Southern Brunch Pastry Puff Food

SOUTHERN BRUNCH PASTRY PUFF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheese, butter, pesto, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until blended., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and red pepper over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink and red pepper is tender, 4-6 minutes, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain., In a small bowl, whisk 6 of the eggs and the remaining salt and pepper until blended. Return sausage to skillet. Pour in the egg mixture; cook and stir until the eggs are thickened and no liquid egg remains., Unfold each of the puff pastry sheets onto a 12x10-in. sheet of parchment. Spread grits up to 1/2 in. from the edges. Spoon the sausage mixture over half of the grits on each pastry. Fold pastries over the sausage mixture to enclose; press the edges with a fork to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet., In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg and water; brush over pastries. If desired, top with additional ground pepper. Bake until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut each pastry into 4 pieces.

BRUNCH PUFF WITH SAUSAGE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk 6 eggs, milk, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until blended., In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture; cook and stir just until eggs are thickened and no liquid egg remains. Remove from heat., In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg with water. On a lightly floured surface, unfold one sheet of puff pastry and roll to a 10-in. square. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange ham over pastry to within 1 in. of edges; top with scrambled eggs. Sprinkle with cheese., Brush beaten egg mixture over edges of pastry. Roll remaining puff pastry to a 10-in. square; place over filling. Press edges with a fork to seal; cut slits in top. Brush top with additional egg mixture; sprinkle with remaining pepper. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, wiping skillet clean if necessary., In same pan, prepare gravy mix according to package directions. Stir in sausage. Serve with pastry.

FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line cups with paper muffin liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, cream together 1/2 cup sugar and shortening. Beat in egg. Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture alternately with milk. Beat well. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. While muffins are baking, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Remove muffins from oven and muffin pan. Immediately, dip the tops of the muffins into the melted margarine, then into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Repeat with each muffin, until all muffin tops are covered. Serve warm.

SOUTHERN PECAN PUFFS

Steps:

• Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minute Preheat oven to 400º.
• Mix brown sugar, butter and pecans.
• Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 15"x12" rectangle. Cut into 20 squares (I actually only did 16).
• Press squares into bottoms of muffin tins. Place 1 heaping teaspoon pecan mixture in center of each.
• Bake 12 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from pans. Cool on wire rack.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BRUNCH SAUSAGE-EGG POT PIE WITH PUFF PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Brown the sausages in a skillet for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally; remove from pan and set aside.
• Add in onion or shallot; saute for about 3 minutes or until softened.
• Add in mushrooms; saute for about 6 minutes.
• Add in cream cheese and the sausages back to the skillet; cook, stirring until cheese has melted (about 3 minutes).
• Spoon the sausage/cheese mixture into an 8 x 8-inch square baking dish.
• In a bowl whisk eggs with 3 tablespoons whipping cream or half and half cream OR milk.
• Add to the skillet and scramble (leaving slightly undercooked).
• Spoon eggs over the sausage.
• Sprinkle with breadcrumbs (do not mix in).
• On a floured surface roll out pastry to a 9x9 inch square.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Place on top of the baking dish (butter-side down) and "crimp" edges.
• Brush the top of the pastry with more melted butter.
• Cut about 5 steam vents in top of pastry.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.