Let’s Do Brunch

Short, short version: If you need to entertain at home, consider doing a brunch.

When we want or need to have a group of people over (hockey team, new family in town, extended family get-together), we try to entertain with "brunch." My husband & I now have it down to a science. A well-oiled machine. You can do it, too!

The Rationale for Brunch

1. Everyone loves brunch.

2. The dishes are pretty simple, are easily timed, & can be prepped ahead.

3. No need to stress if your menu isn't going to appeal to a guest. Even the pickiest eaters can find something they like at a brunch.

4. You have some time flexibility. You can go early with a 9am brunch or push it to 1pm. Do a Sunday in the fall & your brunch can double with football watching.

5. Brunch is early enough in the day that your house won't be a mess & complete chaos as it is around 5pm (with guests are arriving for dinner). I'll either tell the kids to slice bananas, set up the waffle iron, or let them watch weekend cartoons. Just stay the @&^$O! out of my way AND DON'T MESS UP THE HOUSE!!!

6. Brunch is late enough that a) I can still run to the store if I need to; b) I have time to get stuff done; and/or c) I can sleep in a little bit.

Menu . . . sometimes, we go real simple with just an egg dish, sausage, & a fruit/yogurt/granola bar. Sometimes we go whole hog, adding smoked salmon, waffles, & Bloody Marys. Here are some of our standard menu ideas - so mix & match.

1. A yogurt, granola, fruit bar. Make it simple with already cut fruit or just use some berries. Go special by cleaning a fresh pineapple. Sectioned bowls or platters work great for this.

2. A cereal bar . . . Buy the little, individual boxes of cereal. Or an oatmeal bar . . . cook oatmeal overnight in slow cooker & set up with brown sugar, honey, syrup, sliced bananas, berries, or nuts.

3. A make-your-own Belgian waffle bar . . . make the batter the night (or even a few days before), store in fridge, then set out a waffle iron, ladle (and something to rest the messy ladle on between pours) , cooking spray, metal forks (for removing from iron), syrup, whipped cream. Chocolate chips are another favorite topping. Oh, & add some pearl sugar into the batter!

4. Pancakes . . . Make the batter ahead of time, & use an electric skillet. I usually put a tween in charge of cheffing up the pancakes. Tip: If you have an oven/stove combo, turn on your oven, put a platter on top of the stove, & put the pancakes or waffles on the platter. The heat from the stove will keep them warm.

5. Sausage . . . cook up the night before & keep warm in slow cooker.

6. Bake muffins or . . . as I do, run to Sam's Club & get a party platter of their assorted mini-muffins, pastries, & cinnamon rolls.

7. Scrambled eggs for a crowd . . . this recipe is terrific. And it is something you can pop in the oven about 15 minutes before your guests arrive (just remember to stir 10 minutes into cooking time). Note: make sure you really pulverize all the eggs before baking them because an intact yolk will become a hard-boiled one in the middle of your delicious, fluffy scrambled eggs. It's a little weird. And it is more difficult than you think you confidently pulverize all the eggs if you wait till they are all cracked into one bowl. Suggestion: crack & mixed each egg individually & then transfer into a large bowl.

8. Another great egg recipe . . . don't let the cottage cheese & chilis wig you out. It's delicious. And can be prepped the night before.

9. Another more ambitious spread is a smoked salmon or lox bar. You can keep it simple with just bagels & cream cheese -- I usually try to get mini-bagels, if possible, because there is so much other food to eat. Or set up a toaster & have any of the following: capers, diced red onion, crumbled egg yolk, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber. Yum!

10. If you want adult beverages, do a simple mimosa. Or for the more ambitious: a Bloody Mary Bar. Here's my recipe:

Bloody Mary Bar.docx

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Feel free to edit & embellish my recipe. I mount the recipe on cardstock & display it with all the fixings. Note: the Bloody Mary Bar does require a lot of shot glasses & measuring spoons. I put all ingredients in small ramekins with mini-serving spoons. The set up does take up a lot of space. Oh, & don't forget a bucket of ice & the glasses.