Emeril's Breakfast-in-Bed Best Recipes

— -- To get geared up to enter a special mom in Emeril's Breakfast-in-Bed Mother's Day Contest, you can find some of Emeril's favorite brunch recipes below.

Emeril's Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Pockets

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup minced yellow onion

1 cup small diced mushrooms

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence

1 cup finely diced lean smoked cured ham

2 cups blanched and chopped broccoli

1 ½ tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten, divided

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces grated cheddar cheese

1 15-ounce package Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)

Directions:

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. When hot, add the onions and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme and Essence, and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and golden, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a heatproof mixing bowl and set aside until cool. When cool, add the ham, broccoli, breadcrumbs, one of the beaten eggs, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Refrigerate while you prepare the pastry.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Remove the pie crusts from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature as instructed on the box.

When the pie crusts have come to room temperature, remove them from their wrapping and roll out on a lightly floured clean work surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll each dough circle to a circumference of 12 inches. Using a sharp knife, cut each pie dough circle into 4 equal sized wedge shaped pieces. You should have 8 equal portions of dough.

Divide the cooled filling evenly among the pie dough portions, using your hands to compress the filling in the center of one side of each portion of dough. Divide the grated cheese evenly among the tops of the filling on each portion of dough. Place the remaining egg in a small bowl and, using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the pastry lightly with the beaten egg.

Fold the pastry up and over the filling so that the edges meet and gently ease to contain the filling. Using your fingers, press the dough on all sides to form a border around the filling. Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges of the wedge-shaped package. Lightly brush the package on the top with some of the remaining beaten egg, then poke a few vent holes in the top of the dough using a fork or the tip of a knife.

Transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet and repeat until you have used all the filling and the pie dough portions. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered until golden brown and hot throughout, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Emeril's Turkey Sausage and Pepper Breakfast Pockets

Ingredients:

12 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casings

1 ¼ cups diced yellow onion

1 ¼ cups diced red bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon Emeril's Italian Essence, or other dried Italian herb blend

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 15-ounce package Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)

Directions:

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the sausage and cook, stirring to break up any large clumps of meat, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer sausage to a heatproof bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the skillet. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, Italian Essence, salt, and crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, until vegetables are golden brown around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Transfer to a heatproof mixing bowl and set aside until cool. When cool, combine the browned meat and sautéed vegetables and refrigerate briefly to chill while you prepare the pastry.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Remove the pie crusts from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature as instructed on the box.

When the pie crusts have come to room temperature, remove them from their wrapping and roll out on a lightly floured clean work surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll each dough circle to a circumference of 12 inches. Using a sharp knife, cut each pie dough circle into 4 equal sized wedge shaped pieces. You should have 8 equal portions of dough.

Divide the cooled filling evenly among the pie dough portions, using your hands to compress the filling in the center of one side of each portion of dough. Divide the grated cheese evenly among the tops of the filling on each portion of dough. Place the remaining egg in a small bowl and, using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the pastry lightly with the beaten egg. Fold the pastry up and over the filling so that the edges meet and gently ease to contain the filling. Using your fingers, press the dough on all sides to form a border around the filling. Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges of the wedge-shaped package.

Lightly brush the package on the top with some of the remaining beaten egg, then poke a few vent holes in the top of the dough using a fork or the tip of a knife. Transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet and repeat until you have used all the filling and the pie dough portions. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered until golden brown and hot throughout, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Emeril's Essence Spice Blend

*Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril's Food of Love Productions, 2008

Ingredients:

2 ½ tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions:

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: Makes about 2/3 cup

Peach and Blueberry Coffe Cake with Streusel Topping

*Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril's Food of Love Productions, 2008

Ingredients:

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for dusting pan

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

½ pound diced, frozen peaches

1 cup blueberries, rinsed well and patted dry

For the Topping:

½ cup sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup melted butter

1 cup chopped roasted pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Grease a 10-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter, and lightly dust with flour.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, cream 1 stick of the butter and ¾ cup of the light brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.

Into a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. Add dry ingredients in three stages into the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Gently fold the sour cream into the batter, then transfer to the prepared cake pan and set aside.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peaches and the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peaches begin to lose some of their moisture, usually 3-4 minutes. Add the blueberries and cook for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a shallow heatproof bowl or plate and set aside to cool. Once cooled, spread evenly over the cake batter.

To make the streusel topping, place all topping ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend well. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit on the top of the coffee cake batter. Bake in the oven until golden brown and risen, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: about 8-10 servings