BREAKFAST PUDDING and HAM AND EGG BRUNCH

Here are a couple of breakfast dishes I made for my family over the holidays. They were both absolutely wonderful, and would be great for breakfast, brunch or lunch - paired with fruit or a simple green salad - perfect.

HAM AND EGG BRUNCH

2 1/2 cups cooked diced ham
5 hard boiled eggs, quartered
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices of hot, buttered English muffins
dash of paprika
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Gently heat ham and eggs in a heavy skillet. Blend cream cheese, sour cream and ricotta cheese in a separate bowl, add to the skillet and mix. Heat on low 2 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle over hot muffins. Sprinkle tops with paprika and parsley, and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Invitation Tupelo, December 2012/January 2013
www.invitationtupelo.com/

BREAKFAST PUDDING

16 slices of home made style bread
8 slices ham
8 slices aged cheddar cheese
6 eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon worcester sauce
dash of tabasco

Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
Trim crusts off 8 slices of bread and layer in bottom of pan, then add one layer of ham and one layer of cheese.
Trim crusts off remaining bread and layer on top of cheese. Beat eggs with milk, stir in onion, pepper, worcester sauce, mustard, tabasco and chopped peppers.
Pour evenly over bread and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Next day, bake in a 350F degree oven for 1 hour, or until brown, and set in the middle. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Breakfast for a Christmas Day by Sheila Laird