Brunch

Though delicious in its simple, unadulterated state, shortbread is also ripe for innovation. This slightly savory version features rosemary and a touch of of-the-moment caraway, but the possibilities are endless. If you've got the time, make a double batch and keep the second pan uncut in the freezer for last-minute visitors.

It might seem like a long time, but cooking the bacon until it's welldone means it'll stay crisp at the table.

Coconut oil adds a rich sweetness to the batter; shredded coconut delivers crunch.

Lett prefers Hachiya persimmons for this fabulously simple dessert (they're the ones with the pointy shape). But don't use them until they're super soft and completely ripe; they taste unpleasantly tannic otherwise.

"This is as good as it gets!" Alan exclaimed as he took his fourth forkful of this creation, followed by a fifth. Picture a warm, creamy, puffy bread pudding, straight from the oven, that tastes like it was made in a praline confectionery shop in New Orleans. You start with a loaf of challah, cut it into thick slices, and pour over a rich, creamy custard. Marble it with a buttery brown-sugar praline crunch filled with pecans and flavored with cinnamon. The secret is to refrigerate the pudding for several hours or overnight before baking; it's the long soak that makes this bread pudding the best you've ever tasted!

Feed this luscious sandwich to your egg-eating veggie friends when they get a burger craving, and they'll likely think twice about ever ordering a veggie burger–puck again. When you eat it, it drips and spills everywhere in a decidedly appealing way. NOTE: The bun must be fresh. Really fresh. A stale bun will wreck this sandwich.

Take cornbread up a notch with this sweet-and-savory version studded with sautéed, thyme-scented apples.

Adding sour cream to the dough imparts richness and a bit of tang, and doesn't thin it out too much.

We recommend using finely ground cornmeal to give these the ideal texture.

Why not make cinnamon buns into a coffee cake that can be pulled apart when ready to serve. It's a dessert that is just meant to make it to the breakfast table the next morning (if there's any left).

My friend Keena lives less than a mile away and has a plum tree she can't keep up with. In early fall, she makes jam with as many plums as she can and sends me home with a big grocery bag full of them every time I see her. I'm not much of a canner, so I began sautéing them and using them as a topping for yogurt and porridge, and as a filling for these simple buckwheat crepes. While buckwheat groats have a pretty distinct flavor and can be a hard sell for many folks, buckwheat flour is commonly used and adored in both sweet and savory crepes. For this recipe, use oval-shaped Italian plums (or prune plums) if you can; they're nice and firm and lend themselves well to sautéing—or just plain snacking. Morning Notes: The crepe batter needs to rest for at least an hour, so plan accordingly or make the batter and refrigerate it overnight. If you go that route, the crepes cook best when the batter is at room temperature, so let it sit out for at least 30 minutes before cooking them.

You'll just love this Sumptuous Berry Shake, a CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS® reader-submitted recipe from Marta R., New York, NY. Try it today!

These savory puddings work as a brunch or side dish, with their corn husk "handles" making them look like cheerful sunflowers. After you remove the kernels from the cobs, you scrape the corn milk from the cobs with the back of a knife, then simmer the cobs in cream and milk. This mixture forms the base of the pudding batter, which you pour into corn husk–lined muffin tins. The result is part corn muffin, part soufflé.

Hot-smoked salmon, unlike cured, is fully cooked.

The frittata will be easier to remove from the skillet if it sits for a few minutes—the top will deflate and the edges will pull away from the pan.

If you like, serve this with whipped cream or an extra dollop of yogurt.

Sorenson says this beer cocktail is "the best of both worlds: Bloody Mary meets Michelada. It gives so much, and asks for so little in return."

A decadent side that goes with almost everything—even breakfast.

Baked eggs are great for brunch, and this version is no exception. But with a salad of leafy greens, it's also hearty and satisfying enough to double as dinner.