The holidays can bring overnight houseguests. They appreciate a delicious start to the day, breakfast dishes that make them feel like they are getting special treatment. These dishes are a delicious way to make the first meal of the day more festive.

The combination of flavors and contrasting textures make Quiche Lorraine a favorite for brunch or breakfast. Its smooth cheesiness offers the perfect foil to the crunch of the crust and the salty-sweet chewiness of bacon.

If you like, accompany it with a bowl of mixed fruit, and if desired, a storebought coffee cake or quick bread.

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Quiche Lorraine

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 rounds of prepared pie dough, such as the 14.1-ounce refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crusts

Sheet of aluminum foil

Nonstick cooking spray

About 2 cups of dried beans or pie weights (metal pellets)

5 ounces bacon, about 6 to 8 slices, divided use

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of ground white pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese or Gruyere cheese; see cook’s notes

DIRECTIONS

Arrange oven rack to lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Ease 1 round sheet of chilled pie dough into 9-inch pie pan (avoid stretching dough). To prevent shrinkage, press dough with a bent finger where sides of pan meet the bottom. Using a second sheet of pie dough, cut 3 or 4 (1/2-inch wide at widest part) crescent shaped pieces. Fit those crescent shaped pieces under the edge of dough to extend it. To make a raised edge that can be crimped (also called fluted or scalloped), fold edge of dough under. Press the folded edge gently between your thumb and index fingers to make a raised edge. Make this raised edge as even and uniform as possible. To crimp, place index finger of left hand against inside edge of pie. Place thumb and index finger of right hand on either side of left index finger and gently pinch. Move thumb to where your left index finger was and repeat process until entire pie is crimped.

Lightly spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray. Place foil sprayed-side down on dough with excess foil folded loosely over crust’s edge. Place beans (or pie weights) on top of foil and smooth beans or weights into an even layer. This will prevent the bottom crust from bubbling during initial baking. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until dough no longer looks wet. Remove from oven and cautiously remove foil and weights. Return crust to oven and bake 5 to 6 minutes, until crust begins to brown.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp in large skillet on medium heat; drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop bacon.

Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg; whisk until blended. Stir in 3/4 of the bacon and cheese. Pour into pie crust. Put strips of foil or pie ring on edge of crust to prevent over-browning. Bake 25 minutes, or until custard is set around edge.

Sprinkle remaining bacon over surface. Bake until center is just barely set, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. A cooled quiche can be refrigerated in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days (but it tastes the very best fresh from the oven, slightly cooled. Yield: 6 servings

Jacques Peppin’s Easy “Soufflan” is made from a recipe included in his cookbook, “A Grandfather’s Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey.” (Photo by Nick Koon)

In his cookbook dedicated to dishes that parents can cook with their children (or grandparents with their grandchildren), culinary guru Jacques Pepin explains that this easy-to-make egg dish is neither a classic flan nor a traditional souffle. In his “A Grandfather’s Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey” (Rux Martin, $30) he writes that it’s “a mixture of the two and could be called a “soufflan.”

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Jacques Pepin’s Easy ‘Soufflan’

INGREDIENTS

One 16-ounce container cottage cheese

One 8-ounce container whipped cream cheese

4 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, salt and pepper in a food processor; process 10 to 15 seconds, or until smooth and well blended. Add chives and pulse once or twice to combine.

Rub a 4- to 5-cup gratin dish (oval baking dish) with olive oil. Add mixture from food processor. Place gratin dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until mixture is set. Serve immediately or allow to deflate and serve lukewarm. Yield: 4 servings

Source: Adapted from “A Grandfather’s Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey” (Rux Martin, $30)

Ina Garten’s Breakfast Panna Cotta takes a dessert dish and adapts it for the start of the day by topping it with granola and fresh berries. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)

Yes, panna cotta is most often thought of as a dessert, it’s also a lovely breakfast treat when topped with granola and fresh berries.

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Ina’s Breakfast Panna Cotta

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons (1 packet) unflavored gelatin

3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided use

2 cups plain whole milk yogurt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

For serving: 2 cups good granola

3 cups mixed fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries, see cook’s notes

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of cream, yogurt, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, and maple syrup.

Heat the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves (keep an eye on it). Off the heat, stir the softened gelatin into the hot cream and stir until dissolved. Pour the hot cream and gelatin mixture into the cream and yogurt mixture; stir to combine. Pour into 8 serving glasses and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Before serving sprinkle 1/4 cup of granola and 1/3 cup of mixed berries on each serving and serve cold. Yield: 8 servings

Source: Ina Garten “Be My Guest with Ina Garten” Food Network