Social Sundays is a time to bring together family and friends and create a delicious meal. This week I thought we would make a Brunch Menu that is fun to create, and seasonally fresh with some of my favorite recipes.
We begin by baking Blueberry Orange Breakfast Cake, it’s super moist, almost custardy with a pop of sweet blueberries. When you take a bite, you almost feel as if you are eating a bread pudding, but with a nice crust on top. I use frozen blueberries in this recipe because you can fold them into the batter without a mini berry explosion – it keeps the batter from turning blue.
You will love this recipe because it is not overly sweet, and who doesn’t love a sweet ending to a beautiful breakfast or brunch!
Blueberry Orange Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon shortening or lard
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
zest and juice of 1 orange
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
whipped cream, optional
(Serves 8)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch Springform pan. Set aside. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla extract, mix again on high speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, and mix again for 2 minutes. Zest the orange, and add it to the egg mixture, mix for 1 minute.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to remove any lumps. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients with 1/3 of the yogurt to the batter. Mix on low and repeat twice more.
3. Squeeze in the juice of the orange, and add the milk to the batter, mix on low for 1 minute. Remove the mixer from the stand and stir in the blueberries by hand. Dollop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out on top. Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick comes clean.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 25 minutes. Remove the outer ring and let the cake cool for another 20 minutes, before moving it to a cake stand or plate. Slice and serve the Blueberry Orange Cake with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Tomato & Avocado Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
For a nice bit of Summer produce – Tomato & Avocado Salad with Feta Vinaigrette is the perfect combination of creamy, sweet and salty. The tomato and avocado compliment each other with their different textures, and the colors are just gorgeous together. Feta Cheese is a sheep’s milk cheese – tangy in taste and super creamy. It crumbles nicely into the dressing and with a little shake – Feta Vinaigrette is born.
Ingredients
2 fresh tomatoes, any variety
1 avocado
1/2 small red onion
Feta Vinaigrette
1/3 cup feta cheese, about 2 ounces
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup micro-greens or sprouts of any kind
salt
pepper
To Prepare:
1. Rinse and slice tomatoes into large chunks, and place them in a bowl. Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed, and dice the avocado into large pieces. Scoop out the diced avocado into the bowl with the tomatoes. Dice red onion, and add it to the tomato and avocado mixture.
2. In a jar with fitted lid, add red wine vinegar, agave nectar, Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shake the jar for 1 minute to combine the dressing ingredients. Crumble the feta cheese and add into the jar, shake again.
3. Spoon the dressing over the salad, (I usually use about half), toss to coat. Save the leftover dressing in the refrigerator for another salad. Add in 1/2 cup of the microgreens and stir into the salad. Enjoy!
Savory German Pancake
The Savory German Pancake, made with a creamy batter – creates a tender pancake with a delicate crust. The pancake is topped with fried eggs, thinly sliced prosciutto, parmesan cheese and sliced scallions for a savory creation. This airy pancake with all the toppings is crazy good, and soon to be a brunch favorite of your friends and family.
Ingredients
Pancake
3 eggs
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoons melted butter
Toppings
2-4 fried eggs
2 ounces sliced prosciutto
1 scallion, sliced
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved
olive oil
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a 10-inch iron skillet in the oven. In a blender, add all the pancake ingredients, except the melted butter. Puree on low until smooth. Drizzle in the melted butter and puree again. Let the batter rest 10 minutes, while the skillet heats in the oven.
2. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour in the batter. Place the skillet back into the oven to bake for 20 minutes, or until puffy and deep golden brown.
3. During the last 5 minutes of baking, fry eggs to your liking. Remove the Savory German Pancake from the oven and top with sliced prosciutto, fried eggs, freshly shaved Parmesan and a sprinkling of scallions. Enjoy!
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