The Casserole Queens are making it their mission to resurrect the classic American casserole. This fantastic recipe for French Toast Casserole from The Casserole Queens Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2011) can be made the night before and kept chilled in the fridge overnight. It’s a great recipe to have on hand when hosting guests for brunch or for the weekend. All you’ll have to do the next morning is pop it in the oven!

This recipe from Fresh Mexico (Clarkson Potter, 2009) is Marcela Valladolid’s interpretation of the traditional Mexican dish of sautéed chorizo and boiled potatoes, which is usually eaten with tacos or queso fundido (melted cheese fondue). In Mexico, chorizo, potatoes, and cheese always go together. But the best part of this dish is the crust—it’s perfect for any quiche.

Brunch is probably my favorite meal. It definitely has to do with the fact that it is a meal enjoyed on weekends and occasions, and usually means I’m not going to work that day, and also usually means I’m eating something other than cereal. This recipe for Baked Eggs in Ham Cups from Gale Gand’s Brunch is incredibly easy, and looks incredibly impressive! Thin slices of ham are baked in muffin cups, along with eggs, pesto, tomatoes and cheese.

This recipe from Top Chef All-Stars winner Richard Blais’s first cookbook, Try This at Home (Clarkson Potter, February 2013), is an American-style Italian frittata or Spanish tortilla, an open-faced omelet that’s a great last-minute brunch dish. The potato chips are layered throughout yet still retain their firm texture. (You don’t even need to add salt to the eggs, because the potato chips provide the seasoning.) You can enjoy this warm or at room temperature, with sour cream or ketchup on the side.

Thought it was impossible to improve upon French Toast? Think again. This decadent breakfast recipe from The Epicurious Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, October 2012) blew my whole family away. The sliced baguette pieces (the cookbook suggests using a country loaf, but this was what I had in the house) are coated in a caramel sauce and then sit overnight in an eggy, creamy mixture. The resulting French Toast was crusty, sweet, doughy on the inside and absolutely irresistible.