Hey guys! I’m back with another blog post! I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve been super busy with work and running and building my non-profit organization. Yes, you read it right, I started my own nonprofit, but we’ll talk about that in another post.

This is the time of the year where all the festivities happen, although things will look a bit different for many of us because we’re all living in this pandemic.

I decided to challenge myself to do blogmas this year. I’ve been blogging for about three years and never did blogmas; I’ve always wanted to but didn’t trust myself. Like everything else in 2020, I’m learning to rise above any challenge that may come my way, and this is one of them. I did a poll over on my Instagram asking if I should participate in blogmas this year, and you guys agreed that I should. I’m challenging myself to post every day for the next 12 days, so let’s see how this goes.

Last weekend I spent time with family, and we got together and cooked a holiday-inspired brunch. Given the current climate, going to the restaurants to dine in is still iffy for me at times, and in trying to follow some of the rules, I decided that my family and I should do an at-home brunch. Now I’m no chef, but I do have a cousin who is a chef, so we collaborated on the menu with his guidance, and in this blog post, I’m going to show you what we made and also tell you how to prepare this meal. This was all done by Chef Chad over at Young Fresh Cuisine, but I’m taking all the credit for it, lol. Young fresh cuisine is about resourcefully creating delicious and flavorful food. A Caribbean based influence is what they’re all about. Be sure to check them over on Instagram; you won’t be disappointed. 

Read on to see what was on the menu and to see how chef Chad prepares each dish!

LET’S STEP INTO THE KITCHEN WITH CHEF CHAD AND TANYA!

Here is the finalized version for the brunch showcase. 

 Rum-Mosa:  

Ingredients: Coconut  Rum  | Soda Water  | Coconut  Water  | Cranberries  &  Cherries  |  Lime  Juice  | Toasted  Cinnamon Sticks 

Instructions:  Chill everything except cinnamon sticks;  toast cinnamon stick with lighter or torch and drop in eminently.

Fresh cranberries and Cherries of your desired amount.

2oz of coconut rum

1 ½  oz of coconut water 

Squeeze a wedge of lime 

1oz of simple syrup 

Soda water to your desired amount for the bubble effect (approximately 2 to 3 oz)

Drop cinnamon sticks at the end.

Thick-Cut  French  Toast: 

 Ingredients: Thick cut bread of your choice| Ginger Bread Spices  | Vanilla  Marmalade  | Candied Pecan Crunch | Marshmallow  Fluff

 Instruction: Mix eggs with gingerbread spices and dip bread before cooking. Use molasses and vanilla extract to create marmalade; caramelize pecans and crush once cooled to create crunchy elements;  toast marshmallow fluff with a torch to create a light smore effect.

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Goat  Cheese  Omelet:  

Ingredients: Smoked Salmon | Eggs| Chives| Black Garlic

Instructions: Fold goat cheese and some salmon in the center of the Omelet;  chives on the outside;  season just before the flip.

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Skirt  Steak  &  Chimichurri 

Instructions:  Prep and season steak for a  minimum of  2hours. 24hrs for best flavor profile; blend all ingredients together and stir in extra virgin olive oil by hand.

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Plantains  &  Bacon:  Smoky  &  Spicy  Aioli 

Ingredients: Ripe plantains| Thick cut bacon

Instructions: Tips:  Use ripe plantains;  render bacon first and set aside to cool;  adjust to your liking of spicy or smokiness;  look for liquid smoke at your local grocery store.

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Now for the star of the brunch. This dessert melted in my mouth and tasted heavenly. I also think about this daily since I’ve had it. I recommend you definitely try making this.

Bread  Pudding  Muffins:

Ingredients: 

Cranberry  | White Chocolate  | Mint 

Instructions: Soak bread in egg,  cream, and spice mixture overnight.

Add cranberries, white chocolate, and mint into the bread pudding mixture.

Butter pan and cook at  325°F for  40mins.  Melt white chocolate and cream together to create the sauce.

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This meal was so delicious. I think about it every day, especially that goat cheese smoked salmon omelet (I LOVE eggs) and bread pudding muffin. I hope you guys will try this holiday-inspired brunch and let me know. For the full recipe of this brunch, meal, be sure to check out the master chef Chad over on Instagram.

Now is a time to get creative in the kitchen. If you’ve been cooking more lately, let me know in the comments what you’ve been making. 

Stay tuned for more blog posts inspired by the holiday season!