One of my favorite ways to entertain over the days is to host brunch for friends. We pick up sometime on a Sunday morning between Thanksgiving and January, invite about 15 guests, and keep the atmosphere casual. Brunch on holiday has advantages in busy evening parties; It is usually a time of conflict with other holiday parties, people work to the afternoon of Christmas shopping, decorating, or other holiday duties, and the world has become a way before 11:00 in the afternoon!
The trick to hosting a brunch is to make a cup of many dishes the day before. Clean and cut herbs, frozen foods, set the table, put your drink at the service station. Also the menu is varied so that lactose intolerant, gluten sensitive, sensitive and vegetarians can all find things to enjoy!
This is my typical holiday brunch menu. We cook at a party, so something new comes out of the kitchen every half hour or so.
Drinks:
Coffee, sprinkled with cinnamon in the cleaning place
apple cider, served hot and cold
juice
Champagne, one for straight drinking and a cheaper brand for making mimosas
Continental Breakfast First:
Mixed muffins and bagels
Milk, beaten with honey, butter, sticks and juices
Fruit platter with clementines, bananas, apples, grapes
Yogurt fruit dip – stir a little honey and cinnamon into the vanilla yogurt
Hot Lunch Entrées:
Waffles – we use a basic waffle batter, cook them to order, and have a variety of toppings available. Choice of sliced bananas, chopped walnuts or pecans, yeast caramel or toffee sauce, and blackberry sauce (see recipe below).
Bacon or bacon
French Toast – this is assembled the night before and cooked in the morning; Many recipes are available online
Egg Scramble with chopped onions, red and green peppers, and mushrooms
Brown Potatoes
Lunch Entrées:
More winter fruit – alum romaine lettuce, tripled Angevin pear, tripled Gala apple, dried cranberries, nuts like cashews; pecans or walnuts and crumbled cheese or goat cheese with a fruity dressing such as lemon poppyseed or apple vinaigrette
Smoked Salmon – shop around in advance because this is expensive!
Spinach Quiche or Eggs Florentine – many recipes are available online
Usually people are too full for dessert! If you have a nice chocolate box, guests will be happy with just a chocolate or two as a sweet finish to the meal.
Also sauce recipe:
1 tbsp arrowroot (can substitute cornstarch)
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Lemon juice
Make a paste of arrowroot and 1 tbsp water. Place in brass; add sugar, half a blackberry, a cup of water, and a squirt of lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil until the berries release their juices, break down, and get syrupy. Add the rest of the berries and heat for a minute or so until it retains its shape. Remove from heat and serve.
