If you’re having friends or family over for brunch this weekend, it helps to prepare large, family-style dishes in advance. You can pop them into the oven just before guests arrive, and they’ll leave you with one less thing to do the morning of. These three breakfast casseroles are perfect ideas:

One-Dish Blackberry French Toast
Instead of making French toast one by one for every person at the table, create an entire pan of French toast-inspired casserole. This one is made with French bread cut into cubes and a blueberry cream cheese mixture that adds a sweet, creamy flavor.

Paula Deen’s Breakfast Casserole
The beloved cook shows you how to make a breakfast casserole that’s hearty, filling and large enough for the whole family. It takes just 20 minutes to prepare, and it’s made with classic breakfast ingredients that everyone is sure to love.

Brunch Egg Bake
This quick and easy egg casserole features layers of eggs, cheese and flavorful ham. There are even a few hidden veggies to keep things healthy without the little ones noticing. It takes 40 minutes to bake in advance, but a few minutes in the oven before guests arrive will bring it back to life.

What's your favorite breakfast casserole recipe? Please share!

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The eight-mile-long San Antonio Missions Hike and Bike Trail is a great way to spend an afternoon, locals say. Even longtime San Antonio residents say the trail has given them access to some parts of the city they didn’t even know existed. The trail connects San Antonio’s four historic missions: Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. You can learn more about Texas history and take in the scenery along the San Antonio River.

The trail isn’t a loop, so a round trip along the length of the trail will consist of 16 miles. Many locals rent bikes for a trip along the San Antonio Missions Hike and Bike Trail. Grab water at any of the missions or get something to eat near Missions Concepcion or San Jose.

The San Antonio Missions Hike and Bike Trail is open from dawn to dusk every day.

San Antonio Missions Hike and Bike Trail
Between 807 Mission Road & 10040 Espada Road
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 932-1001
www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/hikebike.htm
www.yelp.com/biz/san-antonio-missions-hike-and-bike-trail-san-antonio

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San Antonio residents like Captain Ben’s Seafood Shack for its affordable prices and tasty seafood dishes, which, they say, surpass expectations. Customers find the portions generous and the staff friendly and helpful at Captain Ben’s. Popular menu items here include the Atlantic snow crab, the fish and shrimp basket, the Captain’s plate, the Captain’s po-boy and Ben’s gumbo. Other offerings include burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, onion rings, shrimp Creole, crawfish pops, shrimp pasta, fried mushrooms, and shrimp or seafood nachos.

Customers place their orders at the register and are given numbers. Food arrives within 10 minutes, note many reviews. Complement your seafood, salad, sandwich or burger with a beer or margarita, or choose a soft drink instead. Captain Ben’s is open Sundays through Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Captain Ben’s Seafood Shack
688-710 Stone Oak Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 375-6434
www.captain-bens.com
www.yelp.com/biz/captain-bens-san-antonio

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