Breakfast used to my least favorite meal. One I could easily do without. Long before McDonald's decided having breakfast menu items available all day was a 'genius' idea, my opinion of and craving for breakfast foods made a dramatic shift. Before the proverbial breakfast pendulum swung back to a midpoint, I went through a period where all I wanted to eat at every meal were breakfast foods, particularly pancakes, with or without blueberries, slathered in butter. While I am quite certain I will never tire of pancakes, there are a few other breakfast dishes that make for a perfect start to the day. And particularly the holiday.
So here are eight of my absolute favorites. Two of them (the Baked Praline French Toast Casserole and the Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole) can be completely assembled the night before and put into the oven while everyone is opening their gifts. The Pancakes (with or without blueberries) and the Swedish Pancakes come together easily and quickly. If you don't want to make your own crust, use a refrigerated pie dough crust for the quiche. The dough for the Liège Waffles needs to be made the night before, but they are relatively easy to make in the morning. Trust me when I say the effort you put into making these waffles pales in comparison to the giddiness everyone will experience when you taste them. (Psst, there's still time to ask for a Waffle Maker for Chrismukkah if you don't have one!) You can make the egg dishes while everyone is cleaning up the wrapping paper mess and/or reading the directions for those gifts requiring set-up or assembly. In other words, with a little pre-planning, everyone can have an incredibly delicious, memorable, perfect 'Martha Stewart, Ina Garten, Norman Rockwell-esq' start to the day holiday breakfast. In fact, it could be one of the best, most appreciated gifts you will give your friends and family over the holidays. In case you don't get the 'gift' reactions you hoped for (or the 'gift' you wished for), consider a great breakfast the back-up plan to not only help you take a deep breath and let it go, but one bringing some incredible, much needed joy (and peace) to your soul. Food, especially great breakfast food, has a way of making everything better.
