mmmMother’s Day Brunch: Celebrate Your Mom

In case you forgot, Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12th. But, of course you didn’t forget because you are a wonderful child who appreciates everything your mother has done for you, and you would never take her undying love for granted.

…Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12^th.

Sure, you could take Mom to a fancy brunch somewhere and wait in line with everyone else only to receive subpar service due to the vast number of mothers needing to be pampered.

Or, you could show a little initiative and plan your own brunch for Mom in the comfort of your home where you’re free to lavish praise and love on the only mother who matters – yours.

Moms like it when their kids make an effort to prepare something for them – Remember that glitter-soaked macaroni necklace she actually wore in public? That wasn’t because of your incredible craftmanship or keen eye for fashion, she wore it because she was proud of you for trying! And she’ll be just as proud of the Mother’s Day brunch you make for her, especially if it involves fire, meat, and a cocktail, or two, or three!

We’ve put together some mouthwatering meals for your mama that’ll have her singing your praises to her book club for months to come! And not just because you tried, but because it was so delicious and filling that you all fell asleep on the couch together just like y’all used to do after big family meals.

Smoked Sausage & Potato Breakfast Stack
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 package frozen hash browns
• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 package Meyer’s Jalapeño & Cheese Texas Sausage
• 1 cup shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 ripe tomato, sliced
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Carefully add frozen potatoes once oil is hot. Evenly spread potatoes in the pan. Cook five minutes. Turn over potatoes and cook for another three to five minutes, or until crispy or golden brown.
2. While cooking the hash browns, half the sausages, cutting lengthwise. Fill skillet with ½” of water, add sausage and cook at low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.
3. When the hash browns are ready, divide into four servings. Add ¼ cup of the shredded cheese on top of the hash brown servings. Place hot sausage slices on top of the cheese. Top each serving with a sliced tomato.
4. As the cheese melts, cook eggs according to your mother’s preference. Place the cooked egg (over easy, sunny side up, or scrambled) on top of the tomato. Finish with scallions and black pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately.

Smoked Sausage & Cheesy Grits Casserole 

Serves 6

Ingredients

• ½ Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ package Meyer’s Original Texas Sausage, sliced
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups quick-cooking grits
• ½ cup milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° and spray an 11″ x 7″ baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add sliced sausage and sauté for two minutes.
3. Add red bell pepper and onion, and sauté three minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring water and chicken broth to a boil. Add salt and slowly stir in grits. Simmer grits for five minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Whisk together milk, eggs, and garlic powder in a medium bowl. To temper the eggs, slowly stir in 1 cup of the hot grits. Then pour milk and grits mixture into the saucepan with the remainder of the grits. Stir well until combined.
6. Add parmesan cheese and ½ of the cheddar cheese, stirring well. Add the sausage mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top.
7. Pour into greased baking dish and bake 45 minutes.

Breakfast Brisket Biscuits (say that 5 times fast!)
Serves 8

Ingredients

Brisket

• 2 large yellow onions, sliced into thick half moon shapes
• 3 pounds Meyer’s beef brisket
• Freshly ground black pepper and coarse kosher salt
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Biscuit (you will need parchment paper)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold salted butter, cut into small cubes, plus 2 Tablespoons melted to brush on the biscuits
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Horseradish Cream

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
• 3 Tablespoons freshly grated horseradish (to taste)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Freshly cracked black pepper and coarse salt to taste
• dash of Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Your Meyer’s brisket comes fully cooked, but for this recipe, feel free to throw it in a slow cooker to deconstruct it. To make the brisket, season both sides of meat generously with salt and pepper. Place in the slow cooker and top with sliced onions and garlic cloves. Pour in the beef stock to cover about 2/3 to 3/4 of the meat. Add the Worcestershire sauce.
2. Cover and cook for six to eight hours (the longer the better.) Flip the meat once or twice while baking but keep the slow cooker lid on as much as possible.
3. Remove the cooked brisket from the cooker and shred with a fork. Top with cooked onions and a few garlic cloves if you prefer.
4. Before assembling the sandwiches, allow to cool slightly.
5. Making the biscuits, place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400° F. Using parchment paper, line the baking sheet and set aside.
6. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using your fingers, quickly work the butter into the dry ingredients until some butter bits are the size of oat flakes, and some the size of small peas. We are striving to have chunks of cold butter in our dough.
7. In a small bowl or 8-ounce glass measuring cup, combine egg and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork.
8. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture, adding all the egg mixture at once. Stir into a “shaggy” mixture (well-mixed and lumpy and no dry pieces of flour).
9. Using a lightly floured board, turn dough out and use a floured rolling pin to gently roll the dough into a into a 1″ thick oval. With the short end of the dough facing you, fold the dough over until the edge of the dough meets the center of the dough. Fold the top edge of the dough towards the center over the first fold. Gently roll the dough into a 1″ oval and repeat the folding process again.
10. After the second fold, again roll the dough out to a 1-inch thickness and use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut into biscuits. Press in any dough scraps to make extra biscuits out of the remaining dough.
11. Place 1″ apart on the prepared baking sheet and lightly brush with melted butter.
12. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
13. To make the horseradish cream: in a small bowl stir together sour cream, fresh horseradish, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the dash of Worcestershire sauce. Stir well; cover and refrigerate before serving.
14. To assemble the sandwiches, cut a warm biscuit in half. Top the bottom layer generously with horseradish cream. Layer on brisket and a few onions. Add the poached egg and then the biscuit top. Enjoy!

Polenta & BBQ Chicken Topped with a Fried Egg
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup Meyer’s Original BBQ Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound (1 tube) polenta, cut into eight slices
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 4 large eggs

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine chicken, Meyer’s BBQ Sauce, and cilantro; heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil at medium-high heat. Add polenta; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Set aside on a serving plate and keep warm.
3. In the same pan, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Break eggs, one at a time, into pan. Reduce to low heat. Cook until desired doneness, and if preferred, turn after whites are set. Serve over polenta with chicken mixture.

Sausage Waffle Casserole
Serves 4

Ingredients

• ½ packet Meyer’s beef Texas sausage, chopped
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 green onions sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 (12 ounce) package (10 waffles) frozen homestyle waffles cut into 1-inch cubes
• maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In an oven-safe 10″ cast iron skillet, cook chopped sausage over medium heat.
3. Once cooked, drain the fat, leaving a small amount to grease the pan, so food doesn’t stick, and then set aside.
4. Whisk together in a large bowl: eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir in green onions, cheese, waffle cubes, and cooked sausage.
6. Pour into the oven-safe skillet and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, cover with tin foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.
8. Serve with your favorite maple syrup, and your favorite mom!