Hair Health: 5 Brunch for Dinner Recipes

By Jordan Willard | February 23, 2015 0 Comments

In order to increase my personal cash flow, I recently started working a gig that’s required me to work long hours on weekends. While I love having the extra coins in my pocket, this professional obligation unfortunately has caused a conflict with one of my favorite pastimes, brunch. Yes, in New York City, brunch is considered a legitimate hobby- nay, an art form! Rain, sleet, or snow, thousands of well rested, starving individuals scour the streets in avid pursuit of eggs and endless mimosas, on weekend afternoons. It’s the time to really reconnect with friends, recount the misadventures of the previous week, and spill the tea! I know in the grand scheme of things, my personal hustle is more important than another social gathering. I mean, how else could I afford eggs benedict? However, missing brunch every week was really starting to make me feel like I was missing out on everything.

Rather than pout, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and host my own Late Night Brunch. I know that is an oxymoron. The term brunch technically refers to a mid-day meal, combining elements of breakfast and lunch, but I figured this was the best way for all of us to still get together, in spite of everyone’s complicated schedules, keeping the brunch tradition alive! Since no restaurants actually provide legitimate brunch service after 3pm (or on weekdays), my girls and I decided to do this meal potluck style. We had a great time and collectively spent significantly less than what we would have, while out to brunch (so much so, we were able to splurge on fancy champagne for the mimosas!).

Here were some of my favorite recipes from our first Late Night Brunch:

Huevos Rancheros by Sunny Anderson

Photo Credit: Con Poulos
*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

• 2 small tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic; 1 chopped, 1 smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 15 .5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 large eggs
• 4 6 -inch corn tortillas, warmed
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Prepare the salsa: Set a grater in a large bowl; grate the tomatoes and onion into the bowl. Add the jalapeno, chopped garlic, hot sauce, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a medium skillet over low heat and add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Fry the salsa in the oil until it thickens slightly, 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Add the beans to the same pan along with the smashed garlic, 1/2 cup warm water and a pinch of salt; cook over low heat until warmed through, smashing slightly with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another skillet. Fry the eggs sunny-side up; season with pepper.

Place 1 warm tortilla on each plate. Divide the beans among them, then top with a fried egg, some salsa and cheese. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with the remaining salsa.

For more on this Recipe: Huevos Rancheros
Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson, Food Network Magazine and foodnetwork.com

 

Big Ole Tex Mex Burrito Omelet by Sunny Anderson

Photo Credit: Stephanie Foley
*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

For the Sauce:

• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, quartered
• 1 jalapeno pepper, halved
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro

For the Omelet:

• 1 link Mexican chorizo, casing removed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of paprika
• 1 cup mixed canned beans (pinto, cannellini and/or black beans), drained and rinsed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 8 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• Mexican crema or sour cream, thinned with half-and-half, for garnish
• 1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped, for garnish

Directions
To Make the Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the tomatillos, onion, jalapeno and olive oil on a baking sheet and season with salt and black pepper. Roast until browned, about 45 minutes. Puree in a blender with the cilantro, thinning with water as needed. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, prepare the omelet:
Cook the chorizo in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, breaking it up, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Stir the cumin, cayenne and paprika into the drippings in the skillet. Add the beans and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, then add the bell pepper and cook 1 to 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Whisk the eggs and milk in another bowl. Wipe out the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add 1/2 tablespoon butter. Pour half of the egg mixture into the skillet and cook until the center is no longer liquid, loosening the edges with a rubber spatula and tilting the skillet to let the uncooked egg run underneath. Shake the pan to loosen the omelet, then spoon half of the bean mixture, chorizo and cheese down the center. Fold in both sides to cover the filling, then flip the omelet so it is seam-side down and cook 1 more minute. Repeat with the remaining butter, egg mixture and fillings to make another omelet. Top with the tomatillo sauce and garnish with the crema and tomato.

For more on this Recipe: Big Ole Tex Mex Burrito Omelet
Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson, Food Network Magazine, and foodnetwork.com

Gina’s Quiche Tartlets by Gina Neely

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Yields 6)

• 1 (14.1-ounce) box refrigerated pie dough (recommended: Pillsbury)
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 6 (4 1/2-inch) tartlet pans with nonstick spray.

Roll out the pie dough. Using a 5-inch round cutter, punch out 6 circles of dough.

Press each dough round into the prepared tartlet pans, making sure it covers the sides and bottoms. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.

Start on the filling while the crust is baking. Add the bacon to a medium saute pan over medium heat and cook until crisp. Add the green onions and garlic and saute until soft, 1 to 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat to cool.

Lower the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half, and then stir in the bacon and green onion mixture. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Crumble the goat cheese into the baked shells.

Ladle the mixture into the baked tartlet shells. Place the tartlet shells on a sheet tray (to catch drips) and bake until golden and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

For more on this Recipe: Gina’s Quiche Tartlets
Recipe courtesy of Pat and Gina Neely and foodnetwork.com

 

Egg White Frittata by Aaron McCargo Jr.

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves about 4 to 6)

• 2 medium sized zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch slices
• Olive oil, for grilling
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup diced pancetta, (6 slices)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon chiffonade fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon chiffonade fresh basil leaves
• 12 egg whites
• 1/4 cup Swiss cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Brush zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat in a grill pan until tender and marked. Allow to cool and dice.

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp. Add garlic and allow to cook until fragrant. Stir in the grilled zucchini, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Slightly beat egg whites in a large bowl and add to the pan. Turn the heat off, stir in the Swiss cheese and season with coarse salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Place in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until egg is set. Remove from the oven and serve.

For more on this Recipe: Egg White Frittata
Recipe courtesy of Aaron McCargo Jr. and foodnetwork.com

 

Sweet Potato Hash by Sunny Anderson

*source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

• 3 strips bacon, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 8 ounces each, peeled and 1/4-inch diced
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapenos, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a 13-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon and olive oil. When the oil heats and the bacon begins to sizzle, add the sweet potatoes and spread out as much as possible to allow the potatoes to rest in the pan in 1 layer. Leave the potatoes to cook until a quick toss reveals browning on the side in contact with the pan, about 5 minutes. Continue to toss and let stand until most sides of the potatoes are golden and the bacon bits are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Then add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, cumin and season with a nice pinch of salt and a grind or 2 of pepper. Cook the same way, allowing everything to sit in the heat of the pan for a minute or 2. Taste and re-season if necessary.

For more on this Recipe: Sweet Potato Hash
Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson (2010) and foodnetwork.com

 

 

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