The Brunch Bunch

½ cup Grand Marnier (orange liqueur) or orange juice
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1/2 cup quartered dried apricots
Grated zest and sectioned fruit of 1 navel orange
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed
4 pints fresh berries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries

1. Combine Grand Marnier, marmalade, dried apricots, orange zest and sections, and pineapple up to 24 hours in advance.
2. Up to 1 hour before serving, rinse berries. Hull strawberries and slice. Halve blackberries if they are large. Leave blueberries and raspberries whole. Toss berries, as gently as possible, with marinated fruit. Serves 8 to 10.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the Holiday," April 2007.

Per serving: 120 calories, 1g fat, 2g prot., 31g carbs., 5g fiber, 5mg sodium.

Spinach Nests:
Cooking spray
3 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound small-curd cottage cheese
4 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Eggs:
8 large eggs
1 cup (4-ounces) shredded Swiss or Parmesan cheese

4 English muffins, split and toasted
½ cup slivered red bell pepper, optional
½ cup slivered onion, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. To prepare the spinach nests, combine eggs, flour and cottage cheese; whisk well. Add spinach, salt and pepper; stir well. (This can be done up to 2 days ahead). Press mixture into prepared dish. Make 8 indentations with the back of a spoon (this is where the eggs will later be placed). Bake 25 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and using a spoon, hollow the nests out even more deeply. Break an egg into each indentation. Bake 15 minutes or until whites are set. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 1 minute.
4. Place 1 egg and spinach nest on English muffin half. Garnish with slivered red pepper and onion, if desired. Serves 8.

Passover variation: Substitute 1/2 cup matzo meal for flour in the spinach nests. Substitute brown rice, cooked barley or potato pancakes for the English muffins.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the Holiday," April 2007.

Per serving: 320 calories, 14g fat, 25g prot., 24g carbs., 4g fiber, 640mg sodium.

Blintz layer:
1/4 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
¼ cup honey
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces soft skim-milk farmer cheese
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
1 (16-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. To prepare the batter, combine eggs, milk, buttermilk, vanilla and salt in a food processor; process until smooth.
3. Pour butter into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish; swirl to coat. Pour butter left in dish into batter. Process until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
4. Pour 1 1/2 cups batter into baking dish, and bake 10 minutes or until set. Reserve remaining batter in a small bowl.
5. To prepare the filling, combine cream cheese, eggs, honey, lemon rind, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and about half the farmer cheese in the food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once or twice; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in remaining farmer cheese, cottage cheese and ricotta. Mixture will not be completely smooth.
6. Spread filling over baked blintz layer. Whisk reserved batter a couple of times, and slowly pour over filling.
7. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is puffed, set and starting to color. Let stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes. Cut in squares and serve warm with Warm Blueberry Sauce. Serves 8.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the Holiday," April 2007.

Per serving: 420 calories, 22g fat, 24g prot., 33g carbs., 0g fiber, 470mg sodium.

2 (10-ounce) bags frozen blueberries or pitted cherries (or 1 of each)
½ cup fruit juice, preferably blueberry, cranberry, cherry or pomegranate, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Combine berries with ¼ cup juice in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in sugar.
2. Combine cornstarch and remaining juice; whisk or blend with your fingers until smooth.
3. Pour cornstarch mixture into boiling fruit mixture, stirring. The sauce will almost immediately thicken and grow clear. Serve, hot or warm, over blintz casserole. Serves 8.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the Holiday," April 2007.