Ease into the weekend with these brunch-worthy recipes from The Best Dressed Chicken, Hamilton’s Smokehouse and Reggae Jammin’. Add a spray of flowers; mimosas and fresh brewed coffee and you’ll have the perfect way to recharge for Monday.

The Best Dressed Chicken Tenders and Waffles

This no-recipe is a fool-proof way to start a late morning. Prepare The Best Dressed Chicken Tenders battered and breaded, as per package instructions. Serve with store-bought waffles (or, if you like, homemade). We like popping guava jam in the microwave for a few seconds for a very Jamaican replacement of maple syrup.

Hamilton’s Smokehouse Black Forest Ham and Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups Hamilton’s Smokehouse Black Forest Ham, diced

1 (9-inch) frozen ready-to-bake pie crust

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

4 large eggs

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

1 cup Swiss cheese, freshly grated

1 cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place unwrapped frozen pie crust on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to slightly cool.

• Add the butter to a non-stick pan and melt over medium-high heat. Add in the diced onion and cook, 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove, set aside, and allow to slightly cool.

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Then whisk in the half-and-half, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper (to taste; I use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of each).

• Gently stir in the cubed Hamilton’s Smokehouse Black Forest Ham and both cheeses. Stir in the cooked onion and garlic mixture.

• Pour filling into the par-baked pie crust (still on the baking sheet) and bake on your lower oven rack (not the top one) for 35 to 42 minutes, or until set and very slightly jiggly in the centre. Serve warm.

Reggae Jammin’ Chicken Frankfurter Fritters

Ingredients:

4 Reggae Jammin’ Chicken Frankfurters, diced small

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 small onion chopped

1 stalk escallion chopped

1 small tomato diced

1 ½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup water

1 ounce green sweet pepper, diced

1 teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded & chopped

½ cup vegetable oil

1 spring of thyme chopped

Method:

• In a large bowl place counter flour, diced Reggae Jammin’ Chicken Frankfurters, chopped onion, chopped escallion, diced tomatoes, diced sweet pepper, chopped Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and mix well.

• Gradually add water to make a smooth batter. Batter should be thick and of a dropping consistency. Season with salt and black pepper.

• In a large skillet, heat oil and drop batter using desired spoon into hot oil and fry until brown on one side, turn and continue frying until done.

• Drain on absorbent paper towel. Serve hot.

Hamilton’s Smokehouse Smoked Sausage Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1 pound Hamilton’s Smokehouse Smoked Sausage, sliced thin

1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus extra for coating pan

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves plus one teaspoon for garnish

8 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce plus more for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided

1 pound loaf French bread, stale or toasted, cut into 1-inch dice

2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (about 4.5 ounces)

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)

Method:

• Coat a 2-quart (about 11-by-7-inch) baking dish with butter and set aside. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add butter. When it foams, add onion, season with salt, stir, and cook until just softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until beginning to soften and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in thyme.

• Whisk eggs, half-and-half, mustard, hot sauce, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined. Arrange half of the bread in bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the Gruyere and half each of onion mix and ham. Repeat layering with remaining bread, onion mixture, Hamilton’s Smokehouse Smoked Sausage and Gruyere cheese. Pour egg mixture over top.

• Push to ensure bread is submerged in egg custard, cover with plastic wrap, put a plate and a 1-pound weight on top (a large can of tomatoes or rice in a resealable plastic bag works well), place in refrigerator for 3 to 12 hours.

• When ready to bake, heat oven to 325°F and arrange rack in the middle. Let strata sit at room temperature while oven heats, at least 20 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase temperature to 375°F. Sprinkle parmesan over the pudding and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until puffed and edges pull away slightly. Remove from oven and sprinkle over remaining thyme. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with hot sauce on the side.

Hamilton’s Smokehouse Smoked Ham Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

4 slices Hamilton’s Smoked Ham Slices

2 eggs (room temperature)

¼ cup white vinegar

3 cups water

2 halves English muffins (toasted)

6 tbsp mustard hollandaise sauce

1 cup cooked callaloo

5 sprigs thyme

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Hollandaise sauce

½ cup butter

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp minced garlic

3 egg yolks

3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1 tsp mustard

Method:

Poached Eggs:

• Bring water and vinegar to gentle boil in a frying pan. Add 1 tsp salt.

• Place a 3-inch cookie cutter into the pan.

• Pour room temperature egg into the cookie cutter and let cook until the egg white solidifies. Ladle the hot water over the yolk to help the cooking action.

• Once the whites are cooked, remove cookie cutter and gently spoon the poached egg from the hot water and set aside on a plate.

Hollandaise Sauce:

• In a small saucepan, heat butter, salt and lemon juice until bubbly (do not boil).

• Remove from heat.

• Place egg yolks and garlic in a blender and slowly pour in butter mixture while blender is on medium speed. Pour in heavy whipping cream and blend only for about 30 seconds or until the sauce thickens slightly. Keep warm in a hot water bath until service.

Assembling Eggs Benedict:

• For each serving, top 1/2 toasted English muffin with callaloo, folded slices of the deli ham, 1 poached egg and 3-4 tablespoons of hollandaise sauce. Serve warm.

Photos: Charles Allen and Darlington Jones