Sunday brunch is very popular in the US. Its origins are thought to come from the upper-class British tradition of hunting luncheons. In between rousting the foxes, men and women would gather for decadent early lunches, complete with a multitude of meats, egg dishes and adult beverages. Breakfast and lunch foods were combined into one mega-meal. The tradition seems to have caught on in the US in the 1930s. Church attendance had dropped off significantly after the war and people were looking for something to do with the time that previously would have been spent in the pews. Sunday mornings and afternoons became a time to relax, spend time with friends and have a cocktail or two.
Sunday brunches out at restaurants are still very popular on holidays, especially on Mother’s Day. But there’s no need for a fancy restaurant to get some great food! Moms also appreciate a leisurely breakfast cooked for her right at home by anyone other than herself. Just don’t forget to also clean up afterwards so Mom doesn’t have to do the dirty work!
Broccoli & Caramelized Onion Casserole
Broccoli & Caramelized Onion Breakfast Casserole (adapted from bhg.com) Serves 6, Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound bacon
- 1 sweet (Vidalia) onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups (7 ounces) broccoli florets
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups crusty sourdough bread, in 1/4-inch cubes
- 4 ounces Muenster or Swiss cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Directions:
Cook the bacon until it is crisp, either in a large skillet or in the microwave. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings. When the bacon is cool, crumble it and set it aside. Add the bacon drippings & onion to a large skillet. Cover and cook the onion over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the skillet and continue to cook the onion over medium heat until it is caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Caramelizing onions takes a bit of time & low heat.
(Note: I used a red onion that needed to be used up when I prepared our casserole. They are not as sweet as Vidalia onions, so I added 1 teaspoon of brown sugar to the skillet in the last 5 minutes of cooking the onion. No added sugar is necessary when caramelizing a Vidalia onion.)
Meanwhile, cook the broccoli, either in a small amount of lightly salted water for 3 minutes or in the microwave until it is crisp tender. Drain the broccoli & set it aside.
In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, basil, salt and pepper.
Thoroughly mix the milk with the eggs & seasonings.
Stir in the bread cubes, broccoli, caramelized onion, cheese and crumbled bacon. Transfer the mixture to a 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish. Cover and refrigerate the casserole for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Combine all the cooked items with the bread & liquid ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 325º. Bake the casserole, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover it and continue to bake it for another 20 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.
This is easy enough for most anyone to make for Mom!
Celebrate Moms everywhere this weekend! ~Linda
Broccoli & Caramelized Onion Breakfast Casserole (adapted from bhg.com) Serves 6, Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound bacon
- 1 sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups (7 ounces) broccoli florets
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups crusty sourdough bread, in 1/4-inch cubes
- 4 ounces Muenster or Swiss cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Directions:
Cook the bacon until it is crisp, either in a large skillet or in the microwave. Transfer the bacon to plate lined with paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings. When the bacon is cool, crumble it and set it aside. Add the bacon drippings & onion to a large skillet. Cover and cook the onion over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the skillet and continue to cook the onion over medium heat until it is caramelized, about 5 minutes. (Note: I used a red onion that needed to be used up when I prepared our casserole. They are not as sweet as Vidalia onions, so I added 1 teaspoon of brown sugar to the skillet in the last 5 minutes of cooking the onion. No added sugar is necessary when caramelizing a Vidalia onion.)
Meanwhile, cook the broccoli, either in a small amount of lightly salted water for 3 minutes or in the microwave until it is crisp tender. Drain the broccoli & set it aside.
In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, basil, salt and pepper. Stir in the bread cubes, broccoli, caramelized onion, cheese, and crumbled bacon. Transfer the mixture to a 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish. Cover and refrigerate the casserole for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325º. Bake the casserole, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover it and continue to bake it for another 20 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.