For as long as I can remember, I've eaten some form of an egg casserole on Christmas morning. For some reason my family called it "egg brunch," and some call it a strata, but no matter the name, it's the perfect breakfast or brunch dish for Christmas.

The following recipe from Taste of Home is one of my favorites as it's just the basics -- sausage, eggs, and cheese. However, you can also add a variety of chopped vegetables (peppers and mushrooms are particularly good) and/or change up the meats and cheeses (bacon and Swiss with a little chopped spinach thrown in is delish). The real beauty of it, however, is that you can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning.

If you have children, Christmas Day typically means you're up at the crack of dawn. Little ones simply can't wait to see what Santa has brought, and there's usually a flurry of ribbons and wrapping being undone, then the assembling of toys, and finding batteries, and all of the other aftermath activities. After things have settled down a little, however, people realize they're ravenous, and that's when it's time for a great Christmas Brunch.

It's one of my favorite meals of the year. It's festive but doesn't have to be frantic, and it's not nearly as involved as Christmas dinner usually is. My perfect brunch contains items that are both hearty enough to tide people over until dinnertime but also simple because I don't want to miss out on any of the fun action either. Here are six of my favorite easy and quick Christmas brunch recipes.

We all love to drizzle maple syrup over pancakes and waffles, but the real stuff can be awfully expensive in normal years. This year, thanks to an early spring and record high summer temperatures, there was a smaller maple syrup harvest -- and that means even higher prices for us, like $20 for a pint. Ouch!

So we decided to check out some alternatives: Maple-flavored syrups. We lined up seven different syrups plus a homemade maple-flavored syrup for a taste test here at the CafeMom office. And just for fun, we threw in some real maple syrup to see if people could tell the difference. The results will reassure those of you who've been buying the imitation maple syrup -- looks like you're not really missing out on much.

A perfect day in my mind starts off with a good hot cup of coffee and a delicious slice of homemade cinnamon coffee cake. A better combination would be difficult to match as far as I'm concerned, but finding the time to whip up that delicious cake isn't always easy ... until now.

This recipe from Dash seriously couldn't be any easier. You start with a box of yellow cake mix then add a delicious streusel made of just three ingredients, and viola! It's perfect for holiday breakfasts and brunches and easy to whip up when you have overnight guests. Bonus: It will make your house smell incredible.

Is there really a better way to start off your morning than with muffins? I'd challenge you to find many, especially when muffins come in so many unbelievably delicious flavors.

Fall is ripe with plenty of inspiration for these marvelous little packages of yum too, and there's a bounty of possibilities that include pumpkin, apple, and more of fall's finest. Also, here's the best thing about muffins: Unlike their cousins the cupcakes, they actually qualify as part of your meal and not dessert. Technically any way. Here are five of my favorite muffin recipes to put a little extra "mmmm" in your crisp fall mornings.

Millions of boxes of Kellogg's Mini-Wheats cereal are being recalled because they may be contaminated the pieces of metal mesh. It's a relief to know that no related injuries have been reported yet. Phew! But no one wants to swallow metal mesh, so if you're a Mini-Wheat fan, you'll want to check your box -- see all the details below the jump.

I know, I know -- you probably could have used this information before breakfast today. But better late than never. Again, no injuries have been reported, but if you or your kids have been eating this cereal, you may just want to be extra aware of any upset tummies.

There's one surefire way to start your day off with a smile -- donuts. It's pretty much impossible to have a grumpy morning when you start out with their sweet, sugary goodness, and these mini chocolate chip donut pancake dippers are particularly smile-inducing.

From Lauren's Latest, they're part pancake, part donut, and all parts delicious. They're even baked, not fried, so they're light on guilt too. These little treats are perfect for those slow Sunday morning breakfasts, and they look lovely on a brunch buffet. Just serve along with some syrup for dipping, and let the happiness ensue.

Something incredible awaits you for breakfast. Something so outrageous it's almost impossible to believe. It's called the Sunny Side Donut Burger. If you're imagining a hamburger with two glazed donut buns you're about halfway there. Now add a sunny-side-up fried egg with a melted slice of American cheese on that hamburger patty. Is such a thing possible? Yes, America. Yes it is.

It's being sold at Slater's 50/50 restaurants throughout Southern California. And I'm almost stunned speechless. What can one say about such a hamburger? I just... I don't even know if I dare fantasize about what it must be like to eat this.