Saturday - Sunday - Brunch Day!

What are your plans for the weekend?  I am a planner.  I keep a very tight schedule but on the weekends we kinda sleep in on some weekends.  So we totally miss Breakfast, the most important meal of the day.

Thanks to Maggiano's Little Italy at Memorial City Mall for hosting us for Brunch.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Maggiano's Little Italy serves Italian-American cuisine.  They have family style dining like eating at grandma's house.  They have full menu, everyday of the week, whether you are vegetarian, gluten-free, or vegan.  In this kitchen like most kitchens, it all starts with the chef.  Let me introduce you to Chef Philippe, Executive Chef.

His background has a lot of influence on his menu and ingredient choices.  Can you believe he started cooking when he was six?  He makes cooking look so easy.  You can tell he enjoys what he does.

We were invited to come sample some items from the new Brunch menu at Maggiano's Little Italy. 

VEGETABLE FRITTATA-Shiitake Mushrooms, Spinach, Roma Tomatoes, Smoked Mozzarella, Crispy Vesuvio Potatoes

CRÈME BRÛLÉE FRENCH TOAST^-Cranberry Raisin Focaccia, Maple Syrup, Strawberries, Choice of Side

Am I making you hungry yet? 

Do you like Eggs Benedict?  Maggiano's has plenty of choices for you and these are not your typical dishes.  Get passed the names, and give them a try.  You palette will thank you.

The Meatball

Nueske’s Smoked Ham

Smoked Salmon & Spinach

Crab Cake

Chicken Francese

We even got some tips as Chef Philippe made pancakes for us from the Brunch menu.  Do you use an electric mixer?  Chef Philippe is all about hand mixing and the flick of your wrist.  He also said patience is key.  Do not mess with that pancakes, leave it alone.

 Beautiful, nice and fluffy.  He made it look so easy.  The perfect sized pancake every time. 

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES-Whipped Cream, Maple Syrup, Blueberries, Choice of Side

Don't let allergies stop you.  Chef Philippe will personally take care of your order.  Everything is cooked from scratch when you order.  He will cook your dish in a separate kitchen area and even go off the menu.  Make sure you tell your waitress before ordering. 

For more information, go to maggianos.com/brunch.

Eggcellent Brunch Options

Are you looking for new Brunch options?  Do you like eggs?  How do you like your eggs? 

Thanks to Grand Lux Cafe for inviting me back for Brunch.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Previously I shared my To Brunch or Not to Brunch post, there was so much to choose from I was left with wanting to try more of the Grand Lux Brunch menu.  Take a look for yourself...

On my last visit I was torn between the Fried Chicken and Waffles and "The Best" Eggs Benedict with Ham & Hollandaise.  Can you guess what I tried this time?

What is Eggs Benedict?  Eggs Benedict consists of two halves of an English muffin each of which is topped with Canadian bacon and a poached egg with hollandaise sauce.

One thing I can tell you is that I do not like everyone's hollandaise sauce.  To me, it should add to the dish and not make you want to wipe it off.  I think of it as gravy for my eggs.  Not too runny, nor too thick.  Grand Lux Cafe has got it just like I like my hollandaise sauce, creamy.  It is not overpowering but complimented my eggs.   Also, I always ask for my hash browns to be crispy not burnt.  These were the right amount of crispy. 

I did not Brunch alone.  I brought a cute date with me.  A very picky eater too.  He also had seen another dish he wanted to try, the Chilaquiles.

What is Chilaquiles?  I know, I asked the same question the first time I heard the name of this dish.  Chilaquiles typically consist of lightly fried corn tortillas cut in quarters with a green or red salsa poured over the crisp tortilla.  Grand Lux Cafe's Chilaquiles consist of eggs scrambled with tortilla chips, red and yellow peppers, chiles, onion and tomato covered with ranchero sauce, corn, black beans, avocado, cilantro and pepper-jack cheese.  When we first were asking our waitress about this dish, we basically came to the conclusion, this is not our mami's dish.  It is a great twist on this typical dish.  My husband does not normally like eating avocado.  He enjoyed every bit of his plate.  I am glad I got a taste when his plate first came out or I would have not been able to sample it.  He scarfed it down.  We both liked the crunchy tortillas that were sprinkled on top.  The mix of the ingredients made every bite very flavorful.

I do not know what we were thinking when we decided to order an order of Beignets.  The portion sizes at Grand Lux Cafe are huge.  But we did, we had to try them out.  Call them dessert.

Grand Lux Cafe has Beignets on the Brunch menu with is different than the ones on the dinner menu.  The Brunch Beignets are covered in Cinnamon Sugar and the dinner Beignets are the New Orleans Beignets served warm with three sauces.  I had never had them and therefore, I had to go with the dinner ones.  My husband said they tasted like the ones he had when he was stationed in New Orleans.  So I know that these are the real deal.  He didn't care too much for the sauces.  He said they were good enough without them.  I tried each sauce and decided I liked them all.  These Beignets were good dipped or undipped.   

All we needed now was a nice, cozy bed.  We were so full and content.  The Beignets hit the spot and cured the sugar craving.  And of course, we did not finish them all by ourselves.  We brought them home to share.  Or do we? 

Giveaway-Mother's Day Brunch Recipe #SaborTabasco

***Disclosure-Sample product was received.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

As a mom, I don't need materials things from my family as gifts like the song says, "All I need is love!"  This Mother's Day, my family needs not to buy me gifts but to just pamper me.  Let me sleep in and get extra sleep.  Wake me up with one of my favorite dishes, just in time for brunch.

Some Chicken and Waffles, Machacado, Chilachiles, or some Migas.  Do you know what migas are?

Ingredients:
-tortillas
-eggs
-oil

In a frying pan add oil.  I don't measure.  Cut your tortillas.  I use my hands and just cut them any which way.  Or you could use a knife to cut them in perfect bite size pieces.  I like my tortillas crunchy.  So I add enough oil to fry them just right.  Once the tortillas are fried, throw in your eggs.  My husband likes huevos con migas, so he adds more eggs than tortillas.  I like migas, so I add more tortillas and make them crunchy.  This is the perfect dish to add your favorite flavor of Tabasco.  I don't add salt or pepper, I add original Tabasco.
Buen Provecho....  (Bon Appetit)

• TABASCO Sauce is an American classic, adding bold flavor to all of your favorite dishes. 
• The Tabasco Family of Flavors includes seven sauces – like Original Red Sauce, Green Jalapeño Sauce, Habanero Sauce and Chipotle Sauce – providing a bold flavor for every person at any home gathering!
• Any of the TABASCO Sauce varieties are are great to have on hand especially if you like entertaining at home. TABASCO Sauce adds more than just heat, it also helps amplify the flavors in whatever you're cooking, from appetizers to dips to soups and sauces.

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• To get inspired or to find more fun dishes, please visit TABASCO.com.