Food Impressive Brunch Dishes

Before the last session for my Master's program, my group is getting together for a potluck brunch. I would like to bring something really delicious and impressive for my friends to celebrate our accomplishment. I'm interested to see if anyone has any really great brunch dishes they would share, or if they've had something awesome that I can find a recipe for.

I'd prefer to keep it meat-free, and it must be able to travel, as the brunch is in a town about 30 minutes from my house.

 

Stuff for a killer Bloody Mary, duh.


My wife does something similar to this on occasion:

Egg, Potato and Cheese Casserole Recipe | Just A Pinch Recipes

The meat is optional, or you could make two small/medium dishes, one with meat and one without. It travels well and is popular.

 

I wish! We have our poster session right after brunch, though. Wouldn't do to be drunk before my committee.

 

My advisor is bringing quiche.

 

Any possibility of doing anything on site?

If so, shred up a ton of potatoes. Bring a waffle iron and some olive oil. Make the best crispy hashbrowns anyone has ever had. Bonus points if you bring some diced onions, peppers, and shredded cheese for those that enjoy those in their hashbrowns.

 

Not really, no. Brunch is being served in a classroom.

 

Steel cut oatmeal with nuts and fruit -- in a crockpot should travel well.
Or three different styles in one of those three-pot slow cookers.

 

We'll see if they are indeed impressive.

Pro tip: if you're ever making a strata/bread pudding dish for brunch, buy what's on the day old shelf at your local supermarket. Discount bread that's close to stale--which is what you want anyway!

Spinach-Feta Bread Pudding (vaguely inspired by Spinach Bread Pudding with Lemon and Feta Recipe - Heidi Swanson | Food & Wine, I liked the flavors, not the method)
approx. 4 cups of cubed bread (I found some cheesy buns on the day old shelf), lightly toasted
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 pkg frozen spinach, defrosted and well-drained (wrap it up in a flour sack tea towel and squeeze the shit out of it)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
a good shake of Penzeys Greek seasoning (I swear by this stuff: Spices at Penzeys Spices Greek Seasoning; if you don't have it, oregano and salt)
black pepper
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 regular package Feta cheese
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream

Saute over med-high the onion in a couple tablespoons or so of oil until translucent and soft; add the spinach. Stir. Break up the spinach until it's distributed evenly. Cook until most of the moisture is gone from the spinach and it looks dry. Turn down the heat and add the garlic. Season the mixture with the Penzeys and black pepper. Stir well, and turn off the heat; add the lemon zest and mix. In a large bowl, mix together the toasted, cubed bread with the cooked spinach/onion mixture. When thoroughly combined, distribute the mixture evenly in an 8x8 buttered casserole dish. In another bowl, mix together the 6 eggs and heavy cream until well blended. Season with Penzeys. Pour this mixture over the spinach/onion/bread mixture in the casserole dish. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and press down gently on the plastic wrap until the bread is well-soaked by the egg mixture. Leave in fridge overnight. Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160F.

Overnight French Toast
1 loaf challah, sliced
1/2 cup marmalade
9 eggs
1.5 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon

Slice the challah thinly and lightly toast it in the oven, just long enough to dry it out a bit. Thin the half-cup of marmalade with hot water; about a tablespoon. Spread about a teaspoon of marmalade on one side of a challah slice as if making a sandwich; top with another slice. Set aside and repeat with another 2 slices of challah. Once all the little sandwiches with marmalade have been assembled, line them up in a buttered 9x12 casserole dish. Mix together the eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon until well blended. Pour over the challah in the casserole. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and press down gently on the wrap until the bread is well-soaked by the egg mixture. Leave in fridge overnight. Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer read 160F.

I've included temperatures as I'm not sure how long these will take to bake, and ovens vary. I prefer to use a thermometer anyway

 

They took about 30 minutes each to hit 160 in my oven. Both were delicious and wildly popular. However, since some of my cohort didn't show up, I have leftovers. My husband is not complaining!