Whip up a bountiful weekend brunch

Fresh air, warm sun and delicious foods make brunch a favorite weekend event. Set the stage (and the table) for an inviting experience with recipes that cover all the bases from snacks and desserts to a mouthwatering main course.

Tide the appetite of your guests with spiced lamb over hummus served with toasted flatbread or tortilla chips before dishing out overnight apple cinnamon French toast casserole for a simple centerpiece. Just as those delectable dishes are vanishing, pull brown sugar pound cake out of the oven and pair with sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit for a sweet finishing touch.

Perfect for any brunch occasion is a delicious dish that can be made a day in advance, simplifying your morning prep before guests arrive with growling stomachs.

Prepared the day before and chilled overnight, this Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole is ready to bake to perfection in the morning with a gooey interior and crisp exterior filled with mouthwatering flavor. Drizzle with glaze then dish out to loved ones for a delicious way to make brunch easy.

OVERNIGHT APPLE CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
Servings: 12

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 package (20 ounces) French bread, cubed, divided
1 can (20 ounces) apple pie filling
9 eggs
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar, plus additional (optional)
2 tablespoons milk, plus additional (optional)

Directions
■ Spray 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
■ In baking dish, add 10 ounces cubed French bread in bottom of dish. Pour apple filling over bread. Top with remaining cubed French bread. Set aside.
■ In medium bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half and cinnamon. Pour evenly over bread.
■ Cover with aluminum foil and chill overnight.
■ Heat oven to 325 degrees.
■ Remove foil and bake 50-60 minutes.
■ Let cool 10-15 minutes.
■ In small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and milk. Add additional, if needed, until pourable glaze is reached. Drizzle over casserole before serving.

SPICED LAMB OVER HUMMUS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
Lamb:
4 lamb loin chops
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Hummus:
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil

For serving:
1 cucumber, small diced
1 small tomato, diced
2 tablespoons roasted pine nuts (or 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds)
parsley, chopped
lemon wedges
toasted flatbread or tortilla chips

Directions
To make lamb
■ Remove lamb from bone, dice meat into small cubes and transfer to medium bowl.
■ Add cumin powder and salt. Toss to coat. Marinate while preparing hummus.

To make hummus
■ Drain chickpeas, reserving 1 tablespoon liquid. Rinse chickpeas under running water then drain.
■ In bowl of food processor, pulse chickpeas, chickpea liquid and garlic until chickpeas and garlic are chopped.
■ Add tahini, lemon juice, salt, cumin, paprika and olive oil. Mix until smooth paste forms. Taste and adjust by adding more salt, lemon juice or olive oil, as desired.
■ Transfer hummus to large platter and spread it out.
■ In large skillet, heat extra-virgin olive oil over high heat until hot. Add lamb and cook 30 seconds without moving.
■ Turn lamb over and cook 30-60 seconds, repeating until all sides are browned. Remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes.
■ To serve, place cucumbers and tomatoes in well of hummus then top with lamb, pine nuts and parsley.
■ Top with squeeze of lemon juice and serve with flatbread or tortilla chips.

BROWN SUGAR POUND CAKE
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: 8

Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for coating pan, divided
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
sweetened whipped cream, for topping (optional)
fresh fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries, for topping (optional)

Directions
■ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
■ Grease and flour 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. In separate bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture. Pour batter into pan.
■ Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and turn out on rack to cool completely.
■ Top with sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit, if desired.