Fall Brunch On The Ranch

I finally had company in the house and what a perfect time of year to host a brunch! Our aspens are turning gold, there’s a crisp chill in the air and honestly, I’m just looking for any reason to eat good food! I invited 12 of my gal pals over for a brunch/ house warming and did a full spread. I absolutely love to entertain and cook for others, so I was over the moon to do this.

Menu:

Charcuterie Board

Homemade Cider (I had a cider bar for mules and mimosas too!)

Pumpkin Spice French Toast

Hash brown Casserole

Biscuits and Gravy

Apple Pie Cake

Orange Sweet Rolls (my friend brought them!)

Pumpkin Scones (also my friend!)

Let’s just get started! I’m listing all the recipe ingredients and instructions below for you!

Homemade Apple Cider

This recipe is literally so easy!

• 12 Apples, quartered (I use honey crisp)
• 1 orange, quartered
• 3 C of water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2T whole cloves

Place all ingredients in a crockpot and let cook on low for 10 hours. Let cool, strain into a pitcher and serve either hot or cold!

Cider Mule

• ice
• 1⅕oz caramel vodka
• 3oz apple cider
• ginger beer
• crisp apple slices and/or cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

1. Fill copper mugs with ice. Pour in vodka and apple cider. Top with ginger beer. Give it a stir and add cinnamon stick for and garnish. Cheers!

Pumpkin Spice French Toast

• 5 1/2 – 7 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes (I used a thick artisan bread)
• 7 large eggs
• 2 C milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 C pumpkin puree
• 3-4 Tbsp brown sugar (for topping)

1. Cut any kind of bread into 1-inch cubes. Just use enough slice to fill a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish quite full.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin purée and pie spice until well combined. Pour over bread and push down with a spoon or your hands until it’s all soaked and mostly covered. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350, uncover and top with brown sugar. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and no longer wet.

4. Serve with maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.

Hash brown Casserole

• 32 oz bag shredded Frozen Hash Browns, thawed
• 2 C Sour Cream, (16 ounces)
• 1 small Onion, finely chopped
• 1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup
• 2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
• 1/4 C Butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13×9 pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine the potatoes, sour cream, onion, cream soup, 1 ½ cups cheese, butter, salt and pepper.
3. Mix well and taste for additional salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Spread into prepared pan and bake uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes.
5. Optional, set broil to high and let cheese get crusty and bubbly on top for 1-2 minutes.

Sausage Gravy

1 Pound Ground Pork Sausage

2 T butter

1/3 C Flour

3 C milk

Salt & pepper

Apple Pie Cake

Topping

• 1 C αll-purpose flour
• 1/2 C pαcked brown sugαr
• 1/4 teαspoon sαlt
• 1/2 C butter, cut into smαll pieces

Apple Mixture

• 3 αpples, peeled and chopped
• 3 tαblespoons pαcked brown sugαr
• 1 teαspoon ground cinnαmon
• 2 teαspoons lemon juice

Cake

• I love using Trader Joe’s vanilla cake and making it as directed from the box and adding some cinnamon to the batter.

1. Heαt oven to 350°F. Sprαy bottom αnd sides of 13×9-inch pαn with bαking sprαy with flour.
2. In medium bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugαr αnd the sαlt. With pαstry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Set αside.
3. In αnother medium bowl, gently stir together αpple Mixture ingredients; set αside.
4. In lαrge bowl, beαt car ingredients and then add cinnamon. Pour into pαn.
5. Spreαd αpple mixture evenly over cαke bαtter. Sprinkle Topping evenly over top.
6. Bαke 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out cleαn. Cool completely, αbout 30 minutes.

DIY Charcuterie Board

There is no right or wrong way to making a charcuterie board. I took brown craft paper and used that as a base to set the food on and then paired my cheese player set that I have had for years from pottery barn and started building from there.

I bought various crackers, olives, marinated mushrooms, artichokes, soft cheeses, hard cheeses, cheeses that paired with jams (such as fig and Gouda) and then cured meats. It was perfect and so fun! Plus you get to be creative!