Tag Archives: brunch

“Breakfast at Midnight” Brunch Charcuterie Board for New Year’s Eve

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This post is sponsored by Wildgrain.

My goal for 2023 is to “Eat More Brunch” . . . and I’m starting now with this “Breakfast at Midnight” snacking board. It’s so perfect for our stay-at-home New Year’s Eve celebration. I’m not a fan of going out on this crazy night and would rather stay at home in my PJs and eat my favorite foods – and a breakfast grazing board pretty much covers all the favorite comfort food bases!

With help from Wildgrain Box (more details below), I made this gorgeous grazing board overflowing with beautiful brunch and breakfast trimmings. To balance my board nutritionally, I like to offer an array of nibbles and noshes.

This is a must make for your breakfast and brunch celebration. – or anytime of day!

Ideas for Your Breakfast or Brunch Charcuterie Tray

Eggs: Deviled eggs, sous-vide egg bites, slices of quiche, egg salad, or simple slices of hard-boiled egg.

Meats: Bacon, breakfast sausages, chunks of steak, and traditional charcuterie meats such as salami, prosciutto and summer sausage.

Cheese: Your favorite cheese cut in “cracker stacker” form, along mini wedges of bold cheese like blue cheese, and spreadable cheese and even a ooey-gooey baked brie.

Seasonal Fruit:  All the beautiful fruits you love, avocados and tomatoes too for sandwich building. 

Dried Fruits and Nuts

Butter, Honey, Jams, Spreads

Artisan Breads, Pastries, Crackers: Sourdough sliced for breakfast sandwich making, biscuits, pastries, donut holes, muffins, crackers and more!  I even added homemade cottage fries with this brunch board.

Croissants from Wildgrain are magnifique! For a limited time, new orders get a FREE 4-pack with each shipment for life.


When it comes to artisan breads and pastries, I’ll admit right here and now – I’m NOT a scratch baker (those croissants above would literally take ALL DAY from scratch, but only 18-22 minutes the Wildgrain way)!  Wildgrain Box to sends me other baking championship-worthy items – and no one is the wiser!  Wildgrain is an amazing subscription box that sends artisanal pastas, breads and pastries to my home that are frozen and ready to prepare in no more than 25 minutes!  

I transformed my Cranberry Orange Biscuits from Wildgrain into look-alike baby scones by cutting in half diagonally, giving an egg wash on top, and sprinkling with sugar crystals.

All the labor-intensive work has been done for me thanks to Wildgrain Box. The dough has been hand-prepped, the breads have been proofed, and the pastries given extra TLC. This means I save a ton of time and no extra mess is made at my house, lol!  I also appreciate that Wildgrain use clean, non-GMO ingredients and their fermentation process provides benefits you won’t find at the grocery store. Items are always shipped free in and eco-friendly box and recyclable stay-cold packaging. They also support small bakeries and responsible source products from some of the best bread and pasta makers in existence. With each bite, I can taste the talent and love these yummy delights.

BTW, you can save $10 on your first order with code THEFITFORK. Every month (pause or cancel at any time), I get a frozen shipment of tender pastas, artisan breads and pastries delivered to my door. 

Slow-fermented Olive Oil Ciabatta from Wildgrain is a winner with any meal. I sliced it up to use for breakfast sammies on my brunch board.

For New Year’s Eve . . . and beyond, keep Wildgrain in mind as your secret shortcut. One of my quick and east dinner solutions throughout the year (and to support my carb loading for longs runs, haha) are the artisan pastas from Wildgrain.  These fresh hand-cut pastas taste oh-so “old world,” yet only need to be plopped into boiling water for mere minutes. Add a sauce, some veggies, a protein – and boom-bam, it’s a nutritious meal in under 30 minutes!  

This No Cook Artichoke Fettuccini using Hand Cut Pasta from Wildgrain  is a quick and easy meal to incorporated into your healthy new year!

Whip up a fresh fit meal in minutes with this easy, no-cook pasta sauce that features tomatoes, marinated artichokes, garlic and feta cheese - plus a little EVOO. It's tossed with hot noodles that warms it up! A delicious summer dinner! Used pasta from the Wildgrain subscription box, save $30 with code THEFITFORK at http://bit.ly/Wildgrain
Artisan bread, pastas and pastries in the the Wildgrain subscription box, save $30 with code THEFITFORK at http://bit.ly/Wildgrain

SNEAK PEEK: 

 January 2023 Wildgrain Mixed Box

  • Plain Sourdough Load
  • Cranberry Pecan Sourdough Loaf
  • Spelt Sourdough Loaf
  • Fettuccine Pasta
  • Tonnarelli Pasta
  • Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookes
  • + Free Croissants

 January 2023 Bakery Box: 

  • Plain Sourdough Loaf
  • Cranberry Pecan Sourdough Loaf
  • Spelt Sourdough Loaf
  • English Muffins
  • Slow-Fermented Brioche Rolls (likely but not confirmed)
  • Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookes
  • + Free Croissants

Oh yeah, did I mention that every subscription of a Wildgrain Bread Box started now through January gets a free 4-pack of croissants sent with EVERY box shipment for LIFE. There are no words to describe how good they are! Remember to use my Wildgrain coupon code to save $10 — THEFITFORK

Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole with Pecan-Oat Crumble

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Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole with Pecan-Oat Crumble topping is a scrumptiously seasonal dish for upcoming holiday breakfasts and brunches.

Treat your holiday crowd this delicious pumpkin spice breakfast bake inspired by French toast! A crusty loaf of sourdough soaks up all the goodness and a pecan-oat streusel like topping adds extra yum and then some! Make it ahead, stick in fridge overnight and bake in the morning for brunch

Throw it together the night before you plan to serve and keep this make-ahead breakfast casserole in the fridge until ready to bake and serve. This takes so much stress out of a busy morning when hosting guests or just otherwise have a lot on your proverbial plate.

Pumpkin spice everything is LIFE this time of year, and using a pumpkin pie spice blend and already pureed pumpkin from a can minimizes the steps and adds convenience to putting together a holiday brunch recipes. A Wildgrain subscription box is another way to simplify and add convenience to your holiday entertaining and recipe plans.

Artisan bread, pastas and pastries in the the Wildgrain subscription box, save $10 with code THEFITFORK at http://bit.ly/Wildgrain

 Wildgrain is a delicious bread subscription box that also delivers artisanal pastas, pastries all kinds of breads (made with clean, nutritious ingredients) to your door that are frozen and ready to prepare in a flash – no more than 25 minutes from freezer door opening to your mouth opening for the first bite! I love to cook, but baking from scratch is a whole ‘nutha skill set and patience level, so I’m happy to let Wildgrain come to my rescue this holiday season when there is already more than enough “to-dos” on my list!

Save $10 on artisan bread, pastas and pastries Use code: THEFITFORK http://bit.ly/Wildgrain

For this pumpkin breakfast casserole, I used the plain sourdough loaf in my box. Wildgrain bakers start with wild yeast to made the sourdough starter which takes days from start to finish and provides nutrients such as fiber-rich bran, proteins, probiotics, and vitamin-rich germ. The exterior of this loaf bakes up fabulously crusty and audibly crunchy while the interior is soft and tender with that old-school sourdough zip. So good! 

When making a French toast casserole, it typically usually turns out best with bread a tad on the stale side so that it better soaks up the milk-egg mixture like a sponge.

With a fresh-baked loaf, the easy work around is to cut up in bite-sized cubes and leave on the counter uncovered for a couple hours.

Check out the No-Cook Tomato Artichoke Pasta made using one of Wildgrain’s hand-cut pastas! This was a quick and simple summer-inspired dish I created but would also be great for the holiday season, to bring to a party or serve at home on one of those busy nights when everything’s happening at once.

Treat your holiday crowd this delicious pumpkin spice breakfast bake inspired by French toast! A crusty loaf of sourdough soaks up all the goodness and a pecan-oat streusel like topping adds extra yum and then some! Make it ahead, stick in fridge overnight and bake in the morning for brunch
Pin this for later!

Let me know what you think about this pumpkin spice breakfast casserole and don’t forget to check out Wilgrain. Use code THEFITFORK to save $10 on your first box (AND, if you sign up now, they will treat you to a free 4-pack of croissants with each and every box you have delivered for life – and these croissants ARE AMAZING, we were fighting over the last one at my house!!!)

5 from 3 votes
Treat your holiday crowd this delicious pumpkin spice breakfast bake inspired by French toast! A crusty loaf of sourdough soaks up all the goodness and a pecan-oat streusel like topping adds extra yum and then some! Make it ahead, stick in fridge overnight and bake in the morning for brunch
Print
Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole with Pecan-Oat Crumble Topping
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

Treatyour holiday crowd this delicious pumpkin spice breakfast bake inspired byFrench toast! A crusty loaf of sourdough soaks up all the goodness and apecan-oat streusel like topping adds extra yum and then some! Make it ahead,stick in fridge overnight and bake in the morning for brunch

Course: Breakfast, brunch
Keyword: entertaining, fall, holiday, make ahead
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 16- ounce loaf sourdough bread I used plain sourdough loaf from Wilgrain
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree from can
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
CRUMB TOPPING
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 6 tablespoons butter cold
  • 3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans*
  • Optional topping ideas: maple syrup caramel sauce, or powdered sugar drizzle
Instructions
  1. Cut or tear loaf into approximate 1” cubes. Stale bread soaks up the egg mixture better, so if loaf is fresh-baked, let the bread cubes sit on counter uncovered for a few hours.
  2. Spray a 10”-diameter oven-proof skillet or 9”×13” inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Add bread cubes to skillet or dish.
  4. In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice together. Pour mixture evenly over bread.
  5. Cover skillet and chill in fridge for 2 hours or more (even overnight) so that bread absorbs as much of the egg-pumpkin mixture as possible.
  6. Prepare topping by tossing brown sugar, oats, and pumpkin pie spice. Cut cold butter in little cubes and, using a fork or pastry cutter, mash around until mixture is coarsely combined and crumbly. Do not add topping until ready to bake (also keep in fridge until ready).
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  8. Sprinkle pecan-oat crumb topping evenly over casserole and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Then, cover skillet with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until center appears set. Total bake time is about 45 minutes.
  9. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. If desired, drizzle with a sauce such as maple syrup, caramel sauce, or a simple powdered sugar-milk drizzle.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake

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Love a hearty, hot meal in the morning, like one of my favorite make-ahead breakfast casseroles – Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake. Wholesome goodness baked up in a 9”x13” dish, ready to cut into satisfying, satiating, super scrumptious squares.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Lots of protein (21g per serving) and enough carbs to give me some get-up and go, but not be “over the top.” I rely on (thawed) frozen hash brown potatoes to give me that delicious energy I need for my runs and workouts. Eggs and cheese (boosted by some blended cottage cheese) add extra protein power along with the ground chicken breast. Plus, SO MUCH flavor from roasted Hatch green chilies – I just love them!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO TUTORIAL ON PINTEREST HERE!

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Pin this for later!!

No surprise, I love these mild to medium (some varieties hot) peppers from the hallowed grounds of New Mexico. I’ve written a lot of blog posts on Hatch Green Chile recipes and tips (here’s a useful post) – and I’ve also been the champion of a Hatch Green Chile Cookoff here in Austin, Texas. A recent Hatch Green Chile recipe is 15 minute Baked Shrimp in Hatch Green Chile Sauce.

These green chiles are definitely a fan favorite for their earthy bite that doesn’t burn too much (really some are quite mild, which I think works well to compliment the flavors of both chicken and eggs). When hatch peppers aren’t in season (August – September), I rely on the Hatch Green Chile Store to quell my cravings!

Beef Egg Potato Bake Breakfast Casserole - TheFitFork.com
  • This chicken green chile casserole recipe was inspired by one of my most popular and best breakfast casserole recipes – Barn-raiser Beef & Egg Bake, a real winner that has been featured in Taste of Home and also on the Hallmark Home & Family Show.

Of course, I changed this Hatch Green Chicken Egg Bake up a bit to be a super star in its own right, but recipe concept is very similar – create a base of thawed frozen hash browns in casserole dish, pour over a mixture of cooked ground meat, veggies, etc., and then pour over an egg-milk-cheese mixture that soaks down through all the layers to create a tender but firm casserole that cuts nicely into squares that hold their shape.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Layer up in a 9″x 13″ casserole dish and bake 60 minutes.

Big enough to serve a crowd at brunch, but this breakfast egg bake with green chiles can also be cooled and frozen in single-serving portions. Then, either defrost overnight in the fridge (or on “defrost” in the microwave) before re-heating for about 60 seconds on high in microwave.

Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Per serving: 304 calories, 16g carbs, 16g fat, 21g protein!!! It will keep you filled up for a while without busting your calorie budget.

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5 from 3 votes
Chicken Egg Bake: This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb -- 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Print
Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
cool
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb — 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.

Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: chicken, egg, make ahead, meal prep
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 304 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 lb. ground chicken breast
  • 1 oz. packet chicken taco season mix like McCormick’s
  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 cups fresh spinach coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped roasted green chiles Hatch Green Chili Store
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro divided
  • 14 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese or blended cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
  • 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes thawed
  • ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Heat large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil and onions, sauté for 1 minute. Add ground chicken breast and brown, crumbling into small pieces, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through well. The chicken is low-fat, so there will be nothing to drain.
  3. Stir in water and taco seasoning, stir over heat to combine.
  4. Add, chopped green chiles, chopped spinach and 3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro to skillet, stir over heat until spinach wilted.
  5. Whisk together eggs, milk and ricotta cheese (or blended cottage cheese).
  6. Stir 2/3 of shredded Monterey Jack cheese into egg mixture (reserve remainder)
  7. Place shredded hash browns in bottom of 9” x 13” casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.
  8. Spoon chicken taco mixture evenly over hash browns.
  9. Pour egg mixture over taco mixture.
  10. Top with remaining cheese.
  11. Bake for 50 minutes or until center set.
  12. Let cook 5 minutes before slicing into 12 squares.
  13. For meal prep, portions may be frozen in airtight container and then defrosted and reheated, as needed.
Recipe Notes

This post contains affiliate links.

Sheet Pan Chile Lime Spiralized Hash Browns

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Sheet Pan Chile Lime Spiralized Hash Browns are baked, not fried, and make a yummy potato side dish for any meal of the day!

[Sheet Pan] Spiralized Chili-Lime Hash Browns . . . and easy, economical and nutritious potato side dish for any meal of the day! And, oh yeah, AMAZINGLY delicious.

Easy, economical, and a nutritious food choice to fuel an active lifestyle – plus bonus, this fun sheet pan hash brown recipes is a big hit with the entire family. The added flavor comes from a simple drizzle and toss with butter, olive oil, and spices before baking.

Making this sheet pan recipe is a time and sanity saver. There is NO standing over a hot, grease-spitting skillet flipping hash brown patties one by one.  

Plus, it’s fun to prep potatoes using a spiralizer to make long, twisty potato strands – get the kids to help with this portion of the chili lime hash browns.

[Sheet Pan] Spiralized Chili-Lime Hash Browns . . . and easy, economical and nutritious potato side dish for any meal of the day! And, oh yeah, AMAZINGLY delicious.
Pin this for later!

Also, check out my Pinterest Story for video step-by-step.

Pro Tip #1: If you don’t have a spiralizer (I love my spiralizer attachment for the Kitchenaid Mixer), a similar result can be achieved with an inexpensive manual spiralizer, shredding potatoes with a food processor, or grating with a simple box grater. That last box grater option will give you an arm workout too!

Pro Tip #2: After spiralizing or grating, rinse off potatoes in a bowl of cold water to remove the excess starches. You can skip this step, but the potatoes will be gloppy and less crispy (but still taste just fine).

Pro Tip #3: Line the baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. This recipe will stick to pan otherwise.

Pro Tip #4: You can adjust the chili spice level up or down depending on the preference of your family.

Pro Tip #5: Use an approximate 10” x 15” rimmed baking sheet and don’t overfill it.  Use the amount of potatoes called for in the spiralized potato recipe. Too many spiralized potato strands and the hash browns will not bake up crispy.

Pro Tip #6: Don’t try to flip or stir the potatoes during baking. They WILL get crispy on top and bottom and lining the pan with parchment will keep them from sticking.  

Pro Tip #7: Sheet pan potato recipes like these spiralized chili lime hash browns are very versatile and work for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner!

[Sheet Pan] Spiralized Chili-Lime Hash Browns . . . and easy, economical and nutritious potato side dish for any meal of the day! And, oh yeah, AMAZINGLY delicious.
Served for dinner with squash and shredded chicken.

Reduce food waste by roasting the “potato butts” that are remnants after spiralizing. They look so funny, but taste just as yummy!

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission on sales, however price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset expenses to keep The Fit Fork going! Thank you!

Sheet Pan Spiralized chili Lime Hash Browns make an easy, economical and delicious side dish for any meal -- breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
Print
Sheet Pan Spiralized Chile Lime Hash Browns
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Course: Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Side Dish
Keyword: potatoes, sheet pan, side dish
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. Russet potatoes washed
  • 3 Tbsp. butter melted
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

  2. Grate or spiralize potatoes with skin left on.

  3. Dunk prepped potatoes in cold water, drain, and pat dry on a dish cloth.

  4. Line approx 10"x15" rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. Spread out potatoes on pan.

  5. In bowl, melt butter and stir in olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt and garlic powder, parsley. Drizzle over potatoes and toss around with spoon or hands. Spread potatoes back out into even layer.

  6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (WITHOUT stirring or flipping), or until browning. If you would like them extra, extra crispy, turn OFF oven and let pan sit in oven for another 10-15 minutes.

Apple-Pecan Quinoa Oat Breakfast Bake – Gluten-free, Dairy-free

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Hello, and welcome to possibly to the one millionth flavor combination of my beloved morning meal — Apple-Pecan Quinoa Oat Breakfast Bake. While it’s a traditional flavor pairing with apples, pecans, raisins, cinnamon, and hints of vanilla, the baked oatmeal base is a bit unique as it co-mingles with the ancient “grain,” quinoa.

apple pecan quinoa oat bake tray meal prep

About 10 years ago, when I discovered that steel cut oats and quinoa cook up to the perfect, soft but slightly toothsome texture in the SAME amount of time, I started making these healthy grain breakfast bakes like an starved and obsessed woman. With every batch, a different combination of flavors (like the last was Pumpkin Peanut Butter Quinoa Oat Bake) – always delicious and great to cook ahead to have a balanced breakfast on had for busy mornings. Continue reading →