At this time of year, with the party season in full swing, cooks who appear to entertain with food effortlessly are widely admired (and envied). When it comes to staging a breakfast or brunch, I always look to the South for inspiration. Unperturbed by dietary dictates, Southern cooks make food with a single overriding virtue: The finished dish tastes great, however tempting it may be to turn up one’s nose at the use of ingredients such as marshmallows or potato chips.
I was struck once again by this Southern flair for making morning meals memorable as I turned the pages of a charming community cookbook from the Fayette County Medical Auxiliary in Lexington, Ky., called “Creating a Stir in the Bluegrass and Beyond.” It contains a broad repertoire of recipes that feed six or eight people; many of those recipes are easily doubled. The breakfast and brunch section offers more than 30 recipes, and further inspiration may be drawn from sections devoted to appetizers and beverages, breads, salads and desserts.
The menu that follows is a buffet breakfast for company I devised from recipes in the book. Add roast quail, a dessert and some wine and you’ve created a brunch.
Menu
Mixed fruit juices / Bourbon milk punch or champagne
Chicory coffee available throughout the meal / Hot baked chicken salad*
Sausage and apple ring* / Awesome layered grits* / Miniature pecan muffins
*Recipe follows
HOT BAKED CHICKEN SALAD
Six to eight servings
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup finely crushed potato chips
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine chicken, celery, onion, mayonnaise and almonds in a bowl and stir well. Spread mixture in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish and top with cheese and potato chips.
2. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
SAUSAGE AND APPLE RING
Eight servings
2 pounds mild or hot bulk sausage
1-1/2 cups cracker crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup minced onion
1 cup finely chopped apple
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Transfer to a cast-iron skillet or a shallow baking pan and use your hands to shape into a ring.
2. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through.
AWESOME LAYERED GRITS
Eight to 10 servings
1 cup uncooked grits*
1 teaspoon salt
1 roll (6 ounces) garlic cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 or 3 tomatoes, sliced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia preferred), shredded
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
*Substitute quick-cooking grits prepared by package directions.
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; stir in grits and salt. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until done (about 20 minutes).
2. Add garlic cheese, butter, eggs and milk to grits, stirring well. Transfer to a 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool. (Recipe may be done ahead to this point.)
3. Layer tomato slices, basil, onion, Monterey Jack and cheddar over grits. Bake an additional 20 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. To serve, cut into squares.
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Copies of the book are available for $22.95 plus shipping and handling through the publisher, Wimmer. For more information, call 800-548-2537.
