Have A Hearty Brunch

Restaurant chefs hate the brunch shift. They party hard the night before and probably hate the rest of us "civilians" for ruining their Sunday morning lie-in. If you've ever read Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, you'll remember how he spilled the beans on what not to order for brunch at a restaurant unless you know the chef (seafood mainly). Now, as much as you know I love Tony, I'm not going to let his cynicism ruin my brunch experience. It's a great way to start a lazy Sunday, when family and friends are over for a visit. I like cooking brunch, because I can incorporate a lot more savory and heartier items into my menu - plus I get more time in the mornings to cook it. Then again, my favorite brunches were in Las Vegas when DH and I went there for vacation one year. Man. Oh. Man. It was hedonistic. I have fond memories of waking up late at our hotel after a night of indulgence and pleasure and hopping all over the Strip, then making our way down to the hotel's ginormous brunch buffet - where we easily spent a good hour or two, devouring our way through plate after plate of carby goodness. DH even became firm friends with the omelette guy.

But Vegas is very far from my little town in Connecticut, and a girl can't live on memories alone. So, once in a while, I try to re-create that feeling of lazy indulgence at home, by whipping up a hearty brunch whenever my family pops over for a weekend visit. Lately, biscuits have become one of my favorite brunch items. They're surprising easy to make (although a bit messy) and go really well with all kinds of eggs. Like these craggy little bundles of cheesiness - which claim to be like the ones you get at Red Lobster, but I personally think they're even better!Easy Cheddar Biscuits (this recipe is all over the web, but I found it here)
Makes 1 dozen

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2.5 cups Bisquick baking mix
3/4 cup cold whole milk
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) cold butter (cut into cubes)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

To brush on top:
2-3 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Pinch of salt

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Combine Bisquick mix with the cold butter - cut it in using a pastry cutter or a large fork. Don't overmix; you want to see some pea-sized chunks of butter in there.

3. Then add the cheddar cheese, milk and garlic. Mix by hand until just combined.

4. Drop approximately 1/4 cup portions of the sticky dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake for 15-17 mins or until the tops turn golden brown. Take the biscuits out of the oven and immediately brush them all over with the mixture of melted butter, parsley flakes, garlic powder and salt. Serve right away to your eager and hungry brunch crowd.

Verdict: These really are super easy. And they disappear pretty quickly when you serve them fresh from the oven. I love the cheesy, buttery smell that wafts through the house as these bake in the oven - I think that's the perfect smell to bring everyone to your table on Sunday morning! I did feel like a cheat, using a baking mix, but it's really convenient and quick, considering you have a bunch of other things you need to cook that morning. And it's a no-fail recipe in my books, erm, unless you forget about them in the oven. So use a timer, would ya?!

This recipe is going straight to Meeta's Monthly Mingle: Brunch event. I'm always looking out for great brunch ideas, so can't wait to see what the others cook up.

Ozzy enjoying his brunch. My poor plant - I have sacrificed thee for the digestive needs of my kitty.

One last thing, dear readers. Please check back here on Monday, Nov 16th, to find out about my new blogadventure with Debby of A Feast For The Eyes. That's also when you'll find out how you can have the chance to get your paws on The Pioneer Woman's uber-popular new cookbook (for free, I mean it) ! Mark your calendars, set your alarms, synchronize watches .... erm, you get what I mean!