Hosting a Weekend Brunch

One of my favorite things about living in a city environment is Brunch. Brunch is huge.  It's a way to get together with friends, celebrate the weekend, and provides an excuse to start drinking at 11am.  Which brings me to the part I love most about Brunch:  multiple beverages.   Water, Coffee, Juice, Champagne...take your pick or take them all.  And I will take all of them.

Recently, my lovely friend Alexa requested some suggestions for Hosting a Weekend Brunch and I was more than happy to oblige.  I love hearing what you'd like to read about, so keep the requests coming!

I think the key to serving brunch is to have a mix of sweet and savory, hot and cold.  Oh, and multiple beverages of course.  I put together the following menu that I would serve for Brunch.

TO DRINK:

Delicious French Press Coffee - There's just nothing like a cup of fresh, French Press coffee.  Serving this will make you look fancy and adult.  Check out these Kitchn tips for making the perfect batch.

Bloody Mary Bar - Even though I am a Mimosa person and not a Bloody Mary person, I would include this to appease the crowds.  Take is easy and just mix up a pitcher of Ketel One and Mr & Mrs. T's Mix, and line up the accoutrements:  horseradish, tabasco, pickles, celery, meat sticks, olives, etc.

Mimosa Bar - It's only fair to also have an entire bar dedicated to Mimosas!  Especially since they are my favorite.  Keep the Korbel chilled in a bucket and line up some carafes of fresh juices like Orange, Cranberry, Mango, Pineapple and Grapefruit (also useful for people who just want straight up juice).  I would also include little bowls of raspberries, strawberries, limes, mint leaves and basil.

TO EAT - THE SAVORY:

Eggs Baked in Potato Skins - Ok, how amazing do these look?!

photo from kateinthekitchen.com

I recently saw these featured on The Kitchn and almost died from drowning in my own drool.  Soft boiled eggs and potatoes?  Genius!  You could always make some sort of Egg Strata, but I think these bad boys will bring your Brunch to a whole new level.  I am really looking forward to making these sometime in the near future and I think they'd be great for a brunch because you could use smaller potatoes, like Yukon Gold, and they'll be a perfect size.  Top with a mix of flavors like cheese, chives, bacon, etc. and let people choose.  Check out the original recipe here.

French Toast Cups - These are little bit savory and sweet, but I will include them on the savory side.  A few of my girlfriends made these for my Golden Birthday Weekend Extravaganza in the Russian River and they were absolutely delicious!  Cut some pugliese bread into small cubes and soak in a mixture of egg, milk, cinnamon and a touch of vanilla (the way you would normally make french toast).  Line a muffin tin and pour in the mixture, and cook until set.  While they are still warm, top with finely chopped pecans, apples (or another fruit like berries if you prefer), a tablespoon of ricotta cheese and drizzle fresh maple syrup over top.

image from thenoshery.com

Dressed Greens - It's nice to have something light like a salad at Brunch to keep you from feeling like a total fat ass after you've gorged yourself before noon.  Take a package of Spring Mix, toss in some feta and slivered almonds.  Make a light dressing with Olive Oil, lemon, minced shallots, salt and pepper.  Keep it simple!

TO EAT:  THE SWEET

Fruit Salad - who doesn't love a fruit salad for brunch?  You could make the same old boring fruit salad, or you could make this one, which is one of my favorites.  I just love the honey-poppyseed dressing and the different fruits that are used, which does NOT include melon, thankfully.

photo from allrecipes.com

Apple Rosemary Scones - my friend Darcy shared this recipe with me, which she got from her favorite cookbook, Vegan Brunch.  The recipe sounds difficult, but these scones are actually really easy to make.  They turned out so soft and delicious - not crunchy like you might think - almost like muffin tops.  And they're vegan!  Isn't that fun?

Here's how to make them:

You'll need:

1 1/4 cups almond (or other non dairy) milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tablespoons dried rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cup diced apple (about two apples)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease a baking sheet (or two) or line with parchment paper. Measure out the milk in a measuring cup and add the vinegar to it. Set aside to curdle.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening in small clumps then use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour until the dough texture becomes pebblelike. Mix in the apple pieces.

Create a well in the center and add the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until about half of the flour is incorporated. Mix again until all the ingredients are just moistened, taking care not to overmix. A couple of dry-looking spots are fine.

Lightly grease a 1/4 cup measuring cup and use to scoop the scones onto the prepared baking sheets. Dust the tops of the scones with more sugar, then bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool (or eat warm!)

Fig Lime Jam - Finally, who could forget about this delicious jam that I made this past summer?  It was so easy and yummy.  I think it would taste great with the scones.

What is your favorite part of Brunch?  Do you like sweet or savory?  What are your favorite dishes to serve?