There are all kinds of brunches but the best, as far as this Texan is concerned, is a Mexican style brunch with a cheese and sausage quiche as the star of the show! This quiche is packed with the fresh southwestern flavors we love! It can even be made ahead to make things easier.
I'm a morning person but my appetite is not. In fact, my appetite doesn't start waking up until around 10 am -- sometimes later. Maybe that's the reason that brunch is my favorite way to start the day AND it's the perfect way to host a casual party. Quiche is a pretty classic fare but I've given that boring quiche a little twist of Mexican flavor with chiles, peppers and onions, Mexican cheese blend , and other fresh ingredients. Best of all, I'm giving you ideas for a full menu with four other cheesy side dishes!
Quiche is fairly easy to make ahead of time and can be served at room temperature if you want. I flash freeze the unbaked quiche and then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Day before I want to serve it I pop it in the refrigerator to thaw. That way, I just have to remove it from the fridge and bake it.
It just doesn't get easier than that!
Mexican Brunch Menu
One of the things I noticed in Mexico was that fresh flavor was everywhere. The ingredients were bright and colorful and the flavors were amazing. That’s why when I created this menu I brought in as much of that fresh flavor as I could think of.
When you try this brunch menu you’ll see what I mean. Believe it or not everything is super easy to make and most of it can be made a couple of days ahead of time. The chilaquiles should be made just before serving but they only take a few minutes.
- Spicy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Tortilla Chips
- Cheese and Sausage Quiche
- Hash Brown Chile Cups
- Chilaquiles Verde
- Creamy Enchilada Chicken in Crescent Rolls
- Orange and Grapefruits sections (membranes removed)
Keep It Simple
I found that it's just a good idea to keep things simple. I totally love looking at all the table decor images on Pinterest but generally that doesn't work with my schedule.
Paper plates don't have to be boring anymore. There are companies on the Internet that carry some pretty amazing designs. They dress the table up and it's an easy clean up, after. Especially if you are having a lot of people over.
I try to keep the recipes simple, too. In this case I used several convenience items and recipes that I knew well.
I also bought pre-chopped peppers and onions. Anything that can shave off a few minutes of chore time works for me!
This is a surprisingly light meal. Following are some notes about the brunch. The cheese and sausage quiche recipe is at the bottom of the post.
Spicy Spinach and Artichoke Dip
You can use your favorite recipe, my spinach and artichoke recipe found here, or buy a ready-made dip. Mix in some chiles and shredded cheese then bake it until it's heated through. You can warm it in the microwave, too.
Hash Brown Chile Cups
These are cool. You just buy some frozen hash browns and let them thaw a little. Mix in 4 cups of the potatoes with ½ cup shredded cheese and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan really REALLY well with cooking spray then press the mixture into each one to form cups. Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes. Let cool and carefully remove them from the pan. They are super delicate so be careful!
Fill them with whatever you like. I chose to mix cream cheese, bacon, chiles, and Cheddar. Then I baked them again just until heated through.
Creamy Enchilada Chicken Crescents
You’ll need a tube of crescent rolls from the dairy section of your grocery store.
Finely chop cooked chicken breast and mix it with chiles, chili powder, cream cheese, and Mexican blend cheese. Flatten the crescent rolls. Put a tablespoon of shredded Pepper Jack on the crescent roll. Add a spoonful of the chicken mixture. Roll and bake as directed on the crescent roll package.
Chilaquiles Verdes
Chilaquiles can be made a lot of different ways but this simple, spicy version is my favorite. Chop corn tortillas into squares
Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add chopped onions, bell peppers, and the cut-up corn tortillas. Sauté until the peppers are tender and the vegetables and tortillas are well mixed. Add 1 ½ cups of salsa verde (I like the spicy kind but you can use mild as well) and heat through. Top with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, more peppers, green onions, and sour cream.
Cheese and Sausage Quiche Recipe
You don't need an excuse for brunch!
Cheese and Sausage Quiche
Print SaveIngredients
- 8 ounces pork breakfast sausage, ,ground
- ¼ cup mixed green and red peppers, ,chopped
- ¼ cup onion, ,chopped
- 1 pie crust, ,9-inch, unbaked
- ¼ cup cilantro, ,chopped
- 1 cup Cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 5 large eggs, ,room temperature
- 4 ounces chiles, ,canned and chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Pinch of salt
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Fit pie crust into pie pan and set aside.
- Sauté the sausage until almost done.
- Add the peppers and onions and continue to sauté until the meat is cooked through.
- Spoon the meat mixture in the bottom of the pie crust.
- Cover with the cilantro and the cheese.
- Whisk the cream and eggs together until well blended.
- Stir in the chiles, cumin, and salt.
- Pour into the pie crust.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving or may be served at room temperature.
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