Cooking for a Brotha

I'm reading the food memoir Cooking for Mr. Latte, written by New York Times food reporter Amanda Hesser. (More on the book another day.) Hesser talks about hosting guests for a meal, and writes that hosts usually serve guests a menu the hosts are excited about. I suppose that's true, but sometimes its really fun to think of a menu you know your guests will adore.

Such was the case with a visit from my brother this past weekend, whom I'll call Bro J. (Actually, that is what I call him.) My brother is the kind of guy who always selects the perfect sibling-bonding-meal restaurant when I visit him, whether it's a high-class Irish pub decorated with stones from every Emerald Isle county, or a great out-of-the-way Thai joint. That being said, he also enjoys hefty helpings of old school comfort food from time to time, requesting dishes like beef brisket and cooking up his famous "Big Bowl of Love" baby back rib chili.

So when I planned a weekend menu with my brother in mind, I knew that Cooking Light's (turkey) sausage breakfast casserole and some hot ham and cheese tailgate sandwiches were just the ticket. (Mud and Reesa and all my veggie friends, avert your eyes.) Both these recipes were fabulous, and I'd make the breakfast casserole again and again. It's a perfect food for a cozy, leisurely breakfast. (And oh, I made some great blueberry-pecan scones too! E-mail me if you'd like any of these recipes; I'm a bit too lazy to type them this morning.)

So thanks to Bro J for winter menu inspiration, and cheers to the weekend guests who inspire us to expand our repertoire!

In other news, Snoop Dogg recently launched a new line of supermarket hot dogs bearing his moniker. What's next, a new line of stuffed Huggy Bears for kids?