The Perfect Entertaining Occasion-Brunch

By Staff
Looking for a reason to host an informal gathering in your home? How about Mother's Day? But, whatever the reason, invite friends and family into your home for brunch. It is the perfect occasion to share your favorite recipe creations.
While conversation and atmosphere are important at brunch, the food is the focal point, so plan to amaze your guests with unique menu selections. Seasoned brunch hosts suggest supplementing your traditional brunch dishes with delectable new recipes customized to match the theme of your brunch.
For instance, welcome your guests to a casual brunch with a steaming cup of coffee and invite them to try your beautifully decorated Double Cranberry Biscotti. Prepared with Post Selects Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal and dried cranberries for a double cranberry zing, the biscotti is sure to wake up everyone's taste buds. As the host, you can show off your special touches by drizzling the biscotti with melted chocolate. Or, dip the ends in melted chocolate and then drizzle with melted white chocolate for a truly decadent treat.
For a slightly more formal brunch, serve Crunchy Pecan-Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake. This moist coffee cake, topped with a mixture of Post Selects Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal, brown sugar and a creamy caramel sauce, is sure to be a crowd-pleasing addition to your brunch table.
Of course, brunch wouldn't be complete without homemade muffins or bread. Serve Double Blueberry Muffins or Double Banana Bread for those who gravitate to these traditional brunch foods. Plus, you can surprise guests with a new twist to the classic muffins or bread by simply adding chocolate chunks, white chocolate chunks or grated orange peel.
Crunchy Pecan-Apple
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Prep: 35 minutes
Bake: 55 minutes plus cooling
1-1/2 cups Post Selects Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal, divided
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, divided
2 medium tart green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
20 caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons half-and-half
HEAT oven to 350¡F.
MIX 1 cup cereal, 1/2 cup pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon in large bowl for pecan mixture; set aside. Mix remaining 1/2 cup cereal and 1/3 cup flour in medium bowl. Cut in 1/4 cup of the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup of the pecan mixture to form streusel crumb mixture. Set both mixtures aside.
TOSS apple slices with lemon juice; set aside. Mix 1-3/4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream until blended, beating on low speed.
MICROWAVE caramels and half-and-half in small microwavable bowl on high 1 to 2 minutes or until caramels are melted. Stir; set aside. Spread 1/2 of the batter into greased 9-inch springform pan; sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Layer apple slices and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce. Gently spread with remaining batter. Top with reserved streusel crumb mixture.
BAKE 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans. Bake 45 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce. Cool 1 hour. Remove from pan. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Great Substitute: Substitute Post Selects Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal for the Post Selects Great Grains cereal.
Double Banana Bread
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 65 minutes plus cooling
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
(2 to 3 bananas)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cups Post Selects Banana Nut Crunch cereal
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
HEAT oven to 350¡F.
MIX flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Beat eggs in small bowl; stir in bananas, oil and water. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Stir in cereal and walnuts. Pour into greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
BAKE 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes 18 (1/2-inch) slices.
Chocolate Speckled Banana Bread: Stir 1 finely chopped square bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate into batter before baking. After bread is completely cool, microwave 3 finely chopped squares bittersweet or semi-sweet baking chocolate with 1/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream on high about 1-1/2 minutes. Whisk until smooth; drizzle over bread.
Chunky Chocolate Banana Bread: Stir in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or 3 chopped squares semi-sweet baking chocolate with cereal.
White Chocolate Banana Bread: Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chunks or 3 chopped squares white baking chocolate with cereal.
Note: For mini loaves, bake in 4 (5-3/4 x 3-1/4-inch) loaf pans 40 minutes.
Double Cranberry Biscotti
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 42 minutes plus cooling
2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups Post Selects Cranberry Almond
Crunch cereal
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
HEAT oven to 325¡F.
MIX flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat
in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in cereal and dried cranberries.
DIVIDE dough into 2 equal portions. On greased cookie sheet, shape dough into 2 logs, each 14 inches long and 2 inches wide.
BAKE 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet. Place on cutting board; cool
10 minutes. Using serrated knife, cut each log into diagonal slices about 3/4-inch thick. Place slices upright on cookie sheet 1/2-inch apart. Bake 12 minutes or until slightly dry. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack. Store in tightly covered container. Makes about 2 dozen.
Special Extra: Add a delicious garnish by dipping ends of the biscotti in melted semi-sweet baking chocolate or premium white baking chocolate. Refrigerate on wax paper-lined tray until firm. Drizzle with melted chocolate of contrasting color, if desired. Refrigerate until firm.
Double Blueberry Muffins
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
1-1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 cups Post Selects Blueberry Morning cereal
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
HEAT oven to 400¡F.
MIX flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat egg in small bowl; stir in milk and butter. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Stir in cereal and blueberries.
SPOON batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full.
BAKE 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.
Chocolate Chunk Blueberry Muffins: For an extra indulgent muffin, add 1/4 cup semi-sweet or white chocolate chunks to the batter just before baking.
Citrus Blueberry Muffins: Add 1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon peel to the egg mixture before mixing with flour mixture. Bake 15 minutes.