Would fresh fruit chunks be doable? Those who have already overindulged this season might appreciate it!

I'm with fori, fresh fruit plate. Or a basket of assorted muffins.

A couple of my favorites that I think are awesome - the Sue's crumb cake is enough to feed an army. The other two don't need to be served piping hot - warm or room temp is fine, since you have to travel.

Simpler Times French Toast (David - Lakeguy)
Chef & Innkeeper Cindy Belford, Simpler Times Inn, Grand Lake O'the Cherokees

8 cups sweet French bread in 1" cubes
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups milk or Half & Half
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar

Put bread in large bowl. Whip eggs, sugar and nutmeg until light in color and thick. Add milk, stir and pour over bread. Cover and place in fridge overnight.

In the morning, mix cup blueberries into bread and put in greased pan; sprinkle balance of blueberries on top, then pecans. In pan, melt butter and brown sugar until bubbly. Pour mixture over blueberries and pecans.
Bake at 325 til puffed and brown - one hour.

Marlen's Pull Apart Bacon Bread

1 pkg (10 oz) bacon
3/4 c green pepper, chopped
3/4 onion, chopped
3 tubes (7-1/2 oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/2 c (2oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings. Crumble and set aside. In bacon drippings (or vegetable oil) cook green pepper and onion until tender. Cut biscuits in fourths and place in large bowl. Add sauteed vegetables, crisp bacon, margarine and cheese. Toss until thoroughly mixed. Place in a 10" tube pan coated with Pam. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Immediately invert onto serving plate. Serve warm.

CRUMB CAKE BY SUE
(from Sue/Cookingrvc)

1. Make Crumb mixture
2. Make Cake mix
3. Bake cake half way
4. Top with crumbs
5. Bake rest of the way
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

CRUMBS
1 lb butter or margarine
2 Tsps. Vanilla
4 Cups Flour
2 Tsps. Cinnamon
1 Cup White Sugar

In a large pot on the stove, melt the butter and add the vanilla and then mix in the remainder of the ingredients. Spread out with a large spoon and/or a spatula on a cookie sheet to dry out a little. Then make the cake.

1 Box of yellow cake mix.
Make according to recipe on the box.

Put the cake in a pan 11.5 inches by 17 inches.

Bake the cake half way through the baking time (according to the package directions - this will be about 15-20 minutes). Take the crumb mixture and, using a spatula, lift it off the cookie sheet in chunks and, using your hands, crumble it up into big crumbs and put the crumbs on the cake (this will be a little messy) and continue baking until the end of the baking time. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

Wait until the cake is completely cooled and dust generously with powdered sugar. Lots of powdered sugar!

BLINTZ SOUFFLE (JessyF)
1/2 Stick margarine or butter
6 fruit blintzes
6 cheese blintzes

1-1/2 Cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup orange juice (I used concentrated)
Preheat over to 350. Melt the margarine in a 9x13 glass pan. Place the blintzes in the pan, alternating cheese and fruit. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour them over the blintzes. Bake for 45 Â 60 minutes, or until browned. Serve immediately.
Note: The soufflé can be made ahead and frozen before baking. Do NOT bake ahead of time and reheat. All cheese or all fruit blintzes can be used. ---posted JessyF

I think fruit is a great idea!

Pineapple chunks, grapes, melon, strawberries (if you can find decent ones).
Or quiche.
Or bread pudding.
Or a plate of bacon and sausage.

Deanna "I love brunch" Kritch!

This one is easy, good, and will transport well. I think it will appeal to the kids too.

You could make it up, wrap in saran and transport or you mix the cheese and place in a plastic container and schmear the cheese on when you got there.

The Utmost Grilled Cheese -(Courtesy Of The Best Of Bridge)

1 loaf of french bread sliced lengthwise
2 Tbl prepared mustard
1 Cup cheddar grated
1 Cup jack cheese grated
1/4 Cup butter
1/2 Tsp "Wouster" sauce aka Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg
6 Slice bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions chopped

Spread each side of the loaf with mustard. Mix the remaining ingredients until well combined. Spread the mixture on the bread and broil unitl lightly browned and puffed. Cut into strips and serve immediately.

Love the idea of a French toast souffle but after all the eating this weekend I'd probably go for the fruit.

If you can use an oven when you get there, Gruyere Grits are a great brunch dish (recipe below). You can make ahead and then let them come to "room temperature" as you drive to your friend's house. However, if oven space will be at a premium, I vote for fruit as so many others have suggested.

Gruyere Grits

1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1 quart milk (whole milk!)
2 cups butter
1 cup of quick (not instant) grits
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400degrees. Bring milk and butter to a boil. Gradually add grits. Bring to a second boil. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix with electric mixer until creamy. Add grated gruyere cheese with a wooden spoon. Pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Can be made and refrigerated a day or so in advance. Let sit at room temp for about an hour before baking.

Note: Mixing with an electric mixer is not necessary. I only do it if the grits are lumpy.

bbstx, did I get this right on your recipe for the gruyere grits - 2 cups of butter!!! that's 4 STICKS. Even 2 sticks of butter would be decadent - and I'm a grits girl from the heart...

Beth

OMG, I just made this and it was so rich and buttery we could only have a tiny serving!! Okay, okay, just kidding ...

Thanks everyone! I ended up bringing a fresh fruit tart and it was the most-eaten dessert out of elaborate pastries, cookies, etc. Obviously not low-cal, but I think everyone pretended it was ;)