Simple and Scrumptious Christmas Breakfast Ideas

Rise and shine. Hello Christmas morning! Magic in is in the air, wrapping paper strewn everywhere, children are overjoyed, the cookies and milk left out last night for Santa are now just crumbs and an empty glass. Merry Christmas! Make this day even more merry with a simple but scrumptious Christmas breakfast.

Chances are, you will probably have a pretty busy day on Christmas. Even if you are staying in, I'm sure you don't want to spend the day cooking and cleaning. It is easy to enjoy breakfast simple but delicious without having to settle for boring, cold cereal on such a special day. Here are a few tasty ideas for your Christmas morning breakfast.

Cinnamon ~ Cranberry Christmas Coffee Cake

What you will need:

3 ¼ cranberries (you may use frozen and thawed but fresh is best)
2 c. sugar + 1 additional Tbs sugar
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 c. finely chopped walnuts
1 c. light cream
¾ c. (stick) butter softened
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine cranberries, 1 cup of the sugar, and walnuts, Then, add to greased pan. In a small bowl, mix the remaining sugar, eggs, light cream, butter, and vanilla. Beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Pour wet ingredients into to the large bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter over the sugar and walnuts in greased pan and smooth with a spoon or spatula. Sprinkle the additional sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the top of the batter. Bake for at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly but is best when served warm. Serves 8

Bacon, Cheese, and Potato Breakfast Casserole
Make the night before or in the morning

What you will need:

1 pound cooked bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 small onions, chopped
4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 ½ c. milk
1 pinch dried parsley
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees if you aren't making it ahead of time. Grease a 9" x 13" casserole dish. Saute butter and onions until tender. Layer potatoes over bottom of casserole dish. Season with pepper, salt, and garlic salt. Cover with a bacon and onions. Beat eggs with milk and parsley and pour over potatoes, bacon, and onions. Top with cheese. Place in the fridge overnight or bake for forty five minutes or until set. If making early, in the morning, bake in a preheated oven for sixty minutes or until set.

With all the hype and build up every year, Christmas is over in a flash. So, be sure to enjoy every part of the day. To make your Christmas breakfast even more special, add some fancy flavored syrup or creamer to your coffee. O, for a little more Christmas "spirit" drop in a shot of Irish crème liquor. For the kids, make them some hot cocoa and add some mini marshmallows and a candy cane. You could even drizzle some chocolate syrup on top to make it extra special. Light a fire and break out the fancy dishes it's time to be jolly. Enjoy some holiday music with your morning meal. If you are like most, you won't want to hear it after this day.