By Chef Danie Rodriguez //
Welcome, spring! The flowers are blooming and the trees are budding and it is a beautiful time of year. What better season to celebrate one of the most beautiful people in our lives: Mom.
Mother’s Day is the one day we celebrate the person who will always love us no matter what, so why not treat her to a delicious brunch for her special day. Spoil her with Bananas Foster French Toast, Bacon and Spinach Frittata and my special Beignets. Serve with her favorite fresh-brewed coffee and a few mimosas, and mom will be one happy woman.
This brunch would be good any time of the year and for any occasion even if it is just Saturday morning with the family. Try the recipes together or try one at a time but either way, you will surely enjoy them.
You can reach Chef Danie at chefdaniecooks@ yahoo.com. Follow her on Facebook, at chefdaniecooks.wix.com/chefdaniecooks and chefdaniecooks.blogspot.com for more recipes.
CHEF DANIE’S FRITTATA
3 whole eggs
2 yolks
1 pie crust
1 1⁄2 c heavy cream
1 c cheese (Gruyere, Cheddar, fontina)
2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves
6 slices of cooked bacon crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste.
Unroll pie crust into a pie plate. Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake crust in oven alone for approximately 3 minutes. Blend eggs, cream, yolks, cheese, bacon, spinach, salt and pepper in a mixer and pour into partially baked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until center still soft but not still liquid. Let rest for 5 min before cutting.
BANANAS FOSTER FRENCH TOAST
2 baguettes sliced into 1 in rounds
1⁄4 c milk
1⁄2 c brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
1⁄4 c rum
2 eggs
3 bananas sliced
1 1⁄2 t vanilla
4T butter
In a bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla and set aside. In a saucepan on medium heat, add 2 T butter, bananas and brown sugar and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from flame and add rum to pan. Return to flame using caution if flame ignites. Allow alcohol to burn off. Serve over French toast.
French Toast
Warm a saucepan on medium heat and melt 2T butter. Dip sliced bread into egg mixture on both sides and brown each side of the toast on the pan with the melted butter. Approximately 1 min on each side. Be careful not to burn. Serve toast topped with the bananas foster.
CHEF DANIE’S BEIGNETS
3 c self rising flour
1⁄4 t baking soda
2 t sugar
Powdered sugar for dusting
1⁄2 c buttermilk
1 c whole milk
1 t salt
Deep pan filled with pomace oil for frying
Mix all ingredients together in mixing bowl to make dough that can be rolled out to about 1⁄4 inch thick. Cut dough into squares and fry in hot oil until slightly browned on each side. Serve warm dusted with powdered sugar.