Easy, Make Ahead Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 11. And while we here at Tanglewood Moms feel that mothers should be celebrated EVERY day, Sunday is a day of celebration and love.

One way to celebrate Mom is to make a beautiful spring brunch for her. Skip the lines and the crowded restaurant; these simple recipes will make her just as happy. Happier, even, since you’re going to clean the kitchen, too. Right?

Spring Vegetable Brunch Casserole

This is a lovely brunch casserole, full of spring vegetables. It’s easy to make and deliciously luxurious. Best thing? It needs to be made the day before!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white and lightest green part only, cleaned and chopped
5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup half and half
1 cup mascarpone cheese (can be found in the deli section of most grocery stores)
7 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Dash of your favorite hot sauce
½ loaf rustic whole grain or seeded bread, torn into bite-sized chunks
4 ounces brie, cut into chunks
1 bunch thin asparagus, woody stems removed, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup frozen petit peas, thawed
½ bunch fresh dill or tarragon, roughly chopped

Directions

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Sauté the leeks until they are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and sauté until it’s wilted, about a minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

While the spinach and leeks are cooling, beat together the eggs, half and half, and mascarpone cheese in a large bowl. Season with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce before adding the bread, asparagus, and peas. Toss to coat everything. Add leeks and spinach, brie, and the chopped herbs, and toss again.

Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray and fill with the casserole mixture. Cover with foil and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

To cook, preheat oven to 350°. While the oven is preheating, allow the casserole to come to room temperature. Once the oven is preheated, bake the casserole, covered for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before serving.

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Macerated Berries

If your mom prefers sweet to savory, this is the dish for her! Once again, it really should be made the day before, so it’s perfect for Mother’s Day brunch.

Ingredients

For the bread pudding
8 stale croissants (be sure to get these at least the day before as fresh croissants will disintegrate!)
1 tablespoon butter, softened
5 large eggs
2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
Zest of 1 orange
6 ounces good quality semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter, softened

For the macerated berries

1 cup blueberries
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup sugar

Directions

Using a serrated bread knife, cut the stale croissants into bite-sized chunks. Allow to sit while you grease the inside of a 9×13-inch baking dish with the softened butter and make the custard.

To make the custard, whisk together the eggs, half and half, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl.

Put the croissant pieces into the baking dish and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Pour the custard over the croissants and chocolate chips. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

To cook, preheat the oven to 350°. Put the baking dish, still covered with foil, into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20-30 minutes more, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the bread pudding is baking, make the macerated berries. Rinse all the berries in a colander and drain. Place the berries and the sugar into a mixing bowl and mix with a large spoon, smashing the berries slightly. Allow the berries to sit on the counter and stir occasionally to ensure that the sugar melts. The sugar will draw out the berries’ juices. (Any leftover berries can be served over vanilla ice cream.)

Cut the bread pudding into squares and serve with a spoonful of the berries (don’t forget the juice!) over the top.

And don’t forget – you promised to clean the kitchen!