brunch ideas Archives - Sunday Chefs

Best Bagels in New York City – Tompkins Square Bagels

On our most recent trip to New York City, we checked out the highly recommended, Best bagels in New York City – Tompkins Square Bagels. Our daughter lives in New York and we are having the best time visiting her and letting her show us the New York City that we have never seen. I have done all the touristy stuff, now I want to go to the street fairs and parks that I never knew existed. But the best part is finding all the little restaurants she has found. Now there are three Tompkins Square Bagels locations. One is located on 184 2nd Avenue (between 11th and 12th street) and another is located at 165 Avenue A (near Tompkins Square Park) and the third at 1159 3rd Avenue. We visited the the 165 Avenue A location.

I think my soulmate might be carbs
-Unknown

Our daughter had been talking about this place forever and we were very excited to check it out. Despite the hangovers from our previous nights dining and cocktail adventure (We are not as young as we used to be, so it was painful), we woke up and took a nice walk through the beautiful Tompkins Square Park to the 165 Avenue A location. I never knew this park existed, what a beautiful space. The dog parks were amazing. They had two sections: one for big dogs and one for little dogs. I so wished I had brought our Beau with us, he would have loved it.

The line was long and I was a bit intimidated thinking we were going to be there forever. However, the employees are so organized and the lines move very quickly. But you just have to know looking at that line that these were going to be fantastic bagels. I can see why my daughter says these are the best bagels in New York City if the people in the line are any indication.

The employees at Tompkins Square Bagels know what they are doing, it’s very impressive. If the line gets out the door, an employee will come out and take your order so I would recommend looking at the menu on you r phone ahead of time if you are not sure what you are going to get. I heard they had gluten free bagels after I visited, which was too bad. But it was my mistake, I just assumed they did not. I lean towards gluten free but I do not have an allergy. I love going to allergy friendly establishments. They go above and beyond for their customers and I always like to applaud that. Next time I will try out the gluten free bagel for you all and let you know how they are.

The employees are quick and organized and you get to watch them in action making the bagels, which I found fascinating. There are so many choices… bagels, cream cheese’s, lox, dairy free, gluten free? I was in heaven. I finally decided on an everything bagel with chive cream cheese. The others got lox, tomatoes, capers and onions….they were so happy and ate them so fast I could not get pictures!

I cannot recommend Tompkins Square Bagels anymore than I have (unsolicited recommendation). As far as I am concerned these are the best bagels in New York City. They are fantastic and a must see on your next New York Adventure! I love nothing more than letting people know about the restaurants I love in my blog Sunday Chefs and I put them all on my page Sunday Chefs Restaurant Reviews.

Tompkins Square Bagels is a must see on your next visit. I have been dreaming of their everything bagel with scallion cream cheese ever since. But the choices are endless and they even have gluten free bagels! Very allergy friendly.

Irish Bread Recipe – Blog post

Everyone needs a great Irish Bread Recipe and this is a GREAT one. Bread can be an intimidating thing to make but Irish Bread is an easy place to start. No yeast or rising to deal with. My family asks for this Irish Bread Recipe all year round and it is wonderful for breakfast and after school snacks… anytime of the day. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day so this recipe is a tasty way to celebrate the holiday and your new found Irish identity.

“May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue each morning and night”
-Unknown

I have tried many Irish Bread recipes over the years. I will say my favorite Irish Bread is from our local pub, The Chieftain Pub in Plainville, MA. At dinner service you get a basket of bread when you sit down, it is heavenly. I have tried to get them to teach it to me, but in true Irish fashion, there is no recipe. Just a little bit of this and a little bit of that. My grandmother’s recipe, which was also fantastic has been lost with time which makes me sad. But I am happy with the one that I have come up with. This recipe is a mix of many other recipes I have tried over the years. I would say there are two tips for this recipe, one is soaking the raisins in hot water to plump them up. It is a game changer and two is sprinkling sugar on the top to get that sweet crunchy topping.

If you are interested in more foodie content, please check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs for more tried and true family recipes and restaurant reviews.

Irish Bread Recipe

Everyone needs a good Irish Bread Recipe

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Equipment Method

Equipment

4 1/2 cups White Flour
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 cup Softened Butter
1 Large Egg Room temperature
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 cups Buttermilk
2 or 3 cups Raisins

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
This makes two Irish Breads for me and I use 9 inch glass plates.
Spray the pie plates with cooking spray or coat with butter.
Combine all the dry ingredients and sift or whisk them until combined well.
While you are preparing all this. Soak the raisins in very hot water for about 10 minutes. This plumps them up.
Drain them and coat in white sugar or flour so they don't sink to the bottom of the bread.
I have found that using your hands to mix this works the best. It is messy but it works.
Add the butter and combine well.
Add the raisins and combine well, make sure all the raisins are separated and coated well in the flour mixture.
Add all the wet ingredients (heavy cream, buttermilk, and the egg and stir until well incorporated.
Pour the mixture into the pie plates and cut a cross in the top (tradition) and sprinkle the top with sugar for a sweet crunchy top.
Bake for at least an hour until a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread is a staple in most homes and is a wonderful comfort food recipe. Our family makes this Banana Bread Recipe at least once a month in either bread or muffin form. Never throw away old bananas, just freeze them and save them for this wonderful bread recipe. I make a great one these days but my first attempt is something that I am teased about still to this day.

There are days when cooking is just not my thing and the first time I made banana bread was one of them. Even now…… twenty five years later, I still feel the sting of humiliation. I was newly married and wanted to make it for my husband. My sister had given me one of those homemade cookbooks, that you buy at church fairs and school fundraisers, and it had a recipe I thought I would try. As I was reading it, even I thought maybe 5 tbsp. of baking powder was a little much, but hey, what did I know? I am alone in my apartment experimenting and at the exact moment I add the baking powder, it begins to rise like Mt. Vesuvius into some strange, freaking, elementary school science project! As it overflows the bowl, onto the counter and then the floor, the front door opens and who walks in… my husband and is brother! I must have looked like a deer in the headlights, because they saw their prey and pounced. These are the two most hilarious, sarcastic men I know and they had a field day. This is one of the many cooking disaster stories that they tell and even I have to say, if it was anyone else but me, it would be hysterical.

After all these years, and lots of practice, I make a great banana bread and they both will agree.

Don’t be afraid to take whisks – Unknown

The bananas need to be ripe….not pretty, just over ripe. I actually freeze the bananas, so I always have some available. The skin will turn black, but they are perfect inside. Sift all dry ingredients. (Hint: if you don’t have a sifter, use a whisk and very carefully whisk the dry ingredients together). Add in all the other ingredients. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour. Check with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it is done.

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour. Check with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it is done.

This can also be made gluten free, I have used the King Arthur Gluten Free Flour in the past and it worked wonderful. You can add chocolate chips or nuts too, it would be a great addition. If you would like to see more, check out the Recipes page on my blog Sunday Chefs.

Allergens: Eggs, Gluten

Banana Bread

Sometimes the simple recipes are the best. This Banana Bread Recipe is easy enough for everyone and is sure to impress.

Prep Time1 30

Active Time15

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Yield: 2

Cost: $5

Materials

2 cups all purpose flour Can substitute whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
3 bananas very ripe (brown skins)

Instructions

The bananas need to be ripe… not pretty, just over ripe. They can even be previously frozen.
Sift all dry ingredients. (Hint: if you do not have a sifter, use a whisk and very carefully whisk the dry ingredients together)
Add in all the other ingredients. (Mix until just combined and no dry lumps)
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour.
Check with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it is done.

Classic French Onion Soup

This Classic French Onion Soup recipe is simple, delicious and very impressive. Many times you are in a high end establishment and there are items on the menu that you only order in restaurants because they seem intimidating. These items are held in high regard and you assume it must be hard to make. If you give this Classic French Soup Recipe a try, you will be surprised at how easy it is.

Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.

-Ludwig Van Beethoven

I was always afraid to make French Onion Soup because I have had great versions in restaurants and some pretty bad ones, so I was convinced it must be hard to make. This recipe breaks it all down and makes it very easy. I was surprised by the simplicity and it has made me more willing to try recipes that I was previously intimidated by. Sometimes with the right recipe and a little love, you can make something memorable. This Classic French Onion Soup recipe is from my late father and brings back so many memories. I have seen variations of this recipe over the years but basically it is all very similar. This recipe is a little scaled down from some I have seen, but this variation is quicker and still a showstopper.

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a heavy, stock pot (I use my dutch oven) over medium-low heat and add the 4 Tbsp. butter. Add the sliced onions. This will seem like too many onions, but trust the process, they will reduce quite a bit. Cover the pot and cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. I find sometimes it takes longer so trust your gut. Onions should be clear and tender.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the sugar. Continue cooking until onions are golden brown. Make sure to keep stirring so they do not stick to the pot.

Reduce heat down to medium-low again and add the flour. If you are gluten free, you can substitute the flour for corn starch. Cook for approximately 3 minutes until it becomes a thick paste. Stir in about a cup of the broth and thin out the paste. If I do not have beef stock in the house, I substitute two 15 oz. cans of Campbell’s Beef Consomme and three cups of water. Add the rest of the stock, sage (optional) and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30-40 minutes. I remove the bay leaf now. (I sometimes forget the bay leaf and sage quite and it is still wonderful). Add salt and pepper to taste.

French bread – Preheat oven to 350°. Slice french bread into 8 1.5 inch slices. Drizzle with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Cook the bread until golden brown (usually about 10 minutes on each side).

If I am in a hurry, I will add the cheese now, directly on the bread and continue baking in the oven until the cheese is melted. Add the bread to a bowl and pour the soup over it and serve it.

If time is not an issue, I will add the toasted bread without the cheese to an oven-safe bowl and pour the soup over it. Add the cheese to the top of the soup and bread. Return to the oven until cheese melts and finish with the broiler for a few minutes to brown the cheese.

If you are interested in some of our other favorite recipes, please check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs for more tried and true family recipes.

French Onion Soup Recipe

This French Onion soup recipe is simple, classic and a show stopper

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch

Cuisine: French

Ingredients Notes

Ingredients

Soup Recipe

4 tbsp. Butter
4 Large white onions – Sliced thin. 4-5 yellow onions will also work, but I prefer the white. Not Vidalia onions.
1 tsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Flour – I substitute corn starch here to make it gluten free.
6 cups Beef Stock – Sometimes I substitute 2-15 oz. cans of low sodium beef consomme and 3 cups of water for the beef stock.
1 bay leaf
2-3 Tbsp. Cognac – Optional
1/2 tsp. Ground Sage
Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Bread Recipe

8 slices French Bread About 1 in. slices works well
Olive Oil
8 oz. Grated cheese Cheddar, Gruyere or Swiss
2 oz. Parmesan Cheese grated

Notes

Heat a heavy, stock pot (I use my dutch oven) over medium-low heat and add the 4 Tbsp. butter. Add the sliced onions (this will seem like too many onions, but trust the process, they will reduce quite a bit). Cover the pot and cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occassionally (I find sometimes it takes longer so trust your gut). Onions should be clear and tender.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the sugar. Continue cooking until onions are golden brown. Make sure to keep stirring so they do not stick to the pot.

Reduce heat down to medium-low again and add the flour. Cook for approximately 3 minutes until it becomes a thick paste. Stir in about a cup of the broth and thin out the paste. Add the rest of the stock, sage (optional) and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30-40 minutes.

I remove the bay leaf now. (I forget the bay leaf and sage quite a bit and it is still wonderful). Add salt and pepper to taste.

French bread

Preheat oven to 350°. Slice french bread into 1.5 inch slices. Drizzle with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Cook the bread until golden brown (usually about 10 minutes on each side).

If I am in a hurry, I will add the cheese now directly on the bread and continue baking in the oven until the cheese is melted. Add the bread to a bowl and pour the soup over it and serve it.

Allergy information: contains wheat. (you can substitute corn starch for the flour to make this gluten-free.

Fresh Popover Recipe: A Family Tradition

Having a fresh popover (also called Yorkshire Pudding) with your meal is an experience that takes a meal from good to great. This Fresh Popover Recipe is not something I can take credit for, my daughter Amanda is the genius baker here. She has been working on it for a year or so and finally perfected it. Popovers or Yorkshire Pudding are usually reserved for special occasions, but they have been put on a regular rotation in our house. I would recommend this recipe to anyone.

As a child my family would take us to Anthony’s Pier 4 restaurant in Boston, MA and I still remember the popovers they served. I am sure they served other food, but as a kid going out to dinner with their parents, there was nothing better than a hot popover. The popovers made that restaurant my childhood favorite. Another place to get a great popover to this day is the Beverly Depot restaurant in Beverly, MA. The whole restaurant is great, not just the popovers. As a child, I never thought a fresh popover made at home would be so easy and accessible. My daughters’ efforts and this fresh popover recipe will have our family making memories for years.

This Ultimate Fresh Popover Recipe, otherwise known as Yorkshire Pudding elevates any meal from good to great.

Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.

-James Beard

She originally made the popovers in a muffin tin, then we bought a popover pan and that was a game changer. It took a while for her to get the height. But this time she sprayed the pan with olive oil spray and chilled the batter beforehand and that seemed to make the difference. Popovers, with only five ingredients that you most likely have in your home are easy, inexpensive and a joy to behold!

I do not have Celiac disease, but I am gluten free just because I feel better when I am. There are a few things that I will cheat with and this is one of them. I cannot resist. However, I do NOT recommend cheating if you do in fact have Celiac Disease. If you are interested in some of our other favorite recipes, please check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs for more tried and true family recipes and restaurant reviews.

Fresh Popover Recipe

Otherwise known at Yorkshire Pudding, a fresh popover elevates every meal

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 40

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer, dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, British

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes