Simple Easter Brunch Ideas and 2 Giveaways

As a MOM we cook, clean, cook, clean and clean some more when entertaining. So, I know first hand the important of using SIMPLE recipes when creating a holiday menu. Today at the Everything Easter Egg-stravaganza we have some Simple Mom tested Easter brunch recipes that will assist you in creating the PERFECT Easter brunch menu this year. And we have Two great giveaways today.

Egg-stra Simple Easter Brunch Recipes:
Hash Brown Casserole*

Ingredients
2 lb. Bag of frozen hash browns
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
¼ c chopped onion or ½ tsp onion salt
12 oz. grated cheddar cheese

Directions
Mix together hash browns, sour cream, soup and onion and place in a lined 9 x 13 dish. Freeze.

On cooking day: Thaw completely. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Top cheese the last half hour.


Bacon and Cheese Quiche*

Ingredients
3 c. shredded Swiss cheese
12 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled)
3 T crushed French’s onion or green onions
5 eggs (beaten)
2 ¼ c half and half
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. Parmesan cheese
1- 9” unbaked pastry shell

Directions
Mix ingredients together and place in unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes just until knife is the center comes out clean.

On cooking day: Thaw completely. To reheat, bake quiche at 350-375 for approximately 20-30 minutes or until heated through.


Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
1 T. dry yeast
1 c. warm milk
1/3 c white sugar
½ c melted butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 c flour

Directions #1

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Knead into a ball. Let rise until double in size. When ready, roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Spread with filing as described below.

FILLING
¼ c butter, softened
1c brown sugar
3 T. cinnamon

Spread butter on dough evenly. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over dough evenly. Roll dough up. Slice roll into 1 inch slices. Place on a greased pan. Let rise again until doubled. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

ICING
½ c butter, softened
1-1/2 c powdered sugar
1 oz cream cheese
2 T whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions #2

Beat until fluffy. When rolls are hot, spread lots of icing on them.

TIP: Make these the night before needed. Skip the final rising step. Let rise overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, bake.

Just like the famous ones in the malls.


Sticky Buns

Ingredients
18 Frozen dinner rolls 1 sm box butterscotch
½ c. pecan bits (optional) pudding(cook type)
¼ lb butter 1 tsp cinnamon
½ c brown sugar

Grease inside of bunt cake pan with butter. Arrange pecan bits in bottom of pan. Lay rolls on ton of nuts. Sprinkle pudding powder over rolls. Melt butter, add cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour over rolls and let rise over night, uncovered.

Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from pan immediately. (Use large plate as it will be runny but will get firm)

One of my all time favorites!


Green Sweet Salad

Ingredients
One head ice burg lettuce
½ brunch Romaine lettuce
1 c celery
2 green onions
1-2 cans mandarin oranges
½ c almonds and 3 tsp sugar (mix together in a non-stick pan on med heat)

Dressing
½ tsp salt 1 T chopped parsley
dash pepper 2 T sugar
¼ c oil 2 T vinegar


Spinach Salad


Ingredients
2 bunches spinach
3-4 hard boiled eggs
6-8 mushrooms
2 tomatoes
2-3 green onions
6-7 sliced bacon

Dressing
1/3 c vinegar
1 raw egg
½ c sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
½ glove garlic
1 c salad oil

Mix all ingredients except oil and blend. Slowly pour in oil. Set over night.

Broccoli Salad


Ingredients
1 bunch broccoli
1 bunch cauliflower
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 chopped sweet onion
½ lb bacon, fried

Dressing
½ c mayonnaise
¼ c sugar
1 T. vinegar

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into Florette's. Add cheese, onion and bacon. Mix in dressing. Chill for 1 hour or more.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
By: www.southernfood.about.com

Pretzel salad recipe with strawberries, gelatin, and other ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups crushed hard pretzels
• 3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
• 2 cups whipped cream or whipped topping
• 1 package (6 oz) strawberry gelatin
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen strawberries, thawed
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup sugar

Preparation:

Mix together the crushed pretzels, butter or margarine, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Put into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; bake at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes. Mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and whipped topping. Mix gelatin into boiling water, then add frozen strawberries. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Garnish with fresh strawberries.
Serves 10 to 12.

Frozen Strawberry Dessert ( one of my FAVORITES)
By: http://www.bellaonline.com/
This whipped, frozen strawberry dessert is a cool treat for a hot summer day.

crust
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation -
Whip the butter until light and fluffy. Whisk in the flour and brown sugar. Fold in the pecans. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and spread it around to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 400º for 8 to 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

strawberry filling
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 box (10 oz.) frozen strawberries in syrup, partially thawed
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup whipping cream
• large fresh strawberries (optional)

Preparation -
In large, deep mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the sugar into the beaten egg whites. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and partially thawed berries, with the syrup. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Whip the whipping cream in a separate mixing bowl. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture. Spoon over the cooled crumb crust in the pan. Place in the freezer and freeze for at least 6 hours before serving. Remove from the freezer about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve partially frozen. (optional - Top individual servings with a large fresh strawberry.)

Today's Egg-stravaganza Giveaway:

Giveaway #1

Magazine Subscriptions are a GREAT idea to place in your Childresn's or teenagers Easter baskets.

One magazine that I recently came across is Sports Illustrated KIDS a perfect magazine for your sport loving kid. They also have a great website for kids and just launched a first-of-its-kind initiative, two iconic names in sports, Sports Illustrated Kids and Strat-O-Matic, are joining forces to produce 12 fantasy sports games designed specifically for kids aged 8 – 15 which will live exclusively on SIKIDS.com. Fantasy baseball will be the first game introduced.

This is a safe and educational environment for sports fanatic kids to play games that are typically targeted for adults.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED for KIDS magazine covers sports the way kids like it. Interviews with sports heroes. Hilarious comics. Awesome action photos and much, much more.
Free Posters and Sports cards in every issue

24/7 MOMS and Sports Illustrated Kids are giving away a one year subscription to their Sports Illustrated Kids magazine . To enter for your chance to win, enter your name and email address in the box below you will be signed up for today's giveaway as well as be added to the 24/7 MOMS E-list (if you are not already a 24/7 MOMS subscriber).







Giveaway #2
Only Hearts Club
www.onlyheartsclub.com

The toy industry's hottest new dolls, the Only Hearts Club™, is a content-based brand of real dolls for real girls that is drawing raves for combining beautiful, real-looking dolls, with content that delivers a much-needed, positive message to girls. Only Hearts Club™ dolls look and dress like real girls, and they deal with the same experiences and issues as well. Most importantly, through a series of books, the Only Hearts Club™ delivers a very positive message and image - namely, that it is good to “listen to your heart and try to do the right thing.”


The Only Hearts Club™ consists of a diverse group of bright, cute and energetic young girls - Taylor Angelique, Karina Grace, Olivia Hope, Briana Joy, Lily Rose, Anna Sophia, Kayla Rae and Hannah Faith - who live in the same community and have formed the Only Hearts Club™ in a bond of true friendship and with a pledge to one another to listen to their hearts and be nice to others. Each of the girls has her own personality and interests.

These interests and personalities are developed further in a series of Only Hearts Club™ books. In each story, one of the girls is faced with a dilemma that requires her to think for herself, listen to her heart, and decide for herself to “do the right thing.

The Only Hearts Club™, the perfect combination of beautiful dolls and hip accessories that are fun and cool and that girls love to play with, while at the same time providing a positive image and message that parents and grandparents want their girls to see and hear.

Only Hearts Club also created Only Hearts Pets these are perfect for Easter Baskets

These little (approximately 2-1/4 inches tall) plush pets come in a wide variety of animals and colors, and feature adorable faces and soft, cuddly bodies.

Their Velcro® paws allow them to hold hands to form bracelets, necklaces and barrettes, or to hold on as a backpack, pen or pencil buddy.

Each pet has its own name, is packed in a brightly colored open gift box, and also includes a handy backpack clip. Featured pets include dogs, cats, monkeys, cows, pigs, frogs, and elephants, with many more to come!

Only Hearst Club Dolls, books accessories and Only Hearts pets are available lat your local Target stores.



24/7 MOMS and Only Hearts Club are giving away one Olivia Hope doll and one Only Hearts pets "Wooly". To enter for your chance to win one of these toys, enter your name and email address in the box below you will be signed up for today's giveaway as well as be added to the 24/7 MOMS E-list (if you are not already a 24/7 MOMS subscriber).