Recipes: A Blooming Spring Brunch

Fill your house with flowers, family and friends for whatever you’re celebrating this spring — even if it’s just the season itself. And the timing couldn’t be better to gather the whole family — a late breakfast just in time for the late-risers and an early lunch for the morning types starting to get peckish again.

CINNAMON COFFEE SCONES

Cinnamon-Coffee Filling

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp finely ground coffee

½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

Scones

2½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp kosher salt

½ cup cold butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

Egg Wash

1 egg white, lightly whisked

2 tsp sugar

Glaze

1¼ cups icing sugar

3 tbsp strong brewed coffee, cooled

Cinnamon-Coffee Filling

In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, coffee and cinnamon. Add butter; incorporate until coarse crumbs and set aside.

Scones

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with your fingers until pea size crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until moistened. Dump onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5 to 6 times. Divide dough in half; pat each half into an 8-inch circle. Sprinkle cinnamon-coffee filling over one circle and place remaining dough circle over top. Pinch edges gently together. Cut into 8 wedges and place each wedge on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush wedges with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 375 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden.

Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together icing sugar and coffee in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled scones.

Makes 8 scones

Tip: Coffee Scones can be mixed, shaped and stored in the freezer; bake just before brunch for a warm, fresh bite.

POACHED EGGS OVER POLENTA TOAST

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

3/4 lb cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 small garlic clove, smashed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 can (14oz) whole tomatoes with juices

1 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup dry red wine

Toasted Polenta

2 tbsp olive oil

12 oz prepared polenta, cut into 8 (½-inch thick) slices

1 tsp olive oil

6 oz baby arugula leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Poached Eggs

8 eggs

1 tbsp white vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Toss tomatoes, thyme, garlic and olive oil together and place on baking sheet. Roast in 400 oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven and discard garlic clove. Pour half the tomatoes in a blender along with canned tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine sauce ingredients. Add to medium saucepan with remaining tomatoes from baking sheet and red wine. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Keep sauce warm until ready to assemble.

Toasted Polenta

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the polenta slices and cook for 5 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm.

In same skillet, heat 1 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add baby arugula and continually toss until slightly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Poached Eggs Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add vinegar. Working with eggs one at a time, crack each egg into its own small bowl. Give the water a quick whirl with a whisk right before adding eggs. Slide each egg into the water and poach for 3 to 3 ½ minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Repeat with remaining eggs.

To assemble, place 2 heaping tbsp of tomato sauce on a serving plate. Arrange toasted polenta on top. Place sautéed arugula on the polenta, top with poached egg, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately

Serves 6 to 8

Tips: Always use the freshest eggs when poaching since they will hold together better. And when making more than one poached egg, cracking eggs one by one into a small shallow bowl, then easing the egg from the bowl into the water helps keep the white from scattering, keeping it more contained. Adding vinegar or lemon juice to the poaching water helps prevent the egg from falling apart.

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH

3 cups orange juice

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup lime juice

1 (750ml) bottle chilled Champagne or Prosecco

Orange and/or lemon slices, to garnish

In a large pitcher, combine orange juice, lemon juice and lime juice. Refrigerate to chill. Just before serving, stir in Champagne or Prosecco. Serve in Champagne flutes garnished with an orange slice.

Serves 16 to 20

MAPLE SYRUP MILKSHAKE

4 cups vanilla ice cream

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mini waffles, for garnish

Using a blender, combine ice cream, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Pour into a milkshake glass and serve garnished with a mini waffle.

Serves 2

Authors of bestselling cookbooks Bite Me and Bite Me Too, saucy sisters Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat love eating, feeding, entertaining and dishing up easy recipes and forkin’ fun at BiteMeMore.com.