Its Mother’s Day weekend and what better way to treat Mom than with a delicious brunch – complete with cocktails of course!

Start the night before and whip up my overnight Spring Wild Mushroom, Asparagus ‘n’ Sausage

Strata – rustic bread, seasoned egg mixture, sautéed asparagus and mushrooms. Add in some sausage and grated Fontina or Gouda cheese. Refrigerate overnight then pop in the oven just before guests arrive.

Serve with a kale salad tossed with orange segments and shaved fennel. That handles the food. Let’s chat libations now.

I have a wonderful brunch drink that I’m sure moms will love. Sunkist® Strawberry Silver Gin Fizz – quick and easy to serve to a crowd and oh so brunch-y!

Just combine fresh sliced strawberries tossed with powdered sugar, fresh Sunkist lemon juice, some of our great local gin and egg whites … yes, that’s right egg whites. Flash blend with a little ice for a super d’lish frothy drink that will put a smile on any mom’s face.

Happy Mother’s Day! –Kathy

Spring Wild Mushroom, Asparagus ‘n’ Sausage Strata
Good bread is the foundation ingredient for any strata. With so many great breads available today, it isn’t a chore to find one to add to these breakfast bakes. The challenge now is in deciding which one to use — be it Como bread from Grand Central, a delicious La Brea Bakery loaf or any other sturdy, handcrafted bread.

And if the bread’s just a little bit stale, that’s okay. In fact breakfast bakes are a great way to use up day-old artisan breads. Fold in a cup of fresh baby spinach for added greenery.

Makes 6-8 servings

1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage or turkey sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups sliced wild or domestic mushrooms (morels, hedgehogs, cremini, portobello, button mushrooms, shiitake, chanterelles, reconstituted dried porcini, etc.)
2 cups 1/2 inch bias cut-sliced, fat, fresh asparagus pieces
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
8 eggs
3 cups half & half
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 cups 1-inch-diced hearty bread, such as a rustic sourdough
2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large sauté pan heated over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until halfway cooked, about 3 minutes. Then add the onion and mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes. When veggies are tender, add asparagus and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper until well combined. Add the bread, Fontina cheese, half the Parmesan cheese and the cooked sausage mixture.

Place in an 11 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top and let sit, refrigerated, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight, so that bread soaks up egg mixture.

When ready to serve, bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for approximately 45 – 50 minutes or until puffy and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®.

Photo by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®.

Sunkist® Strawberry Silver Gin Fizz
This frothy drink is delicious to serve for brunch. The flash blending of the drink with egg whites makes it extra frothy, and quick and easy to serve to a crowd. You can pre-batch the strawberries, sugar, gin, lemon, and egg white and keep refrigerated until ready to blend with the ice.

Makes 4 – 6 servings

3/4 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 cup gin (or substitute vodka)
6 Tbsp (3 oz) freshly squeezed Sunkist® Lemon juice
2 organic egg whites (or 2 oz pasteurized egg whites)
1 cup ice
———————————
1/4 cup soda water, chilled
Garnish: fresh strawberries and lemon peel twists

In a large glass measuring cup combine the strawberries and the powdered sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Combine the macerated strawberries, gin, lemon juice, egg whites and ice in a high powered blender. Blend on high speed until smooth and all ice has been blended in. Add soda water to blender. Divide fizz between chilled glasses. Garnish with strawberries and lemon twists.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®.