I used to have Christmas brunch but when I asked the kids which they would rather have a brunch or dinner they wanted the dinner. I would have biscuits and gravy, sausage, ham, bacon, french toast, pancakes, hash browns, cinnamon rolls, fruit, hot tea and cocoa and such. Of course there were other things they would bring like Christmas cookies. Sounds like fun to me.

Sue

I used to do a nice big piece of PeaMeal Bacon in the oven, cooked slow and tender with biscuits, hashbrown casserole, fruit, pastries and hot drinks. Then anything else that can be prepared ahead and served with it. We've done this twice over the years and I love it. Then we spent the rest of the day enjoying our gifts, watching old home movies and just relaxing and having fun. But then as the little ones grew older they wanted more time in their own homes so we switched to an evening meal so we could all get together at the same time.

Mush, just wondering, what is PeaMeal bacon? I've had Brunches, but I kept it pretty simple. A ham & cheese strata (sp?), fresh fruit, biscuits and juice. If there were a lot of adults, I've been known to serve Mimosas. My advice is, don't make it so elaborate that you work your self to afrazzle and don't have fun.

Just did a breakfast/brunch for 11 guests Sunday morning!

We had
- homemade Belgian waffles with toppings
- egg and sausage casserole
- ham souffle roll with Dijon parsley sauce
- apple french toast
- pecan cakes with raspberry-cranberry sauce

Everything but the waffles were made the day before and cooked that morning.

I love brunch. It takes care of two meals in one :-) This is my favorite brunch casserole.

Creme Brulee French Toast

1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Karo corn syrup

1 lb. loaf of French bread

5 eggs
1-1/2 c. half and half
1 tp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier (or OJ)
1/4 tsp,. salt

Melt butter, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan ovr medium heat. Pour into a 9x13" pan. Slice bread into 6 slices (I made 8 thick slices)and place on top of the sauce. Press together to fit. Whisk together eggs, hal and half, vanilla, Grand Marnier and salt. Pour ovr bread. Cover and chill 8-24 hours. Bake at 350 for about 49 minute4s or until puffy and brown.

With that I like to serve Jimmy Dean maple sausage links and a fruit salad. (I buy the jars of already peeled and sectioned orange and grapefruit and then add a can of pineapple chunks, sliced bananas and marachino cherries for color.

You might want to try this website--the recipes are from bed and breakfast inns all over the country.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bed and Breakfast Recipes

If you're going to have a busy morning and want to make ahead dishes these two recipes may work:

Egg and suasage casserole:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sausage-and-Egg-Casserole/Detail.aspx

Baked French Toast:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-French-Toast-2/Detail.aspx

You can do those with a fruit salad and some bacon.

Another brunch food I love is this spinach quiche (it my favorite quiche ever):
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-Quiche/Detail.aspx

Kids are often hard to please. Don't know their ages. If you need ideas for them... maybe monkey bread and regular scrabbled eggs, or just ham and cheese sandwiches.

Whoa, that recipe I posted should read 40 minutes, or until puffy and brown.

Last year I served fantastic shrimp and grits, Scotch eggs, ham and cheese biscuits and orange slices.

This year I'm gonna try this, it's a new recipe:

Easy EGGS BENEDICT CASSEROLE

6 English muffins
10-12 ounces Canadian bacon (2 packages, or use diced ham)
8 large eggs
2 cups reduced-fat milk (or whole milk)
1 teaspoon onion powder
cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon paprika
easy hollandaise sauce- (I just use package)
How to make it
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cut muffins into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.
Cut Canadian bacon into 1/2-inch squares. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs well in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk in milk and onion powder.
Spray a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking oil spray. Scatter half the Canadian bacon evenly in bottom of dish. Scatter muffin cubes on top of Canadian bacon. Top with the remaining Canadian bacon, scattering it evenly over the bread. Pour egg mixture over the casserole. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours, to let bread absorb egg mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove casserole from refrigerator and uncover it. Lightly sprinkle the paprika evenly over the top. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove dish from the oven, remove foil, return dish to the oven and continue to bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set and the bacon on top begins to crisp, about 20 minutes more. Remove the casserole from oven and let it stand 5 minutes before serving.
To serve, cut casserole into squares and place them on plates. Spoon about 2 tablespoons (or to taste) warm Hollandaise Sauce over each serving just before serving.
Makes 10 servings

Serve with pineapple casserole

Glenda, that sounds delicious! Gotta C&P that right now!

I've done this Christmas brunch for years. I love that the main dish needs to be prepared the day before, so I'm not spending all Christmas morning cooking.

Champagne and orange juice
Tahoe Brunch (recipe follows)
fresh fruit (orange slices, banana slices, pineapple, grapes, watermelon chunks, etc.)
banana nut bread
coffee cake

Tahoe Brunch
12 servings
Note: This recipe must be prepared 24 hours in advance.

12 slices white bread (crusts removed)
2-3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs. mild Italian sausage
3/4 to 1 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated
5 eggs
3 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Butter bread and set aside.
In a 10-12 inch skillet, melt the 1/2 cup butter and brown mushrooms and onions. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Cook sausage and cut into bite-size pieces.
Grease an 9x13 shallow casserole or baking dish.
Layer the bread, mushroom mixture, sausage and cheese. Mix eggs, milk, both mustards, nutmeg, 1 1/8 tsp. pepper. Pour over cheese. Cover and chill overnight.
Sprinkle with parsley and bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 1 hour until bubbly.