Sunday Brunching Family-Style!!! Yummmmmy....

Anit' nothing like a weekend brunch to slow a fast-paced mom down! And, for a Sunday, slowing down is exactly what every mom needs to do. Every day is filled with schedules, to-do-lists, & BB notifications! Why not take a Sunday morning and do it leisurely? For my family having a good time is not based on relative location, but mostly on Relatives! We combine, food, friendship, and love in our Brunches and it makes for a rocking good time!!! 

Here's a few of my favorite home-cooked Brunch Recipes that are sure to please even the youngest brunch-er: 

Momma's Chicken Tenders & Fun Waffles
These yummy treats can be made from scratch or you can take short cuts to move the process right on along... Tyson's makes wonderful Chicken Tenders (www.tyson.com) but if you prefer to make them yourself see Momma's Chicken Tenders below. 
Momma's Chicken Tenders:
Cut the boneless-skinless chicken breast into strips. (Each breast is 1 adult serving or 1/2 breast for a child's serving)
I use Shake-n-Bake to get the tenders extra crispy without frying them (www.kraftbrands.com)!!! Follow the directions on the box. If you're feeling extra daring moms, toss the cooked chicken tenders in buffalo sauce. There's nothing quite as yummy as buffalo chicken tenders with sweet waffles....
Fun Waffles (or Pancakes, if you don't have a waffle iron):
I use Aunt Jemima® Buttermilk Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix. It's easy, it's a classic, and my family loves it ( www.auntjemima.com)!!! Follow the package directions, making the batter slightly thinner with a little extra water for a less denser waffle. Now the FUN in these Fun Waffles, comes from the toppings!!! This is where your family can get creative. My favorite topping is listed below: Tami's Simple Bananas Foster. My girls like whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, honey, strawberries, powdered sugar, jam, and more. There's endless possibilities! As a child, my favorite waffle topping when I ate this classic dish was Honey! I would put the honey on my chicken, and also on my waffle. I'd also add a little whipped cream to the waffle, too. Try some of my suggestions or make up your own! The kids  will get a kick out of the whole ordeal! 

Sid's Ham Steak with a Brown Sugar &  Honey Glaze

The meat option is my hubby's favorite part of brunch!  Over the years he & I have come up with ways to keep our foods interesting & yummy!!! This is my husband's favorite yet!

• Buy a few ham steaks from your local grocery store. Give them a little rinse under some cold water to wash off a little of the curing salt. 
• Line a shallow baking dish with aluminum foil. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small mixing bowl combine 1 cup of apple juice, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg & 1/4 cup of honey. 
• In the covered baking dish, spray the bottom with a little cooking spray and pour half of the glaze into the dish.
• Add the ham steaks & glaze the tops with a silicone baster  
• Cover the dish with another piece of foil and bake the ham for 20 minutes
• Baste the steaks again, and put them back in the oven for 10 more minutes

You can serve this dish hot (Sid's way), cold (Tami's way), or somewhere in-between (the Kids' way). In any case, it will be tasty down to the last piece, and it makes great sandwiches the next day (if, there's any left). 

MiMi's Fruit Salad  (sorry folks, there's no citrus in this one!)

My daughter, Mia, who we've all grown to know as MiMi has many allergies, and Citrus is BIG one! She loves a good fruit salad. Many restaurants have them as a side dish, but they almost always consist of oranges and pineapples. Two main ingredients my MiMi can not have. This recipe is made for her and is created with all of her favorite fruits.

• In a LARGE bowl combine and mix well:
• Watermelon - 1 cup cubed
• Honeydew Melon - 1 cup cubed
• Cantaloupe - 1 cup cubed
• Grapes (green only) - 2 cups halved 
• Strawberries - 1 cup quartered
• 1/4 cup of apple juice (or more if you see fit)

Serve chilled.

3 cheese Omelette (Mariah-Approved)
My youngest daughter is not a picky eater, but getting kids to eat eggs can be difficult. I used to try scrambled eggs or boiled eggs, and that didn't work.  One day, I was making myself an omelette with mozzarella, mild cheddar, and a bit of pepper jack cheese. While I sauteed a little bit of fresh spinach, tomatoes, and mushrooms to add on the top, I caught my daughter taking a big fork-full of my omelette. I couldn't get her to eat the topping, but she fell in love with the omelette's base that very day. This recipe is a winner, even for my 4 year old.

• Heat your omelette pan on medium high while Mixing 3 eggs in a small bowl
• Spray your pan with a non-stick cooking spray
• Add the eggs into the pan and let them cook on 1 side (usually takes 30 seconds)
• Flip the omelette over so the other side can cook
• Add about a 1/3 cup of each cheese to the cooked side of your omelette and turn off the stove. Your eggs will continue to cook.
• When the cheese begins to melt, fold over half the omelette onto itself

And Voila! You have the Simple and Mariah-Approved Omelette. If you're any thing like me, pre-saute some onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes before you start the omelette. When you get to the "Add about a 1/3 cup of each cheese" part, throw in the veggies!!! And that, my friends, is a Tami-Approved omelette!!!

Tami's Simple Bananas Foster
Bananas Foster is an ole' time favorite! With a history as rich and delightful as the sauce itself. There are many versions of this recipe, but mine is short, definitely sweet, and will become a favorite of your family's, too. 

• Slice 4 ripe bananas on a bias  (traditionally this is done down the middle, whichever you prefer is fine) 
• On medium-high heat, warm a large skillet
• To your skillet, add 1 stick of unsalted butter. When the butter has melted, add in 1 cup of brown sugar & 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cook for about 2 minutes until mixture simmers
• Add in your banana slices, or halves depending on your cut, and cook them in your sauce for another 2-3 minutes
• Add in a little banana liqueur or banana flavoring, a tablespoon should do the trick. Stir it into sauce, coating the bananas along the way
• When the liqueur in well incorporated, turn off your stove and remove the pan from the burner
• Get out your long matches or your handy bbq lighter
• Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of rum over your banana sauce and light it with the match/lighter. Your mixture will flame instantly. (BE VERY CAREFUL) 
• The flame will cook the alcohol content of the rum out of your dish, but leave behind a delicious flavor

I usually cook this dish last. Bananas Foster is divine when served freshly "off the fire". I top my Fun Waffles with it along with freshly whipped cream and a handful of candied walnuts.

As with every brunch, Coffee & Milk are a MUST!!! If you like Bellini's or Mimosa's, add those  too! In the case of Brunch, "The More, The Merrier"!  


Until next Time,
Dig in & Enjoy.


Truly, PKM, 

"Keep Living. Keep Laughing. Keep Loving."