This Time I Remembered

The last time it was my turn to bring breakfast for my coworkers, you might recall that I forgot one minor detail.  I had the idea to bring yogurt parfaits, but when I prepped them the night before I added the granola, forgetting that it would go soggy overnight.  Ugh!!  Luckily, I realized the error of my ways the next morning as I was heading out for work...that could have been one soggy mess!

Yesterday, the rotation for breakfast once again fell upon me, so I felt redemption was in order.  I still felt that yogurt parfaits would be a great thing to serve, but I just needed to figure out a way to keep the granola from getting soggy.

As I thought about it, I realized the solution would be as simple as two cups!  One cup to hold a small serving of granola, and another cup to hold the parfait itself.  So here's what I did...

Fill the bottom of one cup with an individual serving of granola...

Use the second cup to layer yogurt and fruit...

Wrap a napkin around the second cup (parfait cup), then place it (parfait cup and wrapped napkin) inside the cup holding the granola.  If you use a decorative napkin, this will add the "Martha Stewart" touch to the parfaits you are serving!

Viola!

You can even make this cuter by using party cups that fit in with the theme of your event.  For instance, imagine serving yogurt parfaits at an event with this theme...

I used this as the inspiration for the bridal shower I threw for one of my friends last year, and I'm thinking these parfaits would have been a great addition to the menu we served!

Yesterday, I also tried out Paula Deen's recipe for French Toast Caserole...

It bakes up in a 9x13 pan, and has the texture of a bread-pudding.  I took some butter, syrup, and powdered-sugar to serve along with it.  It was delish!

I actually made a few changes to Paula's recipe.  Her's calls for French bread, but I used cinnamon-raisin bread instead.  I also added more of the egg/milk/cinnamon mixture in the morning (after following the instructions to allow the mixture to soak into the bread overnight).  When I pulled the pan out of the fridge, it seemed too dry, so I just mixed up a few more eggs with a cup of milk and some cinnamon and poured it over the top before throwing the dish in the oven.

It was a great dish to take into work because I was able to prep everything the night before, toss it in the oven while getting ready for work, then transport it in an insulated bag so that it was still warm by the time it was served.  I would definitely use this recipe in the future!

To top off my breakfast menu, I followed Martha Stewart's lead with this fruit salad recipe...

Essentially, it's just oranges, pineapple, and kiwi, sprinkled with a few teaspoons of brown sugar.  Very simple, very citrusy, very light, and very tasty!

So I think I've finally mastered the art of serving breakfast at work.  Have any of you hosted a brunch, or served breakfast for an event lately?  What was on your menu?