A Brunch to Start the New Year in Style

One of the best things about living in Las Vegas has got to be New Year’s Eve. Even the local stay in hotels on the strip. Not only are the parties fairly wild, but the next day the brunch buffets are to-die-for. While I don’t miss the insanity of the strip on New Year’s Eve, I do miss the luxury of their upscale New Year’s Day Brunch.

Let’s be honest, I love brunch. Easter Brunch. Mother’s Day Brunch. Any excuse for a brunch is music to my ears. Maybe you’ve hosted the New Year’s Eve bash at your place. Rather then let your guests leave after a night of merry-making, why not invite them for a sleep-over and brunch the next day? I cannot think of a better way to get the New Year started than to have a house filled with those close to our hearts. Can you?

New Year’s Day Brunch
Cranberry Champagne Mimosas
Fresh Squeezed Orange-Tangerine Juice
Classic Bloody Mary
Fresh Coffee

Assorted Muffins from the Bakery
Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole
Dutch Baby Skillet Pancake with Fresh Berries
Assorted Breakfast Meats

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Cranberry Champagne Mimosas
1 Lime
Sugar as needed
16 fresh Cranberries
6 small fresh Rosemary Springs
1-1/2 cups Cranberry Juice, sweetened
1 bottle Champagne

Cut the lime in half, coat the rime of the champagne flutes with lime juice. Pour sugar into a small, shallow plate. Dip flutes into the sugar to rim the glass. Set aside.

Use a toothpick to poke a hole through each of the cranberries. Strip some of the rosemary from the sprigs, leaving a small tassel of rosemary at the top. Thread the rosemary skewers through the cranberries, two per sprig, and set aside.

Carefully pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into each flute and top off with champagne.

Garnish with rosemary skewers and serve.

Fresh-Squeezed Orange Tangerine Juice
Per Glass
2 Oranges
4 Tangerines

Lightly smack each orange on the counter. Cut in half, squeeze all the juice into a large measuring cup or small pitcher. Repeat with tangerines. Stir to blend, pour into a tall glass.

Classic Bloody Mary Cocktail
Per Glass
Celery Salt as needed for glass
1 Lemon or Lime Wedge as needed for glass
1 Lemon wedge
1 Lime wedge
2 oz Vodka
4 oz V-8 Tomato juice
Tabasco Sauce to taste
2 teaspoons Prepared Horseradish
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch Celery Salt
1 pinch Black Pepper
1 pinch Smoked Paprika

Pour some celery salt onto a small plate. Rub the juicy side of the lemon or lime wedge along the lip of a High Ball glass. Roll the outer edge of the glass in celery salt until fully coated. Fill the glass with ice and set aside.

Squeeze the lemon and lime wedges into a shaker and drop them in. Add vodka, tomato juice, Tabasco Sauce, Horseradish, Worcestershire Sauce, Celery Salt, black pepper and Smoked Paprika. Fill shaker with ice cubes. Shake gently, strain cocktail into the prepared glass.

Bloody Mary Garnish per glass
1 Lime wedge
2 Green Olives
Parsley sprig
1 Celery Stalk

Garnish Bloody Mary with a parsley sprig, 2 speared green olives and a lime wedge. Add a celery stalk to the glass.

Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole
3 cups frozen Hash Browns
3⁄4 cup shredded Monterey Pepper Jack Cheese
1 cup Ham Cubes
1⁄4 cup Green Onion
4 well beaten Eggs
12 oz can Evaporated Milk
Black Pepper to taste
Kosher Salt to taste

Note: Cooked Ham already cubes can be found in the meat section of most grocery stores. If not, buy a fully cooked ham steak and cut into cubes.

Grease a 2-quart rectangular casserole dish.

Arrange frozen potatoes evenly on bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and ham. Finely dice the green onion, sprinkle over ham mixture.

In a bowl, beat the eggs well. Add evaporated milk, season with salt and pepper. Whisk to blend. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature while the oven warms. Bake 40 minutes or until eggs are fully set. Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Dutch Baby Pancakes with Fresh Berries
Pancakes
3 large Eggs
3/4 cup Milk
3/4 cup Flour
2 teaspoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Kosher Salt
3 tablespoons Butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet into the oven to get hot.

As the oven heats, combine the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt in a blender. Blend for 10 seconds, scrape down sides and blend again until smooth. Let batter rest for at least 15 minutes.

Once the batter has rested carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the butter. Let the butter melt. Carefully swirl the hot pan to coat in the melting butter.

Quickly pour in the batter and return skillet to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.

Berry Topping
Powdered Sugar as needed
1/2 cup Raspberries
1/2 cup Blueberries
1 cup Blackberries

Remove Dutch Baby from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Top with desired with fresh fruit. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Assorted Breakfast Meats
Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
12 slices of Bacon, Apple Wood Smoked
1 tablespoon Bacon Drippings

Prime skillet or girdle some bacon drippings. Fry Bacon until just crisp. Transfer to a paper-lined casserole dish. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Sausage Patties
6 Sausage Patties, frozen pre-cooked Country Sausage
1 tablespoon Water

Warm griddle to about 325 degrees. Arrange frozen Country Sausage Patties on griddle. Splash with a little water to create steam and cook until just warmed, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Transfer to same dish with bacon, overlapping the patties to utilize space.

Maple Sausage Links
1 package Maple Sausage Links, Johnsonville Sausage
1/4 cup Water

Place sausage links in a large skillet. Add enough water to the pan to “steam” sausage – about 1/4 cup or so. Cover and cook sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until water has evaporated. Remove lid and brown sausage to finish.

Transfer sausage to same casserole dish. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.