Dining in for Mother's Day

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Brunch has a lot going for it.It's late enough in the day that a little champagne is acceptable.It's early enough that you can enjoy a leisurely meal with time left in the day to relax and have a nice visit.The best part is that brunch foods are simple and delicious, said Georgeanne Brennan, author of "Brunch: Recipes for Cozy Weekend Mornings" (Fireside Books, $18.95, 127 pages).Brennan, who lives in Winters, Calif., is the author of several cookbooks and a regular contributor to Fine Cooking and Bon Appetit magazines.Brunch, she said, is the perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day, especially if you stay home and avoid the crowds at restaurants and hotels."Generally a brunch menu is simple," she said. "You need just a few dishes and not a lot of courses. The recipes I like best are also simple ones to prepare, often with steps that can be done ahead."Since you won't have a lot of time on the morning of the party, think in terms of do-ahead. Casseroles that can be popped into the oven as guests arrive are perfect. They free up your time while they bake, and most can be held at serving temperature for a few minutes if brunch starts a little late.A fruit salad is another great dish for brunch. Most fruit and dressings can be prepared the night before, then quickly tossed together just before serving.Typically, brunch foods are rich, so think light and simple when it comes to dessert. Cookies or chocolate-dipped strawberries are perfect and easily can be served long after the dishes have been cleared and everyone is having a last cup of coffee or tea."For Mother's Day, I would definitely begin with mimosa (champagne with orange juice)," said Brennan. "That immediately sets the tone that it is a special occasion. Plus, you have the advantage that everyone will enjoy relaxing with a glass of champagne before the meal, which gives you a few extra minutes in the kitchen."Brennan also suggests having a light appetizer for guests to munch on while you are cooking."I like to make toasted almonds, which I drizzle with a little olive oil and sea salt before toasting," she said. "I also make appetizers of little toasts spread with cream cheese blended with chopped green garlic and some black pepper. They are simple and easy for people to serve themselves."Eggs baked in ramekins are another wonderful dish for brunch because they can be assembled for cooking just before serving, and they are easy to serve."I always have a salad as well," said Brennan. "One of my favorites is a spinach salad with fresh strawberries, pine nuts and feta cheese sprinkled over the top."Special breads also are a nice touch. You can make nut breads or scones to serve with a favorite jam. Popovers are easy, but they do need to be served soon after baking. One trick with popovers is to cut a tiny slit in the sides when you take them out of the oven. That releases the steam and keeps them from deflating."Just try to do as much in advance as you can," said Brennan. "Set the table a day ahead using cuttings from your garden for centerpieces. That gives you extra time to concentrate on the food the day of the party. Whatever you do, it doesn't have to be fancy. Keep it simple, whether it's the decorations or the food. If you start with good ingredients that are in season, it will be wonderful."CITRUS SALADServes 4If you have them, blood oranges are a wonderful addition of color and flavor to this bright salad.This recipe is based on one in "Brunch: Recipes for Cozy Weekend Mornings" by Georgeanne Brennan.2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon fresh grapefruit juice1/2 teaspoon raspberry vinegar1/4 teaspoon sea salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper2 grapefruits3 oranges6 dates, pitted and cut lengthwise into thin slices1-1/2 cups arugula leaves1/4 cup blanched almondsCombine the olive oil, grapefruit juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, and mix well with a fork to make a vinaigrette.To prepare the citrus, working with one grapefruit at a time, use a sharp knife to cut off a slice from the top and bottom of the fruit to expose the flesh. Stand the grapefruit on a flat end and, following the curve of the fruit, cut away all the peel and white pith. Working over a bowl, cut along both sides of each segment to free it from the membrane and let it fall into the bowl. Repeat to section the oranges. Remove seeds from the citrus, then cut large segments in half.Using a slotted spoon, transfer the citrus segments to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Add half of the dates and the arugula leaves. Gently toss the ingredients to coat them with the vinaigrette.Divide the salad evenly among chilled salad plates, garnish with the remaining dates and the almonds and serve immediately.Note: The vinaigrette can be prepared a day ahead, and the citrus can be segmented at least four hours in advance.BAKED EGGS WITH SPINACHServes 4These eggs are easy to make and serve for a group. The recipe is based on one from "Brunch: Recipes for Cozy Weekend Mornings" by Georgeanne Brennan.2 tablespoons butter1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained2 slices of sourdough or French bread4 large eggs4 teaspoons heavy creamSalt, pepper and paprikaPreheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rub the inside of four 1/2-cup ramekins with a tablespoon of butter.Squeeze liquid from the thawed spinach. Place about 1/4 cup of spinach in each prepared ramekin, making a bed in the bottom. Dot each bed with 1/2 teaspoon of butter, cut into bits.Butter both sides of the bread slices, then cut each slice into four triangles. Stand two triangles in each ramekin so that they are leaning against the sides of the dishes with a point up.Break an egg into each ramekin. Sprinkle the eggs with a teaspoon of salt, plus pepper and paprika. Drizzle each egg with 1 teaspoon of cream. Arrange the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.Bake the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are firm around the edges and soft in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve while still hot.POPOVERS WITH GRUYERE CHEESEMakes 16The key to making popovers that won't deflate as soon as they come out of the oven is to cut a slit in the top while they are still hot. That releases the steam and allows the popovers to dry slightly inside.Popovers are not easy to reheat because they will flatten, so plan to take them out of the oven just before serving.2 cups all-purpose flour1-1/4 teaspoons salt2 cups whole milk4 large eggsNonstick vegetable oil spray1-1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)Place muffin pans in the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl to blend. Heat milk in small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until very warm, about 125 degrees.Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk warm milk into eggs. Gradually stir flour mixture into milk mixture just to blend (batter may still be slightly lumpy).Remove hot muffin pans from oven. Spray pans with nonstick spray. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 16 muffin cups. Top each with 1-1/2 tablespoons cheese. Bake until puffed and deep brown, about 40 minutes.Remove popovers from pan and immediately cut a slit in the top of each to release the steam. Serve immediately.BLUEBERRIES IN PUFF PASTRY SHELLSServes 6This recipe looks impressive, but it is easy to make with frozen puff pastry shells. The shells can be baked in advance, but you should assemble the tarts just before serving. The recipe is based on one from Pepperidge Farm.1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry shells1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen, thawed and drained3/4 cup sugar1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon water1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zestVanilla instant pudding, prepared according to package directionsSweetened whipped cream, optionalBake pastry shells according to package directions.Mix blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, water and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cover and refrigerate.Spoon about 1/4 cup of prepared pudding into each pastry shell. Top with a spoonful of the blueberry mixture. Add a dollop of whipped cream on top of each tart, if desired.GINGER SCONESMakes 8These scones are wonderful served with orange marmalade. You can make them in advance, but reheat them in a conventional oven instead of a microwave to keep them crispy. The recipe calls for candied (crystallized) ginger, which can be found in bulk bins in the produce sections of most supermarkets.The recipe is based on one from "Nancy Silverton's Pastries From the La Brea Bakery" by Nancy Silverton (Villard, $37.50, 416 pages).2-1/4 cups flour1/3 cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon baking powder1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen4-1/2 ounces candied or crystallized ginger, finely chopped into 1/4-inch pieces to equal 2/3 cup3/4 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing the tops of the sconesPreheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder, and pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the lemon zest and butter, and pulse on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is pale yellow and the consistency of fine meal.Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the ginger. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Using one hand, draw in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.Wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather it into a ball. Roll or pat the dough into a circle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out circles of dough. Gather the scraps, pat and press the pieces back together, and cut out the remaining dough. Place the scones 1 inch apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining cream.Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until the surface cracks and they are slightly browned.COCONUT ALMOND MACAROONSMakes 35These macaroons turn out crispy on the bottom, chewy in the middle. They can be drizzled with melted chocolate if you want to dress them up. The recipe is from Odense Pure Almond Paste.1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large egg whites), room temperature1 teaspoon almond extract7 ounces (one box) almond paste, grated2 cups powdered sugar1 14-ounce package sweetened flaked coconutMelted chocolate to drizzle over cookies, optionalPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment or foil.In a large bowl, beat egg whites and extract until firm, but not dry. In a separate bowl, beat the grated almond paste, sugar and coconut until it is the texture of small crumbs.Gently fold the two mixtures together. Drop by tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets, leaving about an inch of space between each cookie.Bake for 18 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and firm to the touch.Cool the cookies on wire racks. Decorate with melted chocolate if desired.(Contact Gwen Schoen at gschoen(at)sacbee.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)