Who said you have to barbeque on Labor Day? Certainly not ME!!! I love inviting friends over for an effortless Brunch. The best part is that your guests come early and leave early, making it an easy start to a very busy four-day week.
The beauty of this menu is that most of it may be prepared the day before and the refrigerator does all the work. What could be easier? Remember to set your table ahead of time and chill the Champagne…A great way to welcome in September, and celebrate Labor Day with a minimal amount of laboring.
Menu
Serves 4-6
Champagne with A Twist
Overnight French Toast
Dora’s Fruit Salad
Bacon*
*Recipe Not Given
Champagne with A Twist
1 bottle iced cold, excellent
quality champagne
1 pint raspberries or
fruit of your choice
1. Place 4 raspberries in
each glass.
2. Fill with champagne.
3. Sante!
Overnight French Toast
1 loaf Texas toast, or bread
of your choice
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup milk
2 tblsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Maple Syrup (optional)
1. Butter a souflee dish, or ovenproof dish of choice.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended, but not too bubbly. Pour some of mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Continue alternating bread and egg milk mixture until all are used. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
3. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Bake for 60 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.
Dora’s Fruit Salad
2 lbs. assorted fruit
Dora likes to use ripe
mangos, cut into cubes,
pitted cherries, cut in half,
grapes, cut in half,
blueberries, etc.
1 pint raspberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Pretty Bowl
1. Place orange juice in a mixing bowl. Add fruit of your choice and toss.
2. Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, toss.
3. Place in a “pretty bowl” and top with raspberries. (Tossing raspberries bruises them.)
Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 32-year old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties. For more photos and presentation ideas, follow Culinary Architect Catering on Facebook.
