Make Mother's Day brunch special with these 20 recipes from the Star Tribune's archives

German Puffed Pancake

"When drama emerges from eggs, flour, milk and sugar, that can be a very good thing," writes Kim Ode in 2015. "A theatrically puffed German pancake is a delicious way to lend some pizazz to a celebratory brunch. The resulting pancake has the bite of a crêpe, the loft of a soufflé, the egginess of custard and the brown shoulders of a popover." Find the recipe here.

Shakshuka

"Shakshuka, which is basically eggs poached in a peppery tomato stew, is delicious, and it has the appearance that you've fussed, but the effort you're actually investing is minimal," writes Rick Nelson in 2018. "It's one of those centerpiece recipes that never fails to impress. An easy stovetop meal, shakshuka comes together in a flash. It requires a little chopping, some simmering and a round of egg-cracking. Thirty or so minutes, and you're eating." Find the recipe here.

Bruschetta with Scrambled Eggs and Lobster

"It was the name that caught my attention: Soft eggs with lobster," writes Lee Svitak Dean in 2010. "On bruschetta, no less. Little did I know it came scrambled with cream cheese and drizzled with truffle oil. Wow. I was dazzled before I took the first bite. What came to mind after I had savored the luxurious treat at Bar La Grassa in Minneapolis, and after a few contented groans, was this: I could simplify the recipe and make it at home." Find the recipe here.

Farmers Market Frittata with Spinach and Persian Spices

"Frittatas are so versatile, forgiving and adaptable that I'm in danger of serving them way too often," writes Beth Dooley in 2019. "Perfect for brunch, lunch, as an appetizer with drinks or a light dinner, a good frittata can be served warm, at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator." Find the recipe here.

Crustless Quiche

"When making quiche, many of us struggle with the crust," writes Beth Dooley in 2019. "While it adds flavor and crunch, it takes time and is a bit messy to make from scratch. But you really don't need one. You can skip making a crust, dust a greased pan with flour, and you've got a fine breakfast, brunch, lunch or light dinner in no time flat." Find the recipe here.

Leek and Cheddar Pie

"Leeks are a workhorse in my kitchen," writes Beth Dooley in 2021. "I like to make a leek confit to keep on hand as a base for a variety of pastas, soups, stews and pilafs, to garnish chicken and pork, top off pizza, and for a quick, comforting — and pretty — tart." Find the recipe here.

Perfect Quiche

"Quiche, that culinary darling of the 1970s, suddenly seems to be appearing on menus everywhere," writes Rick Nelson in 2014. "At [the former] Empire Coffee + Pastry in northeast Minneapolis, quiche — truly impressive quiche, it must be said — has been a top seller. What the restaurant industry might not want the world to know is that this open-faced custard pie is a snap to prepare, even for novice bakers." Find the recipe here.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

"This is a tale of a simple egg, scrambled over low heat, with just enough patience to make it perfect," writes Lee Svitak Dean in 2017. "It is not the scrambled egg of my childhood." Find the recipe here.

Four recipes where eggs take center stage

"Whatever your culinary dilemma may be, eggs are likely the answer, and for good reason," writes Meredith Deeds in 2020. "They're a quick-cooking, nutritious, inexpensive and tasty ingredient that most of us have in our refrigerators." The recipes include Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs; Asparagus Basil Scrambled Eggs in Parmesan Parmesan Dutch Baby with Crispy Pancetta; Skillet Bacon-Cheddar Quiche with Hash-Brown Crust; and Blueberry-Lemon Cream-Cheese French Toast Casserole. Find them here.

Al's Breakfast's Blueberry-Walnut Pancakes

"The recipe hails from 'James Beard's All-American Eats' (Rizzoli, 2016), and when it was published last spring, I remember telling Al's co-owner Doug Grina that I was happy to see his small restaurant receive such big play in the cookbook's pages," writes Rick Nelson in 2016. "Mighty Al's deserves nothing less." Find the recipe here.

Swedish Pancakes

"Swedish pancakes are to traditional pancakes as regular burgers are to veggie burgers," writes Lee Svitak Dean in 2020. "That is, they vaguely look alike (they are both round), but few diners would mistake one for the other. The Swedish version appears as thin and delicate as a crêpe, and could be mistaken for one. The traditional pancake is, well, the usual hot cake we see on the plate." Find the recipe here.

Foolproof crêpes

"Give yourself some time to practice," writes Lee Svitak Dean in 2020. "Even Julia Child says the first crêpe is a 'trial to test out the consistency of the batter, and exact amount you need for the pan, and the heat.'" Find the recipe here.

Wild Rice Crêpes with Chicken, Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

"If the idea of making crêpes feels too intimidating, let me assure you that it's much easier than you think," writes Meredith Deeds in 2017. "You don't need a special pan; a simple nonstick skillet will do. All that separates a crêpe from a pancake is that crêpes have a thinner batter and you can only make one at a time. I will warn you, though, that your first crêpe is typically doomed to failure. It usually seems to fall apart. The second one almost always works perfectly, though." Find the recipe here.

Four waffle recipes

"Summer cabin guests, your buying-a-host-gift worries are over," writes Rick Nelson in 2017. "Rather than wine, candles or some other generic, easily forgotten gesture, consider tying a ribbon around a waffle maker. It's the gift that keeps on giving. The recipients will enjoy waffles, into perpetuity, and every time they prepare waffles, they'll think of you. And those (presumably happy) thoughts could very well trigger a 'Let's invite them back' conversation. See? Everyone wins." The recipes are for Overnight Waffles; Plain-and-Easy Breakfast Quickies; Basic Buttermilk Waffles; Georgia Bits and Grits Waffles. Find them here.

Fried Bread with Greens

"When we crave a crunchy, browned piece of bread, we typically turn to our toasters," writes Meredith Deeds in 2020. "As much as toast may seem like the undisputed champion of quick and easy comfort food, it does have some serious competition — think fried bread. It's almost as easy to make as toast. All you need to do is add a pat of butter, splash of olive oil or any fat you like, even bacon drippings, to a hot skillet and brown thick slabs of bread on both sides. If this technique sounds familiar to you, it should. You've certainly done it before, most likely in the form of a grilled cheese sandwich. The concept is the same, without the cheese." Find the recipe here.

Four brunch recipes from Chicago pastry chef Gale Gand

"Breakfast is becoming the new dinner," said Gand in a 2009 story by Rick Nelson. "It's the new family gathering meal. People might not be able to always gather at the dinner table, but they still want that togetherness. They still need that." Recipes include Almond Ciabatta French Toast; Bacon-Green Onions Scone; Corn and Parmesan Fritters; and Fried Matzoh. Find them here.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

"The pudding bakes up to be light and moist, slightly jiggly in the center, with a deep golden crust," writes Beth Dooley in 2020. "Its cinnamon scent wafts through the house, drawing sleepy heads into the kitchen and setting a comforting tone for the rest of the day." Find the recipe here.

Overnight Monkey Bread

"Would I bake this again?" writes Rick Nelson in 2019. "In a heartbeat." Find the recipe here.

Blueberry Muffins

"Not all Minnesotans realize that their state has an official muffin, let alone that said muffin is a blueberry muffin," writes Rick Nelson in 2019. Find the recipe here.

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

"Should you find yourself brunching on our screen porch, chances are you'll be served [my late mother-in-law's] crowd-pleasing, easy-to-make sour-cream coffee cake," writes Rick Nelson in 2015. "I always add blueberries, in part because we usually have some in the freezer, lingering from our annual sojourn to a Wisconsin U-pick farm that's coincidentally not too far from her hometown. But I also like blueberries, and I appreciate the happy pop of color that they contribute to this dense, golden cake." Find the recipe here.