Lauren's Baptism Brunch

In mid-March, Madison and I drove to New Jersey to visit my friend, Erin and her family.  We went to celebrate Erin's daughter's baptism.  I helped Erin with the food and cupcakes for the event.

{Madison playing with Lauren}

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{The food table}


Erin and I worked on the menu and in the end we served the following to the guests -

buttermilk pancakes, French toast wedges in a cup, chicken salad croissant sandwiches (recipe to follow), turkey and mozzarella croissant sandwiches, fruit salad, sausage breakfast casserole, bagels with cream cheese, cheeseball with crackers, strawberry and French vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting, orange juice and lemonade.

My chicken salad recipe is pretty simple.

Ingredients -

-2 cans white meat canned chicken OR 3-4 cooked and diced boneless chicken breasts

-1 cup chopped celery

-1/2 cup mayonaise

-1 small cup plain Greek yogurt

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions -

Mix all together, chill for several hours or overnight.  Serve on your choice of bread.  I prefer using the diced boneless skinless chicken breasts, but Erin enjoys it with the canned chickek; so it's all about what you prefer.



{Friends - Aliah, Erin, Althea, and Me.  We all met through an online moms group... many years ago and then become real life friends too.  This is a great group of ladies.}

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{Madison feeding Lauren}

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{The cupcakes - straawberry and French vanilla... both with buttercream and toppers I made} using scrapbook paper and toothpicks}

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{French toast wedges in cups}

{Chicken salad sandwiches}

{Turkey and mozazarella sandwiches}

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{The cupcakes display}

Recipe - Baked French Toast Casserole

This is a fabulous make ahead dish that is perfect for weekend breakfasts.  I loved it.  Chris thought it was too 'eggy'.  Madison refused to eat it.  Trust me - it was fabulous and tasted like dessert.

Ingredients-

-6 whole Eggs

-1 cup Whole Milk
-½ cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
-¾ cups Sugar
-2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract


Topping-

-½ cups All-purpose Flour

-3/4 cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
-2 teaspoons Cinnamon
-¼ teaspoons Salt
-1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces

-1 container cream cheese frosting

Directions -

Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Add butter pieces and mix into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with warm cream cheese frosting.