If you're in search of an easy, crowd-pleasing brunch to make this holiday season, cookbook author Jess Secrest has some ideas, like her French toast casserole or a potato and sausage skillet.
Secrest joined "Good Morning America" on Tuesday equipped with new recipes from her debut title, "Of Course It's Good: Aggressively Delicious Meals Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love."
These one-pan ideas are great options to satisfy any palate, whether your guests are fans of sweet or savory.
Scroll below to check them out.
Serves 12
Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray, for baking dish
Two 12.4-ounce / 351-gram cans cinnamon rolls with icing
21-ounce / 595-gram can apple pie filling
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters) heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (110 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or cinnamon, if you're in a pinch)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 F and lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-centimeter) baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Open the cans of cinnamon rolls, setting aside the icing packets, and cut each roll into quarters. Toss the quartered cinnamon rolls into the prepared baking dish.
Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the top of the cinnamon rolls. If you like a little extra apple goodness, feel free to add a bit more filling -- there's no such thing as too much apple pie filling.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, brown sugar, and apple pie spice until well combined and smooth. Pour this custard mixture evenly over the cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling. Press down gently to ensure all the cinnamon rolls are soaked in that delicious custard mixture. Let sit for a few minutes so the rolls can absorb all the goodness.
Pop the casserole into the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden and slightly crispy. You can test it by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center -- if it comes out clean, you're good to go. If the top gets too dark before the custard is set, just cover it loosely with foil and let it finish baking.
While the casserole bakes, take the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls and warm it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, just to make it easier to drizzle.
Once your casserole is done baking, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Drizzle the warmed icing over the top and dig in!
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
4 to 5 red-skinned potatoes, quartered
7 ounces (198 grams) jalapeño cheddar smoked sausage (or any smoked sausage of choice)
1 tablespoons (15 milliliters) olive oil
1 tablespoon (14 grams) salted butter
6 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (113 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh parsley or green onions, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Stab your potatoes -- just a poke on each side with a fork will do -- and don't feel bad, they deserve it. Place them in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave for 5 to 7 minutes, or until almost cooked through but still firm. You want them tender but not fully mashed. Set them aside.
While the potatoes microwave, slice your jalapeño cheddar smoked sausage into bite-size pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, toss the sausage pieces into the skillet. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sausage begins to turn golden and slightly crispy on the outside.
In the same skillet, add your butter; once melted, add the microwaved potatoes and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they start to crisp up.
While the microwaved potatoes cook, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them well with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Shove your sausage and potatoes to one side of the skillet, then add the eggs to the empty side. Scramble the eggs gently as they cook, stirring occasionally.
Once the eggs are just about set, stir everything together until well mixed and the eggs are fully cooked, then remove from the heat to prevent overcooking your eggs.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the scramble and stir until the cheese melts and everything is nice and gooey.
Serve hot, topped, if desired, with chopped fresh parsley or green onions, for a burst of color and flavor.
Recipes reprinted with permission from "Of Course It's Good!" by Jessica Secrest. Page Street Publishing Co. 2025. Photography by Amanda Kamppinen.
Secrest also shared three easy no-bake dessert recipes on "GMA3" that will help whether you're short on oven space or looking for a low-effort sweet treat, starting with these salted caramel bars.
Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup (2 sticks/227 grams) unsalted butter
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
1/2 cup (120 milliliters) milk
1 1/2 cups (252 grams) chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup (172 grams) peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups (270 grams) quick oats
Vegetable oil cooking spray, for pan (optional)
For the caramel
20 to 25 caramels, unwrapped
1/3 cup (80 milliliters) heavy cream
1/3 cup (86 grams) peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sea salt, for sprinkling on top (optional)
Directions
Make the crust: Line an 8-inch (20-centimeter) square baking pan with parchment paper or spray it lightly with cooking spray so your bars don't stick to your pan and you ruin everything.
In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the sugar, milk, 1 cup (168 grams) of the chocolate chips, and the cocoa powder. Stir together until the mixture begins to boil. Let boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. If your arm is getting tired, you're doing it right.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth and well combined. Do not -- I repeat, do not -- add the vanilla while still boiling; the alcohol in the vanilla will burn off and the flavor won't be as potent.
Add the quick oats to the saucepan, then stir until thoroughly combined and the oats are well coated with the chocolate and peanut butter mixture.
Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared pan and press it down into an even layer to form the bottom crust.
Make your caramel center: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the soft caramels and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramels are completely melted and smooth.
Once the caramel is smooth, lower the heat to low and stir in the peanut butter, salt, and vanilla until well combined. The mixture should be creamy and slightly thick.
Pour the melted caramel mixture over the crust in the pan, spreading it out evenly to cover the bottom layer of the oat mixture.
Carefully spread the remaining oat mixture over the caramel center. You don't want to burn yourself and this stuff is MOLTEN. Press it down gently to create the top layer. This layer will form the top crust of the bars.
Evenly sprinkle the remaining half cup (55 grams) of chocolate chips over the top layer. If desired, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the top, to add a salted caramel flavor.
Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours, or until they are fully set and firm.
Ingredients
Puppy chow
1 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar, divided
1 cup (258 grams) peanut butter
1 cup (240 grams) chocolate chips
3 cups (123 grams) Peanut Butter Chex or similar cereal
3 cups (129 grams) Chocolate Chex or similar cereal
For the trail mix
6 cups (586 grams) Puppy Chow (above)
2 cups (250 grams) mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped
2 cups (128 grams) mini pretzels
2 cups (292 grams) salted peanuts
2 cups (400 grams) mini M&M's or similar candy
Directions
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Then, evenly spread about 1 cup (120 grams) of powdered sugar over the surface of the sheet. I know this isn't the conventional method, but stick with me. Have I ever led you astray? This will help create the large clusters you're aiming for.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and chocolate chips, because I am not in the business of using a double boiler for some puppy chow. Not today. Microwave in 20- to 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until fully melted and smooth.
In a large bowl, combine all the cereal. Then, slowly drizzle the melted peanut butter and chocolate mixture over the cereal, gently stirring to coat all of the cereal evenly.
Immediately after coating the cereal, pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let sit for a few minutes.
Once the clusters have set atop the sugar for a few minutes, transfer the cereal mixture to a large bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup (60 grams) of powdered sugar and gently toss until the clusters are fully coated. The sugar will adhere to them, giving them that classic puppy chow appearance.
Once the puppy chow is fully coated, it's ready to serve! You can store it in an airtight container for up to a week, or share it with friends and family.
In a large bowl, combine the prepared puppy chow, mini peanut butter cups, mini pretzels, salted peanuts, and mini M&M's. I like to place another large bowl, upside down, on top and give it a vigorous shake, to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
I told you this was easy, and somehow I knew you wouldn't believe me.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (338 grams) cottage cheese
3.4 oz / 95-gram packet cheesecake-flavored Jell-O instant pudding mix
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 milliliters) milk (as needed)
For dipping
Vanilla wafers
Graham crackers
Fresh strawberries
Apple slices
Directions
Toss your cottage cheese into a blender or food processor. Blend until it's smooth and creamy. This is going to get rid of any lumps and turn your cottage cheese into the perfect base for this dip.
Once your cottage cheese is silky smooth, add the cheesecake Jell-O powder and blend again until fully incorporated.
If your dip is too thick at this stage and you need it a bit looser, add a tablespoon (15 milliliters) of milk and blend, adding a little more milk if necessary, until you hit that perfect, dippable consistency -- remember, pudding mix thickens upon standing, so if it is looser than you'd like, it will set up in the fridge!
Chill the dip in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the Jell-O powder to set up.
Once you're ready to serve, arrange your dip in a bowl in the center of a platter and surround your dip with all your dippers. Back away slowly, because this dip is about to be devoured.
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