Shop Cheap

Moms love brunch - especially when they don't have to prepare the dishes. So if you want to get on Mom's good side take a page from the Shop Cheap recipe book and prepare one of these recipes - compliments of recipe researcher Sheila Kern - on Sunday.

Cheddar Scallion Drop Biscuits

From www.epicurious.com

Gourmet | January 2002

Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6 oz Cheddar, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in Cheddar and scallions. Add buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Drop dough in 12 equal mounds about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Baked Fluffy Orange French Toast

From www.cdkitchen.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 eggs - separated

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons orange peel - grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup orange juice, from frozen concentrate

2 tablespoons skim milk

12 bread slices

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

SAUCE:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup orange marmalade

Directions

Heat oven to 450 F. Grease large cookie sheet. In medium bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form; set aside.

Beat egg yolks; stir in orange juice, orange peel, salt and milk. Fold egg yolk mix into beaten egg whites. Dip bread slices into egg mix until evenly coated. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown (do not turn toast). In small saucepan, combine sour cream and marmalade; heat over low heat just until warmed. Serve immediately with sauce.

Strawberry Pancakes

From www.rachaelraymag.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving

2 cups sliced strawberries

Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla. Preheat a nonstick griddle over medium heat.

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be thick and smooth. Fold in the strawberries.

Spoon the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and thoroughly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Flip them with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

From www.foodnetwork.com

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

6 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Salt and pepper

2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

Green Chili Egg Puffs

From www.tasteofhome.com

Taste of Home December/January 2007

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

10 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups (16 ounces) 4% cottage cheese

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

Directions

In a large bowl, beat eggs on medium-high speed for 3 minutes or until light and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to eggs and mix well. Stir in the cheeses and chilies.

Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Fruit Pizza Recipe

From www.homecooking.about.com

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated cookie dough

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring (almond, orange, or lemon)

Fresh blueberries, banana slices, mandarin orange sections, seedless grapes, strawberry halves, kiwifruit (or any other

1/2 cup orange, peach, or apricot preserves

1 Tablespoon water

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an ungreased 14-inch pizza pan with cookie dough cut in 1/8-inch slices, overlapping slightly. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract or other flavoring; spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in any design you want (use your imagination).

In a small saucepan over very low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves and water. Brush glaze over fruit, making sure to cover the fruit that will turn dark. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: This does not keep well, so plan on using it up. You may also use your own sugar cookie recipe in place of the refrigerated dough.

Incredible Banana Split Cake

From www.verybestbaking.com

Yields: 12-16 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 can (15 1/4 oz.) pineapple tidbits in juice, undrained

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups (7.5 oz.) granulated sugar

2/3 cup mashed banana

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, divided

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

1 cup chopped banana

CHOCOLATE GLAZE (recipe below)

Directions

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and lightly flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine reserved pineapple juice and buttermilk in small bowl.

Beat butter in large mixer bowl on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, mashed banana and vanilla extract; beat well. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in morsels and 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Gently fold in drained pineapple tidbits, strawberries and banana. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Drizzle cake with Chocolate Glaze and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

FOR CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

Heat 3/4 cup NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons light corn syrup in small saucepan over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Use immediately.