No Refrigeration Brunch Idea....?

Check this website, you'll be glad you did. Think I'll put it in my Favorites:

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/appetizers

As for me, I like finger sandwiches. I have the supermarket deli make them up for me. They put them on pretty round trays. I also let them make me fruit trays and cookie/brownie tray. They have rolled up slices of different meats too. Yum

To make it pretty, do what they do on cruse ships. Long banquet tables beautifully decorated. You could have stiff paper/plastic plants and let the people walk down the banquet tables and pick up what they want to eat.

Sounds like a lot of fun!

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

--Ina Garten

12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 extra large eggs -- at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 oz. sour cream -- (1cup)

1/4 cup milk

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 half pints fresh blueberries -- pick through for stems

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line muffin tin with liners.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy about 5 min. Add eggs one at a time then add vanilla, sour cream and milk.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to butter mixture until mixed. Fold in blueberries with a spatula. Scoop with an ice-cream scoop in prepared muffin tin.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

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Banana Crunch Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)

1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)

1 cup small-diced walnuts

1 cup granola

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

--Ina Garten

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Peanut Butter Coffee Cake

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C peanut butter

3 T margarine or butter

2 C all-purpose flour

1 C packed brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C milk

1/2 C peanut butter

2 eggs

1/4 C margarine or butter

For topping, in a bowl stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, cut in 1/4 cup peanut butter and 3 tablespoons margarine or butter till crumbly. Set aside.

In a bowl stir together 2 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk, 1/2 cup peanut butter, the eggs, and 1/4cup margarine or butter. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed till blended. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

Pour batter into a greased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with topping mixture. Bake in a 375° oven about 30 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cool. Serves 16.

--Central Market, Seattle, WA

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Bacon Cheddar Cheese Scones

4 slices bacon, chopped

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons

Preheat the oven to 400º F. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter, cheese, green onions, and pepper with a pastry blender or fork, and work just until it starts to form lumps and come together. Add the bacon. Add 1 cup of the cream and work just until it becomes a sticky dough, being careful not to overwork.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat until it comes together. Form into 2 large circles, about 7 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick and cut each into 8 wedges with a sharp knife. Transfer to baking sheet with a spatula, leaving 1/2-inch space between each wedge. Paint the tops of the wedges lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and bake until golden brown, 22 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet.

--Emeril Lagasse

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BLUEBERRY TEA BREAD

This blueberry loaf is luscious. You can omit the lemon rind and add about 1 teaspoon cinnamon. It won a blue-ribbon at a Colorado county fair. Yields 1 9” loaf, or 3-4 mini loaves; can be doubled easily.

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, separated

2 tsp grated lemon rind

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

1½ cups flour

1 cup blueberries (you can use frozen)

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ cup sour cream (low-fat is OK, not fat-free)

Grease and flour 1 9” loaf pan or 4 mini loaf pans. Cream butter and sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, lemon rind and vanilla. Beat well. Mix 2 tablespoons of the flour with the blueberries, and toss to coat. Sift the rest of the flour with the baking powder, soda and salt. Add the flour to the batter, alternating with the sour-cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold ¼r of the whites into the batter (to lighten it), then fold in the remaining whites. Fold in blueberries and spoon batter into greased and floured pan(s). Sprinkle top of batter with about a teaspoon of granulated sugar if desired.

Bake at 350ºF; larger loaf 50-60 minutes, smaller loaves, 30-40 minutes, or until a knife or tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a rack before removing from pans