Breakfast Strudel

Easter's coming and my kids and I are starting to get excited!  We have lots of company coming and I can't wait to get started on all of the good food we'll be serving.

Today's recipe is a perfect brunch dish for Easter morning.  I made these for our Christmas morning breakfast and quickly fell in love with them.  I've adapted this recipe from Cuisine At Home.  

This strudel is easy to make and I LOVE that you can make it the night before, put it in the fridge, and bake it in the morning.  It's perfect for Christmas or Easter when you have other things to do in the morning.

I also love that you use puff pastry for the dough.  This was my first time using it and now I'm hooked!  It's so delicious, all buttery and flaky.  

And, hello!  Are these not so beautiful?!  They make a gorgeous main dish for breakfast or a brunch.  I just love, love, love these.  So easy and so good!!

Here's what you'll need:

1 (1.1 lb) box puff pastry dough (you'll find this in the frozen foods isle)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 C. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes (next time I'll try the O'Brien variety for more color)

1/2 C. diced onion OR 1 Tbsp. dried chopped onion (if you use O'Brien hash browns, you can omit these)

1 C. diced ham

11 eggs

2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives, optional

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. orange juice

1 egg

1 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Thaw pastry according to package directions, about 30 minutes.  While it's thawing, melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the ham.

Whisk the eggs and chives (if using) together.  Add them to the pan and scramble just until set.  (They should still be a bit soft and wet since they'll continue to cook in the oven.)  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Take off the heat and add the cream cheese and orange juice until blended.

Refrigerate the eggs while working with the pastry.

Unfold the pastry sheet on parchment paper that's been lightly dusted with flour.  Trim the pastry as shown.  

Fill with half of the egg mixture.  Fold up the flaps at each end and braid as shown.  Repeat with the remaining pastry and egg filling.  

Lift the strudels and parchment onto a baking sheet.

Combine the remaining egg and water.  

Brush over the top of the strudels.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

At this point, you can either cover the strudels and keep them in the fridge overnight or you can go right ahead and bake them.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden.  Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.

When ready to serve, cut the strudels at an angle.

These are so wonderful!  Hopefully these will help make your Easter brunch a beautiful breeze.