Often dismissed as the mere opening act for the big celebration that takes place later on in the day, the Christmas breakfast is a wonderful opportunity to embrace the season’s joy.

“Growing up, Christmas morning was always about gratitude. Our family would be up from quite early, preparing a breakfast feast. I love that our premium deli meats allow me to continue that tradition, albeit without spending hours in the kitchen,” says Lackesha Pitter, brand manager, Hamilton’s Smokehouse.

A good Christmas breakfast strategy is to add a twist to the dishes you have mastered so that you can add a surprise to the table. Take the Hamilton’s Smokehouse Sausage and Cheese Bread Pudding, for example, in which a sweet classic gets a makeover as a savoury dish.

“The trick to Chrismas breakfast is to make it fabulous and make ahead,” says Michele Williams, principal of Moveable Feast. “The bread pudding can be prepped the night before, and it’s a quick pop into the oven in the morning.

Enjoy these brekkie treats for a delicious start to the most wonderful day of the year.

Hamilton’s Savoury Sausage and Cheese Bread Pudding

Serves approximately 10-12

Ingredients:

1 lb (6) Hamilton’s Smokehouse Smoked Sausages *casings removed

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium onion

2 bell peppers (1/2 cup green, ¼-½ cup red)

18 slices of bread (crust removed), (approximately 3/4 loaf of bread)

6 eggs

2 cups low-fat (1 or 2% per cent) milk

1/cup parsley, chopped

½ tsp salt to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

½ tsp fresh or dried thyme

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish by lightly greasing it with butter.

In a wide sauté pan or 10′ skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter and cook sausages for 8-10 minutes on medium heat breaking up any lumps (sausages can be broken up by hand ahead of cooking). Transfer cooked sausages to a bowl, leave fat in the pan and cook chopped onion and bell peppers for a few minutes with 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and peppers to sausages in a bowl with bread cubes, grated cheese and chopped parsley. Combine all ingredients and toss to coat bread evenly. Pour this mixture into a casserole or baking pan and spread evenly.

In a medium bowl add eggs and whisk in milk and salt and black pepper to taste.

Pour the egg, milk mixture evenly over the bread and sausages. Cover tightly with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until baking time. Bake at 350°F uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. Pudding will appear brown at edges and puffed up when baked, once removed from oven it will reduce in height. A knife can be inserted to test for doneness and should come out clean. Serve after resting for 5 minutes and garnish with fresh herbs, parsley or chopped scallion.

Best Dressed Chicken’s Smoked Chicken Omelet with Vegetables

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

3-4 tbsp chopped smoked chicken

1 tbsp red bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp green bell pepper, diced

2 tbsp chopped or sliced mushrooms *optional

1-2 tbsps tomato, chopped *optional

2 whole eggs

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tbsp milk or water

3 tbsp grated cheese

Sea salt to taste

Cracked black pepper to taste

Italian dried herbs

*Garnish, fresh parsley or chives

Method:

Add butter to a small omelet pan (8′) or small frying pan and cook onion and bell peppers for a few minutes on medium heat. Next add mushrooms, tomatoes and diced chicken, stir and lightly season ingredients with salt and pepper to taste. *Turn of heat if next has not been done.

Crack eggs into a small bowl (shells removed) and add a little milk as you whisk the eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eggs should look a bit foamy.

Pour whisked eggs over vegetables and cook on low heat. Using a rubber spatula loosen edges and middle of pan allowing runny eggs to spread evenly, tilt pan while doing this step. Let pan stand still for a few seconds allow bottom of omelet to set (do not allow omelet to get too brown and overcook. You should see less bubbles as eggs cook (coagulate).

Sprinkle in grated cheese in centre and pinch or two of dried herbs. Use spatula to lift edges of omelette, the right and left side and fold just to the centre or fold from one side all the way over to meet the other side, cover with a lid for a few minutes to allow cheese to melt.

Turn the cooked omelette onto a plate, flipping folded portion so it is now on the bottom. Garnish with chopped parsley, scallion or chives.

Best Dressed Chicken Premium Chicken Franks Stir-Fry with Callaloo and Mushrooms

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 Best Dressed Chicken’s Premium Chicken Franks, sliced

1 bunch of callaloo (leaves only, torn or roughly chopped, large pieces)

1 medium bell pepper, diced or roughly chopped

1 small or ½ medium onion, chopped

6 button mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ tsp thyme

2-3 tbsp scallion, chopped

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

2-3 tsp Chinese oyster sauce may be added, omit salt if you choose to do so

Method:

In a wide frying pan or 10′ skillet with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil saute garlic and onion. Cook the onion until caramelised (slightly brown) and add roughly chopped callaloo (no stalks). Cook for a few minutes on medium heat, callaloo should appear slightly wilted. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, add ¼ cup water, oyster sauce (optional), thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Next add the chicken franks sliced diagonally, bell peppers, scallion and a little coconut oil for extra flavour. Continuing cooking for few minutes, remove from heat and serve hot. *Do not cover with a lid as callaloo will appear dark and overcooked. If not serving immediately, allow to cool slightly and cover loosely with foil.

Hamilton’s Smokehouse Pastrami Rolls with Cream Cheese and Rosemary

Ingredients:

10 -12 slices Hamilton’s Smokehouse Pastrami Slices

6 oz cream cheese

1-2 tbsp milk or mayonnaise

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

Pinch of sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sprigs of rosemary

Method:

Cream the cheese with milk or mayonnaise and lemon until soft, salt and pepper to taste.

Lay slices of pastrami on a flat surface such as wooden cutting board. You

may do 3 or 4 at a time. Place 2 doll ups (about 2 teaspoons) of cream cheese mixture at about 1.5 or 2 inches apart on each slice and roll up moving forward in a straight line. Secure the roll by inserting a rosemary from the top downward. A knife or a wooden toothpick may be used at first if rosemary sticks do not go through easily.

Different presentation styles may be considered.

Should you place each roll on the side it should appear as a pin roll. This will result in rosemary sticks facing outwards in a fan-like position. You may also roll up at a slight angle to get a cone-like appearance.

After arranging rolls as desired on a serving tray or platter cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish platter with fresh fruit such as grapes. Enjoy!!