfast dish. But then, in France breakfast is very simple, with pastry and coffee serving as the traditional breakfast. And I’m not gonna lie, I love that too!

Why You Can’t Go Wrong With Quiche

Quiche is pretty forgiving – you can use more or less egg, heavy cream, half and half, or even alternative milk like soy or almond. French bakers are gasping at that, though. Even though you CAN make it without alternative milk, it is most spectacularly and classically made with rich cream.

I use a shortcrust rich in butter for mine, but you can also just easily use any pie crust you want to make or buy. And as I said, it’s very easy to change up the ingredients. Don’t like asparagus? Use broccoli instead. Or sweet potatoes. If you want to stick with a green vegetable, maybe kale. Or any vegetable your heart desires!

The same goes with the cheese. In fact, when I make one with broccoli, I like to go for a smoky cheddar. Since I am a vegetarian and never use bacon, a smoky cheese helps replace some of that bacon flavor.

The point is that quiche is fun, easy, and a great addition to your brunch table. Make this according to the directions or play with the ingredients. But let me know how it turns out? I’d love to hear from you!

This easy to make asparagus, goat cheese, and dill quiche is perfect for spring, easily adaptable, and great for Easter Brunch!

Note (affiliate links included): For this recipe I used a springform pan like this one, because I wanted to show off that rich crust. But you can as easily use any pie pan, like this pretty red one, for a more rustic and homey feel. I love quiche both ways!

Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Dill Quiche

This easy to make asparagus, goat cheese, and dill quiche is perfect for spring, and a great addition to your Easter brunch table!

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Brunch

Cuisine American, French, Vegetarian

Servings 8 Slices

Ingredients

1 Teaspoon Salt
5 Eggs Beaten
1 Cup Heavy cream, half and half, milk, or milk substitute I use half and half in my quiche as pictured
1 Bunch Asparagus
2/3 Cup Goat Cheese Crumbles
2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and trim the asparagus, and cut into 1 inch pieces.
Steam the asparagus for 3-4 minutes.
While the asparagus is steaming, press pie crust into pie plate or spring form pan. If using a spring form pan, line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
Place asparagus in bottom of pie crust.
Beat/whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Add salt to eggs.
Add cream, half and half, or milk to beaten eggs. Whisk to combine.
Add goat cheese and dill to egg mixture, and whisk to combine.
Pour egg mixture over asparagus.
Place pan in oven, and bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set and a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve, or freeze. Keeps refrigerated for up to a week.

Super Simple Tennessee Cherry Chili Hollandaise

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This Super Simple Tennessee Cherry Chili Hollandaise is one of my favorite things.

I seriously think hollandaise should be it’s own food group. It is my go-to hangover cure (yes, yes, I know we should never have a hangover, but you know, sometimes life happens!). Well, hollandaise paired with a bloody mary, anyhow, is my hangover cure ;). I fell hard for hollandaise in New Orleans, where brunch reigns supreme. Have I mentioned before how much I miss brunch in New Orleans? I have? Multiple times? Oh. Blushes, shrugs….

Personally, it is not something I ever ate growing up. Hollandaise was FANCY. Hollandaise was French. Hollandaise was not something we would ever eat. In fact, I recently introduced my mother to it, and she loves it now as much as I do. Because what’s not to love? Hollandaise is creamy, salty, and has just a hint of tang from the added lemon.

I have made it many times now, and I am always astonished by how easy it is to make at home in a blender. But that can be our little secret, right? Because when your friends come over for brunch and you whip them up some Super Simple Tennessee Cherry Chili Hollandaise you win mega hostess points. Plus, you get to eat it too, which is win win right?

Jazz up brunch with this Super Simple Tennessee Cherry Chili Hollandaise Sauce, which has an easily adjustable spice level, & is ready in less than 10 mins. www.biscuitsandbooze.com

The first time I made it at home I was nervous. Sauces are fancy right? And I’m just a home cook. A determined home cook though! So I made a basic sauce, and had just a few friends over who I knew would forgive me if I screwed something up. It really was so easy though, and we ate every last drop of it.

I started playing with the amount of lemon juice (I like a bit more for a fresher flavor) and the spice level. The truth is, though, you don’t need to use the cherry chili at all. You can omit the cherry chili or hot sauce and still have good old fashioned hollandaise.

Hollandaise: The Mother of All Mother Sauces

Do you know what the five mother sauces are? Or are you like, wait, mother sauces? What in the sam hill is that? Frankly, I only know because I am a food geek. But luckily enough, I AM that food geek, and when you host that next brunch, you can talk about mother sauces too. This article from The Kitchn talks about the Mother Sauces. The difference between hollandaise and the other sauces is that it is the only one that doesn’t begin with a roux. It’s also a pretty delicate sauce, so you want to be careful when you make it so as not to over mix it. When you over mix it, that’s when the sauce “breaks,” or in other words, starts looking very grainy and unappetizing.

Serving Suggestions

Some classic preparations for hollandaise include using it as a topping for eggs benedict, as a sauce to dress asparagus, and as a topping for a fish, like salmon. I like to play with the classic eggs benedict and make vegetarian and pescetarian versions by using this spicier version, and topping a southern biscuit with veggie sausage, fried catfish, spinach, heirloom tomatoes, or even mirliton or squash. The version in our photo was served over some jalapeno cheddar bread and topped with a poached duck egg.

How do you like to serve your hollandaise? Did you have it a child? Let me know in the comments! And if you wouldn’t mind, would you consider sharing this on Pinterest or another social media outlet? I’d be so super grateful!

Super Simple Tennessee Cherry Chili Hollandaise Sauce

Jazz up your breakfast or brunch with this super simple Tennessee Cherry Chili Hollandaise Sauce, which has an easily adjustable spice level, and can be made in less than 10 minutes in a blender.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, French

Ingredients

2 Egg Yolks Separate the yolks by cracking an egg over a bowl, and gently transferring the yolk between the two egg shell halves, letting the egg shite drip into the bowl underneath, until all you have left are yolks.
12 Tablespoons Butter May use more or less depending on the consistency of sauce desired. More butter equals a thinner sauce, less butter equals a thicker sauce.
1 Half Lemon
1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Tennessee Cherry Chili or other Hot Sauce Unless you are like us, and think things can't get too spicy, start with less and add more to taste. This is also optional - you can make it without any
Pinch Salt I say just a pinch here, because I frnakly feel like it depends on the kind of salt you are using. Also, if you use salted butter I would omit this entirely. I used Kosher salt in my last batch, and used about a quarter teaspoon. If I use my French Grey salt, I use even less. Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take it out!

Instructions

Melt butter in the microwave, and set aside. Do not allow it to cool too much, though, because you want to get the reaction of the hot butter melting into the whipped egg yolks.
Add two egg yolks, salt if you're using it, and juice of half a lemon to the blender. Add Chili Sauce or Hot Sauce.
Blend to combine the ingredients.
Once those ingredients are blended together, remove the top of the blender, and set it on its slowest blend setting. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter. You can pause to check the consistency, after about 2/3 of the butter has been added. Keep adding melted butter slowly until you get the consistency you want.
Hollandaise is best served immediately. Do not let it sit out longer than an hour, and discard what you don't immediately use.

Notes

I think this hollandaise, with the chili sauce added, is best at brunch served over your favorite crusty bread, and topped with a poached egg. You cna easily omit the chili sauce, though, and this basic blender hollandaise will work for just about anything you want hollandaise for!

Brown Butter Bourbon Syrup

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Homemade Syrup in less than 10 minutes you say?
YES I say!

This brown butter bourbon syrup is pretty much the easiest thing in the world but it. Is. Delicious. Do you ever have one of those ideas that just hits you, and then it’s all you can think about?

That’s how I was with this syrup.

I made a brown sugar simple syrup for a brunch I hosted last year. I had a stack of pancakes and a quiche ready to go, and then, and only then mind you, discovered I had no syrup in the house, and my honey was all crystallized and basically NOT in a drizzle on pancakes mood.

So I problem solved.

This easy Brown Butter Bourbon syrup is ready in less than ten minutes, keeps for up to 30 days, and is fabulous on everything from pancakes to ice cream. www.biscuitsandbooze.com

I made a brown sugar simple syrup with a little bit or orange flavoring to brighten it and saved the brunch day. Cue the applause! Or at least the practically licked clean plates.

But the syrup bugged me, because I knew it could have been even better. So I tinkered. This doesn’t always go well, my friends, but this time, this time I have to say I think I got a WIN.

It starts with a brown sugar simple syrup, and then gets a bit of bourbon added.

And then some butter. And then a bit more bourbon. I almost want to just have spoonfuls of it by itself, who needs pancakes? Except I don’t want to get diabetes. So I won’t do that. I’ll put this in the treat category, and have it for special weekend brunches.

But also probably on ice cream, because yum.

This 10 minute Brown Butter Bourbon Syrup keeps for up to 30 days, & is fabulous on everything from pancakes to ice cream. www.biscuitsandbooze.com

I can even think of a cocktail or two a drizzle of this might work smashingly well in. I love it when I make a thing, and then that thing works for other things :).

This past weekend we threw caution to the wind and served it on chocolate chip pancakes. I have no regrets. At least, I have no regrets until I try to button my pre-pregnancy jeans…

How about you? What are some kitchen saves you’ve made?

(And if you are in the mood for some kitchen hacks, check out my free download and my Pinterest board)

Brown Butter Bourbon Syrup

This quick syrup can be made in ten minutes, keeps for up to 30 days, and is fabulous on everything from pancakes to ice cream.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 Mason Jar

Ingredients

1 half cup butter
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup Water
1 Tablespoon, plus one teaspoon Bulleit Rye or Other Favorite Bourbon May use more or less to taste

Instructions

Combine two cups of brown sugar and one cup water in a small saucepan.
Heat until just boiling, and then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for five minutes. Stir continuously to keep the sugar from burning.
About two minutes into the simmering, add a tablespoon of Bourbon.
After the mixture has been simmering for five minutes, remove from heat. Add the half stick of butter and stir to combine. I add another teaspoon of Bourbon at this stage for a more complex flavor, but it's optional.
Pour into a glass mason jar for cooling. I use a canning funnel for this part to avoid splashing and burning. If you don't have one, be careful, because the liquid is hot!
Serve immediately. The leftover syrup can be kept refrigerated for up to 30 days. Take care when reheating, so as not to burn the butter. Reheat slowly, and str frequently to recombine the butter with the syrup.

Easy Oeuf En Cocotte: The Fastest, Tastiest Way to Impress your Friends at Brunch

Easy Oeuf en Cocotte, or Eggs Baked in Pots

Caramelized Onion, Portobello Mushroom, and Goat Cheese make this traditional French brunch dish sing.

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Cuisine American, French

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

4 large Eggs
4 - 8 Tablespoons Goat Cheese Crumbles
4 Tabelspoons Heavy Cream or Half and Half
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Fresh Herbs I like parsley for this version, but basil or chives would also work well.
3 Medium Onions
1 cup Portobello Mushrooms
1 Teaspoon Salt may use more or less to taste.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
Place 4 1/2 cup size ramekins or cocottes in a 9x13 pan. Coat the insides with butter and set aside.
Slice your onions and mushrooms. Set mushrooms aside.
Place onions in a large skillet with oil. Add the salt, and cover your pan. Heat on the lowest setting for approximately twenty minutes. This allows the onions to "sweat" and brings out the natural sugars.
After the 20 minutes is up, turn up the heat to medium and saute until onions start to turn a nutty or caramel brown.
Once onions have browned remove and set into a bowl.
Now turn the heat down slightly and add your mushrooms to the pan. Saute until soft.
Fill each ramekin about half way with your caramelized onions and mushrooms.
Top with approximately 1 tablespoon of goat cheese. (May use more or less depending on taste).
Place 1 tablespoon heavy cream or half and half in each ramekin.
Crack one egg on top of each ramekin.
Heat approximately 2 cups of water in a kettle or small pot.
Fill your 9x13 pan approximately halfway with the water from the kettle or small pot (this is known as a Bain Marie, or water bath).
Place 9x13 pan in oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes depending on desired doneness of egg.
When your eggs are baked to your desired level of doneness, remove from oven, and garnish with fresh herbs.
Using tongs or a silicone glove carefully remove the ramekins or cocottes from the 9x13 pan.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Caramelized onions and mushrooms may be made a day ahead of time.

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