Ask Nana Jorj Morgan is the author of 5 books whose subjects range from entertaining to cooking and most recently to health and wellness. Jorj’s books include Gorgeous: The Sum of All Your Glorious Parts, Fresh Traditions: Classic Dishes for a Contemporary Lifestyle, and At Home in the Kitchen. Most importantly Jorj is a mom and new grandmom. Learn more on her website, From Nana's Kitchen What's a great covered dish for an early luncheon? Q: Dear Nana, I’ve picked up a new hobby: tennis! I play with “The Round Robin”—a group of retired ladies who compete against teams from all over the county. We’re having an outdoor luncheon at the city court’s main pavilion in two weeks. I signed up to bring a casserole dish, though I must confess I don’t know what I’m bringing yet! Whatever it is, I plan to make it and take it straight over; I live right across the street from the tennis court. The event is so early, it’s more like breakfast, so I don’t want anything too savory. My daughter and granddaughter are tagging along (they love to watch me play!), and I want them to approve of what I’m bringing. I don’t know why I care, but I do… Anyway, I want to be creative, but appeal to everyone’s taste buds at the same time. Any brunchy, yummy ideas for covered-dish luncheons? P.S. I’m told the event will have food holders with butane and votives to keep everything warm. Sincerely yours, Tennis Tina Savannah, GA A: Dear Tennis Tina, It made me smile to think of your granddaughter watching you play competitive athlete—look out, Chris Evert! I agree with you completely that the last thing anyone wants is a big plate of ziti when it’s still early in the day. I chuckled reading your letter because it appears the stars are aligning in your favor for this luncheon; you’re likely to have the freshest, best-tasting covered dish at the party because you live so close. It’s also great that the luncheon coordinator sprang for food warmers. It so happens I have a French Toast Casserole that I think would be perfect (see my recipe below). Have fun, and good luck on your future games. —Top Nana Nana’s Very Berry French Toast Casserole Prep time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes to absorb liquid Cook time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 Serving Size: 2 slices bread plus 1/6 berry mixture 1 pint fresh blueberries (about 2 cups) 1 pint fresh raspberries (about 2 cups) 1 pint fresh blackberries (about 2 cups) Zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1 tablespoon) Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons) ¼ cup honey 4 large eggs, 1 cup fat-free milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 (1/2-inch slices) 100 % whole wheat bread Confectioners’ sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Toss together the blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Coat the bottom of a 13 X 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Lay half of the bread slices in the baking dish. Top with the fruit mixture. Lay the remaining bread over top. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole. Push the bread down into the mixture so that it absorbs the liquid. Allow the casserole to sit for 30 minutes. (You can prepare the dish to this point, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of the casserole is golden. Sprinkle each serving with a bit of confectioners’ sugar for garnish. Send your Ask Nana questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it