Casseroles, Quiches, Etc. - Tasty Main Dishes to Please Hungry Brunch Guests

Entrees are often the heart of a brunch menu. Recipes feature vegetables, herbs, meats, and poultry, as well as the most common breakfast ingredient: eggs.

From a simple strata prepared the night before to "made to order" omelets, there are a lot of dishes to consider. Find just the right choice -- or choices -- for your brunch!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at recipes@brunchandbeyond.com.

Breakfast Pizza	Quiche Lorraine
Eggs Benedict	Southwest Egg Scramble
Overnight Baked Scrambled Eggs

Breakfast Pizza

1 lb. sausage, cooked, drained, & crumbled
1 can crescent rolls
1 c. frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
3 tbs. red pepper, diced
3 tbs. green pepper, diced
3 tbs. yellow pepper, diced
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
5 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles. Place on an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan with the points toward the center. Press together to form a crust, sealing perforations.
3. Sprinkle sausage evenly over crust, followed by potatoes, peppers, and cheddar cheese. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over crust.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is brown and eggs are set.

Eggs Benedict
Makes 6 servings

Hollandaise Sauce (see below)
3 English muffins
Butter or margarine, softened
6 thin slices Canadian-style bacon or fully cooked smoked ham
1 tsp. butter
6 poached eggs, kept warm

1. Prepare Hollandaise Sauce and keep warm.
2. Split and toast English muffins. Spread each muffin half with butter and keep warm.
3. Cook bacon in 1 tsp. butter over medium heat until light brown.
4. Place 1 slice of bacon on each muffin half, followed by a poached egg. Spoon warm Hollandaise Sauce over each egg.

Hollandaise Sauce (makes about 3/4 c.):
3 egg yolks
1 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 c. (1 stick) firm butter

Stir egg yolks and lemon juice vigorously in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Add 1/4 c. of the butter. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until butter is melted. Add the remaining butter. Continue stirring vigorously until butter is melted and sauce is thickened. (Be sure the butter melts slowly to give the eggs time to cook and thicken the sauce without curdling.) Serve warm. Cover and refrigerate any remaining sauce.

Crab Benedict: Substitute 1 1/2 c. chopped, cooked crabmeat for the bacon. Heat in butter until just hot.

Seafood Benedict: Substitute 1 1/2 c. chopped, cooked mixed seafood (crabmeat, scallops, shrimp, and/or lobster) for the bacon. Heat in butter until just hot.

Overnight Baked Scrambled Eggs
Makes 6 to 8 servings

5 tbs. butter, divided
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. milk
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
12 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
10 oz. frozen chopped broccoli, cooked & drained
1 c. soft bread crumbs

1. To make the cheese sauce, melt 2 tbs. butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir until the mixture begins to bubble. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms and onion in 2 tbs. butter until tender. Add eggs and salt. Cook and stir until eggs are completely set. Add the cheese sauce and broccoli. Mix well.
3. Pour into a greased 11x7x2-inch baking dish. Melt the remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Quiche Lorraine
A classic brunch dish, with two tasty variations.
Makes 6 servings

Pastry for 9-inch one-crust pie
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked & crumbled
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
4 eggs
2 c. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place pastry crust into a 9-inch quiche dish or pie plate. Sprinkle bacon, cheese, and onion over the crust.
3. Beat eggs slightly, then beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into quiche dish.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
5. Bake about 30 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Chicken Quiche: Substitute 1 c. cut-up cooked chicken for the bacon and 1 tsp. chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves for the red pepper. Increase salt to 1/2 tsp.

Seafood Quiche: Substitute 1 c. chopped cooked crabmeat, shrimp, or salmon for the bacon and green onion for the onion. Pat crabmeat dry. Increase salt to 1/2 tsp.

Southwest Egg Scramble
Makes 4 servings

8 large eggs, beaten
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 8-in. or 3 6-in. corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Mild salsa, sliced green onions, and/or chopped avocados (optional)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed & drained (optional)

1. Combine eggs, milk, 1/2 c. cheese, chiles, and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Place tortilla strips in the skillet and heat until they are lightly browned.
3. Pour egg mixture into the skillet. Cook eggs, stirring frequently, until the eggs are cooked. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Garnish with salsa, onions, and avocados if desired. Serve with beans if desired.