The Business Breakfast

Taking a tip from wage earners who find that holding business meetings over breakfast is a constructive trend, volunteer groups are adapting the idea for their own use. Choosing the right menu can make such a home session successful.

Since it seems to be terribly trendy to be organized these days, it’s no surprise that the business world has suddenly discovered what time- and effort-savers breakfast meetings can be.

There really isn’t anything new about meeting clients or friends for breakfast. It’s been going on for years. It’s just that, suddenly, getting together over coffee and Danish early in the morning is fashionable.

Early-morning breakfast meetings are no longer simply sociable coffee klatches, however. Business breakfasts are just that--a time to discuss plans, projects and other aspects of the daily 9-to-5 world when nearly everybody’s energy level is high and more can be accomplished.

There’s a lot of merit in this particular trend. Spare moments are rapidly entering the luxury category as most everyone seems to be short on time these days. We’re busy, busy, busy, dashing in all directions like the Mad Hatter--but unlike that literary legend, trying to make each minute count.

Whether you’re getting paid for your contributions to society, or fall into that much-too-frequently overlooked group called volunteers, breakfast meetings can make your role easier. Particularly if you can conduct them in the less frenetic atmosphere of your home. And believe it or not, it really is as easy to fix breakfast for a group as it is to go through the hassle of getting to and from a restaurant and putting up with all the noisy clamor that is present when you dine out.

Breakfasts for the most part are simple meals. Fresh fruit or juice, coffee and an entree are all that’s needed. Plan to serve buffet style and keep things informal so that all can concentrate on the important things at hand, such as the reason for the meeting. Do everything that can be done in advance the night before, including setting up the serving table and getting the coffee pot prepared and ready to be plugged in. Above all, choose a menu that can be prepared in advance. Or, if you can’t find something appealing that can be done at least 95% in advance, serve something that is quick and easy to make.

Belgian waffles or a blintz souffle or an old-fashioned bread pudding all are good choices for company breakfasts. The blintz souffle and bread pudding can be made the night before and either baked or reheated just before serving. The waffle batter will take only a few minutes to toss together and the waffles can be cooked right at the table if desired, or they can be made just before guests arrive and kept warm in the oven.

Still other good food choices for a breakfast meeting include a spiffy orange-flavored French toast dish that is baked rather than fried, or a more elegant version of that tried-and-true brunch dish, the strata. Made with buttermilk waffles rather than the traditional cubed bread, this version calls for ham and cheese to be mixed in with the waffles before the final baking.

The blintz souffle recipe is one of those wonderful finds that every cook needs in his or her permanent file. It’s almost impossible to ruin. From Marlene Sorosky’s “Cookery for Entertaining” (HP Books: $7.95), it survives all sorts of adversity in the kitchen.

A friend served it at a brunch recently under less-than-desirable circumstances. She prepared the recipe to the point where it was ready to be cooked the night before, planning to pop it in the oven just before her guests arrived the following morning. Good planning, bad timing.

The oven declined to cooperate. It wouldn’t heat. Faced with total disaster, the heroine begged the use of her next door neighbor’s oven, figuring that a cooked-but-slightly-fallen souffle was better than no souffle at all. She needn’t have worried. The cooked souffle held up well for the hour or so it took everybody to arrive and was still delicious for snackers who decided to have a second helping several hours later.

Next time you’re responsible for setting up a committee meeting or club luncheon, why not follow the trend and schedule the event earlier in the day. You’ll be amazed at how much quicker plans are formulated and decisions are made. And just think of all the time you’ll have left for other things that day. HOME-STYLE BELGIAN WAFFLES

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups light beer

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, egg, beer, butter, salt and vanilla, blending well. Allow to stand at room temperature at least 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.

Grease Belgian waffle iron generously and heat according to manufacturer’s directions. Pour in about 3/4 cup batter, spreading with spatula to fill all crevices. Bake waffle 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with sour cream and fruit or hot fruit syrups. Sprinkle tops of waffles with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes 3 to 4 waffles. MARLENE SOROSKY’S BRUNCH BLINTZ SOUFFLE

1/4 pound butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Blintz Filling

Blueberry Syrup

Place butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, orange juice, flour and baking powder in blender container or food processor. Process until blended. Pour half of mixture into well-buttered 13x9-inch baking pan. Drop Blintz Filling by heaping spoonfuls over batter in pan, spreading gently and evenly with knife. (Filling will blend slightly with batter.) Pour remaining batter over filling.

Unbaked souffle may be covered tightly and refrigerated several hours or overnight at this point, if desired.

Before baking, remove souffle from refrigerator and allow to stand 1 hour or as long as it takes to come to room temperature. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes or until it is puffed and golden. Serve with additional sour cream, if desired, and Blueberry Syrup or assorted jams. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Blintz Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut up

2 cups small curd cottage cheese

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place cream cheese, cottage cheese, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in blender or food processor container. Blend until well mixed. Blueberry Syrup

1 (15-ounce) can blueberries in light syrup

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Dash salt

Dash ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

Combine undrained blueberries, corn syrup, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon in saucepan over medium heat. Heat through, stirring gently to blend.

Mix cornstarch with water, add to blueberry mixture and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving. May be refrigerated and reheated. Makes 2 cups. BREAKFAST BREAD PUDDING

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1 quart milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 (1-inch-thick) slices egg bread, diced

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Assorted fruit syrups, jams or jellies

Combine eggs, milk and vanilla and beat with whisk to blend well. Beat in brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in bread, raisins, pecans and bacon.

Turn mixture into well-greased 2-quart baking dish and bake at 325 degrees 45 minutes or until mixture is set. Serve hot or warm with syrups or jams or jellies. Makes 8 to 10 servings. QUICHE CREPES

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon flour

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

Dash ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 Basic Crepes

Toss cheese and flour in bowl. In separate bowl, beat eggs with half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper until smooth and well-blended. Press crepes lightly into well-greased muffin pans or custard cups, allowing crepes to flute around edges.

Divide cheese mixture equally among crepes. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or until quiches are puffed and brown. If crepes brown too quickly, cover edges with foil. Remove from oven and let stand in pan about 5 minutes to set. Remove from pan, loosening with knife tip. Serve hot. Makes 8 quiches. Basic Crepes

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

3 eggs, beaten

Melted butter or margarine

Stir flour and salt together in bowl of electric mixer. Beat milk, eggs and 2 tablespoons butter until well blended. Add liquid to flour all at once and beat until smooth.

Pour about 1/2 teaspoon butter into well-seasoned 6-inch crepe pan and heat until few drops water sizzle in pan. Pour about 2 tablespoons batter into pan and tilt quickly so batter covers bottom thoroughly. Cook over medium heat about 1 minute, loosen edges with spatula and gently flip crepe to cook other side. Cook about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon butter to pan as needed. Stack crepes on plate and keep warm until all are cooked. Makes about 20 crepes.

Note: Crepes can be frozen until needed. To freeze, stack with sheets of wax paper between and wrap well with foil or freezer paper. ASPARAGUS RABBIT

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 pound asparagus, cooked

Toast triangles

Melt butter in large saucepan. Blend in flour, salt and mustard. Gradually add milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to boil.

Add hot pepper sauce and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over cooked asparagus on toast triangles. Makes 4 to 6 servings. HAM, CHEESE AND WAFFLE STRATA

Buttermilk Waffles

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 pound mild Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

6 thin slices cooked ham

Paprika

3 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 eggs

1 green pepper, cored and sliced into 6 rings

Prepare Buttermilk Waffles. Let cool thoroughly on wire rack.

Meanwhile, generously butter 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread remaining butter on waffles. Line bottom of baking dish with waffles, cutting waffles to fit. Cover with a layer of half the cheese. Top with ham slices, another layer of waffles and rest of cheese slices. Sprinkle liberally with paprika.

Beat together milk, salt, cayenne and eggs. Pour evenly over waffles and cheese, being sure to moisten each waffle thoroughly. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Bake at 325 degrees 35 minutes. Top with green pepper rings and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer. Makes 6 servings. Buttermilk Waffles

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oil or melted shortening

Beat eggs until well mixed. Beat in buttermilk, baking soda, flour, baking powder, salt and oil to make smooth batter.

Spoon batter into hot waffle iron, spreading lightly to edges, and bake according to manufacturer’s directions. Repeat until all batter is used.

Note: Extra waffles can be frozen for later use. BAKED ORANGE FRENCH TOAST

3 eggs

2 teaspoons sugar

Dash salt

6 thick slices sourdough bread

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 orange

Powdered sugar

Beat eggs with sugar and salt. Dip bread slices in mixture to coat both sides. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon evenly into greased, shallow baking pan. Drizzle melted butter over sugar mixture and sprinkle with orange peel.

Arrange egg-dipped bread slices over sugar mixture and bake at 400 degrees 10 to 15 minutes. Arrange toast sticky side up on serving plate. Slice orange and twist for garnish. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 3 to 6 servings.