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10 Healthy Brunch Recipes For Mother's Day

Michele Foley — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:48:45 PDT

If you grew up with a mom who adored whipping up special breakfasts on the weekends (I'll always remember the Micky Mouse pancakes with the chocolate chip eyes) it's time to return the favor this Mother's Day. Here are 10 deliciously decadent brunch recipes that won't wreak havoc on her (or anyone else's) diet. For an added bonus, these are all a cinch to make!

Celebrate Mom With Breakfast in Bed

Susannah Chen — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:04:49 PDT

This Mother's Day, instead of taking mom out for brunch, do something that's friendlier on the wallet, and treat her to a homemade breakfast in bed. There's nothing more gratifying than watching her enjoy what you've created for her: a special meal that shows her how much you care. To get inspired, click through to see some of our best morning recipes.

A Sweet and Savory Mother's Day Brunch

Camilla Salem — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:35:30 PDT

Make this Mother's Day memorable and delicious with an impressive brunch spread. Don't hold back here - more is more when it comes to brunch. We've got an idea for a tasty menu that will make any mom feel so loved . . . and full.

Mimosas or Bloody Marys? Who says you have to choose? Have a wonderfully boozy start to the day (which will probably be followed by an afternoon nap) with fresh grapefruit mimosas and classic Bloody Marys to choose from.
An uncomplicated and filling frittata is a great way to serve eggs to a crowd. This savory recipe is chock full of veggies and it's easily adaptable to fit your taste preferences.
For a sweeter counterpart, cook up a fluffy french toast strata with chicken sausage. Make life easier on yourself and put this together the night before, so you can just wake up and stick it in the oven.
Sweet potato hash browns are easy to put together and are especially delicious doused in your favorite hot sauce. This side dish complements the sweet and savory items of the brunch spread perfectly.
For some freshness, grab your favorite fruit and throw together a fresh fruit salad. A rich meal like this benefits from a crisp and juicy component.
Finally, because your mom is totally worth it, make a bunch of chocolate-covered strawberries to finish the meal that will show her just how much you love her.

What are you cooking or eating this Mother's Day?

7 Easy Ways to Wake Up Scrambled Eggs

Lizzie Fuhr — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:00:58 PDT

I'm a big believer in the power of a plate of perfectly scrambled eggs. The methodical process of re-creating your go-to scramble moves can be both soothing and delicious, but if you want to spice things up this Spring, the kitchen can be a great place to start. If your scramble is feeling a little (or very) tired, here are seven fresh and simple ideas to help wake your eggs up.

Make a sandwich. An easy and delicious way to switch up your standard scrambled egg routine is to construct a perfect sandwich. We're partial to our version of the hangover remedy: the Stanwich from the folks behind Blue Ribbon restaurants.
Stuff a pepper. I love this idea for bringing extra color to your plate! After putting together your favorite scramble, tuck it into one half of a sliced pepper, top with your favorite cheese, and bake it all together. If you're just too hungry, leave out the baking step and enjoy an extra crunch of a fresh, crisp pepper.
Wrap it up. You may think that breakfast burritos and wraps are only for restaurant dining, but they're easy to enjoy in the comfort of your home. Fold up some tasty scrambled eggs into a beautiful tortilla wrap, and you'll be prepared for true breakfast bliss. This breakfast burrito recipe is a great place to start, but feel free to experiment and toss in whatever you're working with in your fridge.

Keep reading for four more ways to wake up tired scrambled egg recipes.

Hash It Out With Sweet Potatoes

Lauren Hendrickson — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:24:04 PDT

Everyone's had potato hash browns - either in patty form at McDonald's, from a mother's stove, or in an American diner where the dish is served up around the clock. One Sunday morning, I awoke with a hankering for hash browns, but I didn't have any potatoes on hand, only sweet potatoes. I figured sweet potatoes make great fries, so why not hash browns?

If you want to pay homage to your grandmother, you can grate the potatoes manually on a grater; for me, my trusty food processor made the job much easier. And with it already out, finely chopping my onions in it left me with less tears too.
With those two ingredients prepped, the cooking process was pretty simple. Don't be tempted to turn them over constantly: if you love a crispy hash brown, just let them sit. Once they start to turn golden brown, carefully flip them over in one pancakelike, solid piece to cook the other side. Since sweet potatoes have more sugar than conventional potatoes, I added ground pepper and thinly sliced chives to cut some of the sweetness. If you're a spicy and sweet fan, add a dash of hot sauce for a bit more kick. Serve alongside your favorite style of fried egg and oven-baked bacon for a perfect Sunday breakfast. Keep reading for this incredibly easy recipe.

Hold the Ham: More Fun Twists on Eggs Benedict

Susannah Chen — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:30:54 PDT

Perfectly coddled eggs and ham on an English muffin: what's not to like? Although a grand breakfast like eggs Benedict might usually be reserved for weekends, we've happened upon National Eggs Benedict Day, so there's no excuse not to eat the country's favorite brunch item at just about any hour today.

Before you get started poaching your own eggs, however, take a look at the variations you might want to take on for this American classic.

Eggs Florentine: poached eggs and spinach atop an English muffin with hollandaise sauce.
Eggs Royale: poached eggs and smoked salmon atop an English muffin with hollandaise sauce.
Eggs Blackstone: poached eggs, side bacon (that'd be the type most commonly seen in America), and a tomato slice atop an English muffin with hollandaise sauce.
Eggs Sardou: poached eggs and creamed spinach atop artichoke bottoms with hollandaise sauce; a specialty of New Orleans.
Eggs Provençal: poached eggs and ham atop an English muffin, served with béarnaise sauce in place of hollandaise.
Eggs Beauregard: fried eggs and sausage patties atop an American biscuit, served with country gravy in lieu of hollandaise sauce.

What's your favorite twist on eggs Benny - or do you prefer the tried-and-true classic?

Photo: Nancy Einhart

A Bloody Mary Experience

Camilla Salem — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 07:18:08 PDT

I've never really given Bloody Marys a fair shot.

There are a lot of die-hard fans who'll be completely appalled by that statement, but it's true. I've just always been slightly confused as to why anyone would ever want to mix tomato juice with vodka and add hot sauce. Why on earth people would want to drink that in the morning is beyond me. But in the interest of expanding my horizons, I bought all the ingredients and mixed one up.

What did I think of my first Bloody Mary? Find out when you keep reading.

18 Tipples to Serve at an Easter Meal

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:30:46 PDT

It feels like St. Patrick's Day happened yesterday, so it's hard to believe that this weekend is Easter. Whether you're planning a brunch, late lunch, or early dinner, one thing's for sure: you must celebrate with cocktails that are just as festive as the food you're making! For a few springtime sippers to accompany your grand meal, keep reading.

A Blue Ombre Surf First Birthday Brunch

Kate Stahl — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:47:37 PST

We recently showed you a supersweet, totally girlie first birthday bash, but this surf-inspired, all-blue, lil boy's birthday party is just as yummy. Photographer Ashley Rose created this brunch soiree for Crew's first birthday, and we're now loving the idea of a morning party.

With fun food stations like cereal and pancake bars (check out all the fun options and toppings!), and a cute drink area featuring chocolate milk shots for kiddos and mimosas for their chaperones, this party really has everything, in terms of both food and decor. Ombre, hand-painted place settings and cutlery, a kraft paper photo collage, and shark fin cake pops are all inspirational ideas, and if you need any other proof that this is one lucky 1-year-old, check out his new surfboard on the dessert bar; it was specially made for the birthday boy as a present from his mom and surf-loving dad. Keep reading for all the amazing details!

Source: Hostess With the Mostess

A French Toast Strata Is a Savory-Sweet Morning Treat

Sara Yoo — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:02:28 PST

Weekend brunch is one meal that I typically prefer to eat out. Beyond the fact that I get my Bellini served to me in an actual champagne flute, it's also such a hassle to pull together something even mildly elegant when I roll out of bed late on a Sunday morning. A hassle, that is, until I met the breakfast strata.

The casserole of breakfast fare, the strata layers your favorite early-bird foods in one delightful dish. Normally, it includes eggs, bread, some kind of cured meat, and often a sautéed leafy green for a savory hangover fix. But this weekend, I also had a hankering for something sweet and came across this French toast strata recipe that calls upon soft challah bread, maple syrup, milk, and eggs, punctuated by surprise ingredient chicken sausage. It's a light, fluffy take on the breakfast sweet that's like no French toast I've ever tasted.

And the best part is that you can do all the prep work the night before, so all that's left to do when you stumble out of bed is preheat, bake, and eat. Which leaves ample time to pour your own Bellini. Read on for the recipe.