Before Laura’s dish, here is a final description of the last recipe not yet included in the “four days of  le brunch”.  It’s all about Tram’s Banana Crunch Muffins.  You see, long story short, Tram got crunched for time and her hubby, Steve, couldn’t make it, so she brought her friend (and my friend too!) Matt. Matt is not only our friend, but also the producer of Tram’s afternoon show EVB Live, and the former producer of the old Valley Dish. Matt made the muffins, but since he doesn’t really like full-on banana flavor in his muffins, he made banana-pineapple muffins… yes that’s the short version! Matt’s muffins were a huge hit. But since I don’t have Matt’s recipe to share, I will share my “Crunch” recipe tomorrow.

Laura’s Overnight Breakfast Sausage Casserole

2 pounds ground sage pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 eggs, beaten
3 cups half-and-half
12 slices white bread, toasted and cut into cubes
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown; drain.

In a medium bowl, mix together green onions, green chilies, mustard, salt, pepper, eggs, and half-and-half.  Add the sausage, bread cubes, and cheese, and stir to coat evenly.  Pour into two greased 11x7x2-inch baking dishes. Cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.

Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes. Uncover, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until set.

Serves 16

The best thing about the four brunch recipes my friends made is that they can all be fully or partially made ahead. Anne’s “overnight” French toast obviously fits the bill. Or if your family enjoys “breakfast for dinner” – throw this together before you head out the door in the morning, take it out when you walk in the door, then pop it in the oven and you’ll have dinner (and dessert all-in-one; it’s pretty dang sweet!) on the table with almost no effort after a long hard day.

So another guest who made a dish that won’t be featured in the four days of brunch recipes, is Amy’s Smoked Salmon Platter with Dill Sour Cream. It was one of the “no-cook” recipes and was basically thinly sliced smoked salmon artistically laid out on a platter with minced shallots and capers sprinkled on top and sour cream with fresh chopped dill mixed in – served with bagel chips or sliced baguette on the side.  So easy, SO good, and oh so pretty!

Once again, I didn’t get a photo of Amy’s dish or even of Amy for that matter, but I did get a nice shot of her hilariously humorous husband, Scott (and Bubo – Sloane’s pooch).

Anne’s Overnight Peach-Blueberry French Toast

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
29-ounce can sliced peaches, drained and rinsed
1 small bag frozen blueberries
12 (3/4 inch thick) slices day-old Challa bread
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
A couple pinches of ground cinnamon

In a saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, butter, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour the brown sugar mixture into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, and tilt the dish to cover the entire bottom. Place peaches and blueberries over the brown sugar mixture, then top with slices of French bread. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Slowly pour over the bread slices to coat evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until the bread is golden brown. Spoon out portions to serve.

Serves 8

A few of the other guests brought recipes that have already been featured here on the blog… for instance, Peggy made THIS great salad that I wrote about back in September 2009.  And Peggy’s fabulous sister, Terrie, made a beautiful platter of roasted asparagus that was generously topped with crumbled goat cheese, crispy bacon, and lemon.  Regretfully, I didn’t get a picture of either Terrie’s asparagus or Peggy’s salad, (you can go to the link above to see the salad).  But thankfully I did snap a lovely picture of gorgeous Peggy!

Sloane’s Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms and Parmesan

1-pound loaf crusty country-style white bread
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as crimini, button, portobello, and/or shiitake), thinly sliced
1  1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1  1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
3  1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.

Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread and discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups loosely packed). Place cubes in very large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss to coat.

Spread cubes out on large rimmed baking sheet. (do not wash the bowl) Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Return toasted bread cubes to same bowl.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté until vegetables are soft and their juices have evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add sautéed vegetables to the bread in the bowl, stir in the parsley.

Whisk cream, eggs, salt, and pepper in another large bowl. Mix custard into bread and vegetables. Transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle cheese over. (May be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered until eggs are set and top is golden, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Serves 12

Here is the first of four brunch dishes that I’d like to share with you from our New Year’s Eve Brunch. Since I wasn’t the one cooking any of these, there will only be the one picture… no preparation photos. And in some cases, as with this one, I even forgot to take the picture myself and had to ask the creator of the dish to email me the photo taken from the leftovers they brought back home – thanks for this one, Mary!  Oh, one more thing – This is my 800th Post! Wow 800!

Mary’s Sausage and Egg Casserole with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup half and half
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.

Sauté sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown and cooked through, breaking up with a spatula into small pieces, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the parsley; stir 1 minute. Spread sausage mixture in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, half and half, whipping cream, 1  1/2 cups of the cheese, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Pour egg mixture over sausage mixture in dish.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley over. Bake until top of casserole is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

When beating the eggs for your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie or any other custard pie, brush a little of the beaten egg over the pie shell and set it in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps seal the crust and keeps it crisp.

This makes me want to get busy and BAKE! How about you?

I am completely “committing to the chai” with this French toast. It goes without saying that this is delicious served with the Vanilla Chai Tea Hot Toddy for a perfect fall brunch. Enjoy!

Chai French Toast with Hot Chai Syrup and Cold Chai Yogurt

1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Spicy Chai Latte mix
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Spicy Chai Latte mix
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
1/2 cup warm tap water
3/4 scoop Trader Joe’s Spicy Chai Latte mix
French country white bread loaf, sliced 3/4-inch thick (6 slices)
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Pour the syrup into a small saucepan, place over low heat and whisk in the chai mix until completely dissolved and combined. Keep warm.

Place the yogurt in a small bowl; whisk in the chai mix until completely dissolved and combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Whisk the eggs with the vanilla paste in a shallow bowl. Measure the water in a 1-cup glass measuring cup and whisk in the chai latte mix until the powder is completely dissolved.  Briskly whisk into the eggs until combined.

Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture until they are completely saturated. Add 3 or 4 bread slices to skillet and saute until cooked through and brown, about 3 minutes per side. Place on baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat cooking with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and  bread slices.

Cut the French toast slices in half and place 3 halves on each dinner plate. Drizzle with syrup, dollop with yogurt, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

This is the recipe using smoked salmon that I told you about a couple days ago, the one I found in an old Gourmet Magazine and wanted to try for my smoked salmon-loving husband.  It is a winner!!! Perfect for picnics, tailgating, or lunch brown-bagging.

If you made the Brussels sprout salad from yesterday’s post, then you have extra mustard vinaigrette leftover… use 1/4 cup of that and just stir in the shallot listed here… then skip making the vinaigrette in this recipe, and you are ready to rock and roll.

Picnic Salad in a Jar

Inspired by a recipe from Gourmet Magazine 2008

1/2 pound haricots verts, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
1 large celery rib, finely diced
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound sliced smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
5 cups baby spinach leaves

4 (16-ounce) wide mouth jars with lids

Blanch beans in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

Lift beans out with a slotted spoon or spider and drop into an ice bath to stop the cooking and cool. Drain on paper towels.

In a medium bowl, whisk together mustard, shallot, vinegar, oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add green beans to bowl and toss to coat.

Stir together chopped eggs, mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce, celery, chives, lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Divided the egg salad among the four jars. Layer the salmon, green beans, and then the spinach on top. Screw on the lids and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Assembled jars can be chilled for up to 36 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, invert the  jar over a dinner plate and gently dump ingredients onto plate. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Several weeks ago, Karen Fernau, food writer for the Arizona Republic, called and asked me to submit an answer to a reader’s question for their “Ask A Chef” column.  I did so and then forgot completely about it… big surprise! Anyhow, my mentor, friend, and boss, Barbara Fenzl, informed me that she’d seen it on AZCentral.com. Here is the LINK for it.  It presents a good time for me to remind you about all the useful information you can find on The Basic Kitchen page, over there on your left. Things like a Glossary of Cooking Terms, a Pantry list, Kitchen Tools you should have, and even a list with some of my Favorite Cookbooks.

Those gorgeous eggs pictured above are this Easter’s Silk Tie Eggs that I made along with my friends, Lorie and Ronnie.  They turned out especially wonderful this year.  TIP: When searching your closet and thrift shop for 100% silk ties, look for bright colors. It’s tempting to choose the pretty pastels, but the colors don’t transfer as well.  Go for the reds, deep purples, and dark blues and you’ll end up with the best results.

I’ll be on Channel 12 Valley Dish today at 3:30 sharing ideas for your Easter centerpieces and buffets. Here’s a sneak peak of a couple of the candy and flower arrangements I’ve made.

That pretty much sums up my Easter theme this year. Lots of eggs, a plethora of birdcages, with plenty of moss, twigs, and natural materials. Yesterday I showed you my moss table runner and moss covered pots, today some of my egg ideas.  And tomorrow, some easy and kid-friendly Easter cupcakes.

All of the silk tie eggs will be displayed in nests of moss tucked into my collection of birdcages.  The cages will be scattered around the kitchen, on the buffets, and down the length of the dining tables.

Additional hollowed out eggs will be set in egg cups and filled with jelly beans, or turned into mini flower vases, or even filled with wax for sweet little candles.  If you have a collection of egg cups but don’t want to go to the trouble of emptying out the eggs, use small citrus instead.

Cut a small lemon or orange in half, hollow out the flesh and place in an egg cup, then fill with water and a small bouquet of flowers and you’re done!

Egg Shell Candy Cups, Votives, and Vases

Make a hole in the top (narrow end) of each egg with a straight or safety pin; carefully enlarge the holes, first with pin and then with your fingers, until the top 1/4 of the shell is broken off.

Pour out the yolks and whites (through a strainer and into a bowl, if you want to use the egg for cooking) then gently clean the shells in warm soapy water.

Dye empty shells as you would usually color boiled eggs. Set upside down on newspaper or paper towels to dry.

For Candy Cups: When completely dry, place in egg cups and fill with jelly beans.

For Vases: Place in egg cups, fill half full with cool water and arrange small flower bouquets in each.

For Votives: Place dry shells back in their egg carton. Cut wire-core wicks into 4-inch lengths, slightly flatten one end and adhere to bottom of egg shell with a drop of warm wax (wicks and wax may be found at craft stores). Using a funnel, fill shells with hot wax (may be colored with dye pellets to match colored eggs, if desired) and set aside to cool and harden completely.  Trim the wicks, set in egg cups and light.

I know… when the temps start rising, I start complaining! But I’m pretty certain it wasn’t still March when I began my rant last year! Look at those temperatures! That is crazy talk – nearly 100 degrees tomorrow – on April 1st! Maybe the forecasters are just playing an April Fools joke on us and it will actually be a lovely 78 degrees. Fingers crossed!  Just in case, I’ve got the perfect spring breakfast or brunch dish for you. I’m going to consider making this again for Easter…. as long as we’re not tipping over the century mark by then. If that is the sad and sorry case, I plan on serving only ice cream, sorbet, and a nice light, but heavily chilled, Rosé!

Spring Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Crème

3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons peeled and minced shallot
2 thin slices smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced

Mix sour cream, lemon juice, zest, and thyme in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whisk eggs in bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté  for about 2 minutes. Add eggs; cook until almost set, stirring often with a rubber spatula, about 1 minute.

Fan out the avocado slices onto two plates. Divide scrambled eggs between the plates. Top scrambled eggs with smoked salmon; dollop with lemon crème on the side and serve immediately.

Serves 2

So many of the dishes we made during our stay at La Pitchoune were from famous French chefs and cookbook authors. This vegetarian dish, from Michel Richard, was amongst our favorites.

Another of my favorite things discovered on that first trip to France were the Santons that are so prevalent throughout Provence.  There are actually two styles of Santons, small painted clay figurines or larger clothed clay dolls, it was the dolls that were displayed in La Pitchoune that I fell in love with. Authentic French Santons are hand-crafted in Provence. They represent traditional Provencal characters that existed a few hundred years back in all villages in the South of France. They are made with clay and painted by hand one by one with real life details.

The origin of the Santons goes back to the French revolution; Santon meaning “little saint” were traditionally used in churches at Christmas time around the “crèches” or nativity scene where they represented characters from the bible and as a result attracted large crowds mostly in the Provence region. In 1789, when the French government abruptly closed all churches, the parishioners were distraught and sought solace in recreating their own nativity scenes which included Santons in their homes. The characters grew from the traditional members of the nativity to the members of life throughout everyday Provincial life, from the baker to the bricklayer. The tradition was strong over the years and today Santons are a part of life in Provence.

The first picture farther above is of Julia and Kathie’s collection… and this second collection is mine. From left to right; tall male chef with copper pot, female baker with a huge basket of baguettes, smiling bonneted woman carrying a duck in a basket, male artist with a pallet and brunch along with his easel and painting, angry looking old bonneted woman shopping at the market, and finally a sweet vendor at the market with his vegetable cart carrying a scale.  Below is the last Santon photo, a more traditional set of the Magi that is always on display in our dining room but is set out to hold a more prominent place during Christmas.

This is another view of Julia’s kitchen which we had the joy and honor of cooking in that magical week in 1997.

Asparagus Terrine with Tarragon Sauce

(adapted from Michel Richard’s Home Cooking with a French Accent)

Tarragon Sauce
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Terrine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds thick asparagus, ends broken off and peeled
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

Sauce: Place mayonnaise and mustard in a food processor or blender and pulse until blended.   With the machine running, add the vinegar through the feed tube, then slowing add the oil in a steady stream. Remove to a bowl and stir in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Terrine: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and cook, covered, until translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the sugar and increase heat to medium-high and stir until onions are browned.  Add the garlic and vinegar and stir until the vinegar has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a plate to cool to room temperature.

Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add asparagus spears and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Remove with tongs and refresh in ice water, remove from water and place on a rack to drain and cool.  Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter a loaf pan or terrine and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Turn over the paper so that it is now buttered on both sides.  Trim the asparagus if it is longer than the pan, reserve all trimmings.  Place a single layer of asparagus spears on the bottom of the loaf pan. Fill in any spaces with trimmings.  Scatter 1/3 of the onions over the top. Continue layers with asparagus and onions until all is used.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until well combined. Whisk in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.  Pour the egg mixture into the loaf pan, moving a paring knife between the asparagus spears to help the egg distribute evenly between the spears and layers. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to even it all out.  Cover the pan with foil.

Set up a water bath by setting the loaf pan into a larger baking dish and pouring boiling water into the baking dish so that the water comes about 3/4 of the way up the sides of the loaf pan.  Place in preheated oven and bake until the eggs are set and a paring knife that is inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. (the time will vary depending on the exact size and shape of your loaf pan).  Remove from water bath and allow the terrine to settle and cool for about 12 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges and unmold onto a cutting board.  Cut into 1/2-inch slices.  Transfer to serving plates and drizzle with sauce, serve immediately.

Serves 8 to 10

A happy coincidence, meant to be, just by chance, lucky, a fluke, a quirk, or a twist of fate… whatever you call it, I like it! And I love that word, happenstance, awesome word! What, by chance, was the fateful occasion for me?

I had about 1/2 head each of green and orange cauliflower from the Colorful Cauliflower Purées of 5 days ago and was trying to decide what to do with it. Of course, I could just make a vegetable side dish or purée and freeze it for later use, but that felt mundane. I was leaning toward cauliflower soup, but it’s so dang hot outside. Instead of pondering it any longer I decided to waste time on Facebook and, as luck would have it, there staring me in the eye was a recipe for a frittata using cauliflower, delivered directly to my home page from my Facebook friend, Food & Wine! Problem solved, and proof that perusing Facebook isn’t always a waste of time.

Before the recipe, how about a couple quick tips?

#1. If you don’t have a lid the correct size for a skillet, pot, or pan… use a baking sheet.

#2. If the skillet or pan you are using doesn’t have an oven-safe handle… double or triple wrap the handle tightly in aluminum foil and presto-chango, it’s oven-safe.

Cauliflower Frittata

(inspired by Food & Wine)

4 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 5 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 large eggs
1/3 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded Parmesan or Fontina cheese
2 or 3 tomatoes, thinly sliced and drained on paper towels

In a 12-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and pour off  all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the olive oil and butter to the skillet and heat until butter is melted. Add the cauliflower and salt and sauté over medium high heat, stirring often, until the cauliflower is lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.

While the cauliflower is cooking, beat the eggs, half-and-half, basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the drained bacon. Pour the egg mixture over the cauliflower, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to low.

Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover and cook until the bottom of the frittata is golden brown and the top is almost set, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the broiler to high.

Remove lid and top frittata with tomatoes, broil about 6 inches from the heat, until the eggs are set about 2 minutes. Cut it into wedges and serve hot from the oven.

Serves 6

It’s been a strange week. Dave was out of town on business Friday – Friday. I was in California that first weekend for a wedding (gorgeous wedding). Then Marissa went down to Tucson for her boyfriend’s birthday (Happy birthday, Alberto!).  And on Thursday, I took Connor up to Flagstaff to begin his sophomore year at NAU (Have a great first day today, Con! Missing you!).

The four of us were never home at the same time, and now we won’t be again until … Thanksgiving, probably (insert sad face here). After all that disruption, what we need is breakfast for dinner. There aren’t too many things that feel more cozy than having traditional morning food in the evening.

These sandwiches are delicious with or without the addition of a poached egg. I did four with and four without. Use any cheese you like, but I’m using pepper Jack to go with the jalapeno sausage I purchased at The Pork Shop… so darn good!

Sausage and Basil-Parmesan Biscuit Sandwiches

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup milk
1 egg

3/4 pound bulk fresh pork sausage
16 thin slices pepper Jack cheese
Poached eggs, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, whisk to combine. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two forks, until mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Stir in basil and cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg.  Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir with a wooden spoon until just moistened.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface; pat into a 1-inch-thick circle. Cut with a 3-inch biscuit cutter into 8 biscuits. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove form oven and cool slightly on a rack before slicing. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

While biscuits bake; cut sausage crosswise into 8 equal pieces and flatten each into 3-inch rounds. Cook sausage patties in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, turning, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Split biscuits, then make sandwiches; layering with bottom half biscuit, 1 slice cheese, 1 sausage patty, (add poached egg here, if using) another slice of cheese, and biscuit top.

Place sandwiches on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Makes 8 sandwiches