Do you have your copy of Make Mine Wine from last Spring?
Remember the gorgeous cover shot of our Quick Spring Brunch? Chef Shelli McConnell created this delicious and satisfying meal for Make Mine Wine readers — to be served with a selection of light wines from Midwest Wine Counry. Recreate the brunch for your happy guests — or select one or two of our featured recipes to add to your own Spring menu.
Following are recipes for Brunch for 8: Mixed Berry Salad, Prosciutto-Asparagus Eggs Benedict, Coconut-Orange Caramel Rolls and Country-Style Potato Casserole.
Mixed Berry Salad
8 cups baby spinach or mesclun
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries and/or raspberries and blueberries
1/3 cup bottled berry poppy seed salad dressing or berry vinaigrette salad dressing
1/2 cup purchased glazed walnuts, chopped, or chopped toasted walnuts
2 ounces Gorgonzola or blue cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup) (optional)
In a large bowl, combine spinach and berries. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to combine. Transfer mixture to a large serving platter or divide among 8 salad plates. Sprinkle with walnuts and Gorgonzola, if desired. Makes 8 servings.
Prosciutto-Asparagus Eggs Benedict
1 1.25-ounce envelope hollandaise sauce mix
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
8 eggs
24 spears fresh asparagus
4 English muffins, split
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or very thinly sliced ham
2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill
1. Prepare sauce mix according to package directions. Stir in lemon peel. Cover and keep warm.
2. To poach eggs, lightly grease a large skillet.* Half-fill the skillet with water. Add vinegar. Bring water to boiling; reduce heat to simmering. Break one of the eggs into a custard cup. Carefully slide the egg into the simmering water, holding the edge of the cup as close to the water as possible. Repeat with three more eggs, allowing an equal amount of space between each egg.
3. Simmer eggs, uncovered, for 2 to 4 minutes or until the whites are completely set and the yolks begin to thicken. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs and place them in a large shallow baking pan with warm water to keep the eggs warm. Repeat with remaining eggs.
4. Meanwhile, snap base ends from asparagus. In a medium skillet, cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside.
5. Place the English muffin halves, split sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat about 2 minutes or until evenly toasted. Top each muffin half with prosciutto, folding as needed to fit. Broil about 1 minute more or until the prosciutto is heated.
To serve, top each prosciutto-topped muffin with three asparagus spears (arranged in a triangle) and an egg; spoon on hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with dill. Makes 8 servings.
*Note: Or, use an egg poaching pan and follow manufacturer’s directions for poaching eggs.
Coconut-Orange Caramel Rolls
9 frozen cinnamon swee-roll dough spirals
2 teaspoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup coconut
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping*
1 tablespoon orange juice
1. Grease a large baking sheet with shortening. Place frozen rolls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight to let dough thaw.
2. Remove rolls from refrigerator; let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Using a pastry brush, generously coat twelve 2 ½-inch muffin cups with the 2 teaspoons softened butter. Divide almonds and coconut evenly among muffin cups.
3. In a small shallow bowl, stir together melted butter and orange peel. Place sugar in another shallow bowl.
4. Using kitchen scissors or a serrated knife, cut each roll into four pieces. Dip each roll piece in melted butter and then roll in sugar. Arrange three roll pieces in each muffin cup.
5. In a small glass measure, stir together caramel topping and orange juice. Drizzle topping over each roll.
6. Place muffin cups on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven about 22 minutes or until rolls are puffed and golden. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 minute. Using hot pads, carefully place the baking sheet on top of the muffin cups. Carefully invert muffin pan to release rolls onto the baking sheet. Using a spatula, scrape out any topping that remains in pan and spread on rolls. Serve warm. Makes 12 rolls.
*Note: Use a good-quality caramel topping as they are slightly thicker.
Country-Style Potato Casserole
2 1/2 pounds round red potatoes
1 8-ounce container dairy sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Crème Topping (optional) (below)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Wash and cut each potato in half. In a covered large saucepan, cook potatoes in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Use a colander to drain potatoes and return potatoes to saucepan. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes. Add sour cream, melted butter, and salt to potatoes. Using a spatula, gently fold potatoes to combine.
2. Transfer mixture to a greased 2-quart square baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
3. To serve, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven about 30 minutes or until heated through. Cut into rectangles. If desired, serve with Crème Topping and black pepper.
Crème Topping: In a small bowl, stir together 2/3 cup dairy sour cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Stir before serving. Makes 8 servings.
Add some dessert cookies — or cake. Delicious!
To make it easy on yourself — follow this simple menu countdown:
The night before
-Remove roll dough from freezer. Thaw overnight as directed in recipe.
-Prepare Country-Style Potato Casserole as directed, except do not bake. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.
-Stir together the Creme Topping for the potatoes. Cover and chill.
Two hours ahead
-For the Mixed Berry Salad, combine the salad and/or mesclun and berries. Cover adn chill.
One hour ahead
-Prepare and bake Coconut-Orange Caramel Rolls.
-Uncover the potato casserole and bake.
Just before serving
-Drizzle the salad with dressing and toss. Top with teh nuts and Gorgonzola cheese, if desired.
-Stir the topping for the potatoes.
-Prepare Prosciutto-Asparagus Eggs Benedict
The Wine!
Our wine recommendations are: A Real Sweetie, a muscato-style wine, from Tabor Homes Vineuyard and Winery’s (Baldwin, IA) estate LaCross grape; Summerset Winery’s (Indianola, IA) sparkling Festiva (similar to Asti Spummate) and Sweet Cheeks, fresh and fruity, from Rosey Acres Winery (Runnels, IA.) Local wineries have wonderful light spring wines … so choose your favorite!
Cheers!
Barbara Rasko
Publisher
Make Mine Wine
www.MakeMineWinemagazine.com
Make Mine Wine Magazine 