Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast

Christmas morning is such a joyful time that I never want to take too much time away from the excitement of greetings and present opening to fuss in the kitchen. And yet I want a delicious and hearty breakfast to start the day for everyone. My solution has been to make as much of Christmas breakfast ahead of time as possible. Here’s a menu and recipes that will help to free up your time to be present with your favorite people on Christmas morning AND create a beautiful and tasty breakfast.

MENU

Winter Citrus Salad

Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast Bake

Bacon and Sausages

Sherry Coffee Cake

Sparkling Cider with Raspberries

Winter Citrus Salad - I love this simple salad full of in-season citrus, as it adds such a fresh taste to a day that is often heavy in rich foods. All it requires is a variety of citrus fruits…oranges, clementines, blood oranges, grapefruit, etc., and a handful of pomegranate arils. Peel all the citrus the day before Christmas and either chop or slice in rounds, whichever you prefer. Then seal each type of citrus individually in Ziploc bags or glass jars, so the flavors don’t meld (and the blood oranges make everything else red). On Christmas morning, simply combine all in a bowl and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.

Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast Bake - We have enjoyed this easy breakfast casserole every Christmas morning for at least 20 years now. I’m not overly fond of breakfast casseroles with bread in them, so I appreciate the french fried onions that substitute for the bread in this one. I make it the day before up to the refrigerate part. And the first thing I do on Christmas morning is to turn on the oven and pop this casserole into it. It’s busy cooking while we’re opening the first of the presents.

MAKE AHEAD CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST BAKE

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

6 eggs, beaten

2 c. light cream

1 t. ground mustard

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

1, 2.8-oz. can french fried onions

Crumble sausage in a large skillet. Cook well over medium-high heat until browned; drain well. Remove to bowl and cool slightly.

Combine with sausage in bowl: eggs, cream, mustard, 1/2 c. cheese, and 1/2 can french fried onions; mix well. Pour into a greased 8 x 12” baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Top with remaining cheese and onions. Bake, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, or until onions are golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

 Serves 6-8

Bacon and Sausages - I do take time to cook sausages on Christmas morning. But over the years, I’ve discovered that I can cook the bacon the day before and refrigerate it overnight. The next morning, I heat up the warming drawer of my stove and put the bacon in on “low” while the Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast Bake is baking. And when the casserole is done, the bacon will be completely warm without actually cooking again (hence, it doesn’t dry out).

Sherry Coffee Cake - This recipe was given to me by a friend when I was a young mom, and was one of her signature recipes. Not only is it tasty for Christmas breakfast, but it’s a beautiful gift to give to friends at Christmastime. It looks beautiful bundled up on a cardboard cake round, wrapped in cellophane, and tied it with a big bow. It can easily be made a day or two in advance of your Christmas celebration.

SHERRY COFFEE CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 c. canola oil

1 c. Sherry

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 T. cinnamon

3-4 T. very finely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts work well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a bundt pan.

In a small bowl, combine: sugar, cinnamon, and ground nuts. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, beat together: dry cake mix, eggs, dry pudding mix, oil, and Sherry. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes.

Pour a scant one-third of the cake mixture into the bottom of the bundt pan. Top with half of the sugar mixture. Pour in about one-third more of the cake mixture. Top with the remaining half of the sugar mixture. Pour in the remaining cake mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

Serves 12

Christmas breakfast seems like a great occasion to add a bit of sparkle to your drink. A mimosa is a great idea. But sparkling cider with a sprinkle of raspberries is welcome by young and old alike.

I hope these recipes will help you spend less time in the kitchen on Christmas Day and more time making memories with the ones you love! Merry Christmas!