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Come Party With Me: Easter Brunch - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:01:51 -0700

Use pretty pastels against a clean white background to create the look for your Easter brunch. Start by setting the table with a crisp white tablecloth, white plates, and plain silver flatware. Select a large wine glass that can be used universally for milk, bloody marys, or smoothies.

Floral printed linen napkins are eye catching and add a punch of color. For place settings, put a small yellow nest on each plate. Write each guest's name on an egg shaped piece of cardstock and nestle in the middle of the nest. Pink straw bunnies are festive extras. A centerpiece of lemons is affordable and elegant. Nothing says Spring like fresh flowers, so arrange lush bouquets of pink tulips.

Source

Come Party With Me: Easter Brunch - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:28:51 -0700

At any brunch, it is mandatory to have an assortment of breakfast beverages. Just-brewed coffee, a variety of teas, ice-cold milk, and fresh-squeezed orange juice are delightful selections. Keep things simple and offer only one alcoholic drink - a bloody Mary or bellini are definite crowd pleasers. Fill clear pitchers with lemon and cucumber water. For a healthy and unexpected surprise, whip up a batch of fruit smoothies. To see the recipe for these pretty pink smoothies, read more.

Fruit Smoothie
Michael Chiarello

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy milk (or other milk)
1/2 cup white grape juice
1 cup strawberries, stemmed
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 lemon, squeezed (for tartness if desired)
1/4 teaspoon Vitamin C powder (1 capsule)
Pinch salt, preferable grey salt
Small handful fresh seedless grapes

Directions
Add all ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth. If you'd like an iced smoothie, blend and then add ice to desired consistency.

Serves 1-2.

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Come Party With Me: Easter Brunch - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:18:51 -0700

No menu - including an Easter brunch - is complete without a sweet finish. You could order a bunch of fancy pastries from your favorite bakery, or you could use puff pastry to make a sweet, flaky chocolate filled treat in the comfort of your own kitchen. These mini pain au chocolates are deliciously satisfying and beyond simple to make.

I always include them on any brunch menu because rave reviews are guaranteed. To see how they are made, read more.

Petit Pains Au Chocolat
From Epicurious

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), thawed, each sheet cut into 12 squares
1 large egg beaten to blend with 1 tablespoon water (for glaze)
4 3.5-ounce bars imported bittersweet or milk chocolate, each cut into six 2x3/4-inch pieces
Sugar

Directions

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Brush top of each puff pastry square with egg glaze.
Place 1 chocolate piece on edge of 1 pastry square. Roll up dough tightly, enclosing chocolate. Repeat with remaining pastry and chocolate.
Place pastry rolls on baking sheet, seam side down. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastries with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg glaze.)
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Brush tops of pastry rolls with remaining egg glaze. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 24.

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Come Party With Me: Easter Brunch - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:31:57 -0700

As much as I love ordering eggs Benedict or pancakes when I am out, poaching eggs and flipping pancakes isn't practical when hosting a brunch in your own home. Instead choose dishes that can be made the night before and are easily finished in the morning.

A sausage and egg casserole with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella is an easy crowd pleaser. Serve an apple potato gratin on the side. A beautiful, fresh fruit platter rounds out the breakfast. Supplement the menu with your favorite store bought breads, yogurts, or pastries.

For these recipes, read more.

Sausage and Egg Casserole with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
5 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup half and half
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
Sauté sausage in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of fork into small pieces, about 10 minutes.
Add shallots and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons parsley; stir 1 minute. Spread sausage mixture in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Whisk eggs, egg yolks, half and half, whipping cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and salt in large bowl to blend well.
Pour egg mixture over sausage mixture in dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley over.
Bake until top of casserole is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

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Apple-Potato Gratin
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh thyme
2 Granny Smith apples -- peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 pound white cheddar cheese, preferably Vermont, grated

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Pour 1/3 cup heavy cream into the dish. Place a layer of overlapping potato slices on top and season with salt, pepper and thyme.
Add a layer of apple slices, sprinkle with one third of the cheese, some thyme, salt and pepper.
Repeat the layering two more times, pressing the layers down with your fingers so the cream works its way into each layer.
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours.
Uncover the dish and cook under the broiler until the top is golden, about 3 minutes.

Serves 8.

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Fresh Fruit Platter
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

Suggested list of ingredients:
2 small ripe melons
1 "golden" pineapple
2 bunches grapes
1 pint fresh figs
1 pint raspberries
1 pint strawberries
1 pint blueberries
1 red papaya

Directions

Begin the platter with a base of ripe, colorful, sliced melons and pineapple--for example, cantaloupe, honeydew, Galia, or Cavaillon melons, plus the new "golden" pineapples. Peel the outside of a whole melon, cut it in half through the stem end, and scoop out the seeds. Place the melon halves cut side down on a board, and slice them straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan each half-melon out slightly and arrange it on the platter.
Next, cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, peel the outside, and use a sharp knife to remove the "eyes." Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and remove the core by cutting a "V" down the center of each half. Again, place the pineapple halves, cut side down, on a board and slice them straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan the slices out and arrange them next to the melon on the platter.
Once the base is set, you can add any kind of fruit that's available. Have one thing that is taller than the rest, such as a large bunch of grapes or a decoratively cut papaya, to give the platter height.
Then add raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and fresh figs in casual but organized groups. The platter can look like a bowl of M&M's if there are too many colors scattered with no order. Visually, your eye needs to have a focal point and to be able to see each type of fruit.
After all the fruit is arranged, add flat green leaves around the outside of the fruit, to set off the colors. Use lemon and galax leaves from your florist, or fig leaves and grape leaves from your garden. Make sure they are pesticide-free and well washed.
Any kind of fruit will work well on this platter. For special occasions, add persimmons, kiwi, passion fruit, Queen Anne cherries, fresh apricots, and mangos. Choose whatever is colorful and seasonal.

Serves 10-12.

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Come Party With Me: Easter Brunch - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:15:51 -0700

Easter Sunday is this weekend and I'm inviting some family members over for a wonderful brunch. If you're hosting an Easter party, try taking my advice and translate it to fit your entertaining needs. Before any party can get started, I have to make and send an invitation. Since we moved into a new office this week, I'm keeping the invite super simple and in the form of a lovely handwritten note. To see how I made it, read more.

To make a similar invite you will need the following supplies:

cardstock
a nice pen
scissors
paper Easter decoration
tape
shiny pens

To assemble the invite:

Fold the cardstock in half and cut down to size.
Tape the Easter decoration to the front of the invite.

Inside the card write out a message along these lines:

Dear Grandma,
Happy Almost Easter!
I would love it if you could join me for an Easter brunch Sunday, March 23 at 11 a.m. Please let me know if you can attend. Looking forward to it - PartySugar

Slide into an envelope and send.

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Come Party With Me: Easter - Menu (Brunch, Part 1)

partysugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 05:58:32 -0700

Easter is this Sunday and you know what that means, everyone is scrambling around prepping for family brunches, lunches, and dinners. This week I'm helping you (check out the Easter egg invitations I made yesterday) plan the perfect springtime celebration with not one, but two fabulous menus! If you're like me and can't decide wether you want to host a brunch or a dinner (both are quintessentially Easter) take a look at each of my menus and choose the one you like better. Let's start this morning with the brunch menu. Don't go crazy with too many hard-to-make breakfast foods like personalized omelets. Keep it simple with make-the-night-before dishes such as poached egg brioche and maple glazed bacon (the bacon can cook in the oven while you shower). For the recipes, read more

Poached Egg Brioche
From Bon Appetit magazine

12 large eggs (or 24 small eggs)
12 brioche slices, lightly toasted
12 thin slices Canadian bacon or smoked ham
12 slices tomato (from 2 to 3 tomatoes)
12 thin slices red onion (from 1 medium onion)
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese (about 3 ounces)
Paprika for garnish (optional)

Over high heat, bring large pot of water to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Crack 4 eggs, 1 at a time, into simmering water. Poach until whites are set but yolks are still soft, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Poach remaining eggs, 4 at a time.
In baking dish, place 12 brioche slices. Top each with 1 slice Canadian bacon, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice onion, and 1 (or 2 if using small eggs) poached egg.
Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon Cheddar and 1 tablespoon Swiss cheese.
Broil until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle each egg with paprika and serve immediately.
Can be prepared in advance and placed under broiler for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.

Serves 12.

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Maple-Glazed Bacon
From Ina Garten

3/4 pound thick-cut smoked bacon (16 slices)
1 to 2 tablespoons good maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown.
Remove the pan carefully from the oven; there will be hot grease in the pan! Brush the bacon slices with maple syrup and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bacon is a warm golden brown.
Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.

Serve 4-8.

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Think I forgot about your sweet tooth? Think again, check back later for the sweet, fruity recipes to round out my Easter brunch menu. Hosting your own Easter Sunday brunch, share your menu with me below!

Come Party With Me: Easter - Menu (Brunch, Part 2)

partysugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 06:58:19 -0700

The words Easter and brunch go hand in hand, and this week I am planning one party and offering you two delicious menus. Everything about this fete should scream springtime, from the yellow and green color scheme, to the Easter egg invitations to the poached egg main dish (you can't have Easter without eggs!). Serve maple-glazed bacon with a sweet treat in the form of coffee cake or a fruity berry parfait. To look at the recipes, read more

Coffee Cake
From Ina Garten

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the streusel:
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light.
Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined.
Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate.
Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Serve 8-10.

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Granola, Yogurt, Berry Parfait
From Bob Blumer

2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups your favorite granola
2 cups fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries (hulled and sliced), and/or other fruit such as bananas, peaches or mangos, peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons honey

Line up 4 parfait, white wine, or other tall glasses.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of yogurt into each glass and smooth surface.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of granola overtop and smooth surface.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of fruit overtop and smooth surface.
Repeat the process, adding a bit of honey here and there, to taste.

Serves 4.

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Hosting an Easter dinner rather than a brunch? Keep on reading because my dinner menu is coming up soon.

Eggcellent Fritatta With Asparagus, Leeks, Mushrooms

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:15:22 -0700

After drooling over Sugar staffer Garrick's Hash Brown quiche, it left me craving one of my favorite egg dishes, a fast fritatta. Served with a side salad, this simple, yet scrumptious, dish is perfect for brunch and any upcoming Easter celebrations. In general, fritattas are incredibly versatile: the different combinations of vegetables and cheese are virtually endless. My delectable variation uses sauteed leeks, browned mushrooms, crunchy asparagus, and nutty fontina. To get started on your own eggcellent fritatta, read more.

Savory Leek, Mushroom, Asparagus Frittata
Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 12-ounce bunch thin asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup sliced stemmed shiitake mushrooms*
8 large omega-3 eggs
1 cup diced fontina cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat broiler. Melt butter in heavy broilerproof 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and shallot and sauté 4 minutes.
Add asparagus and mushrooms, sprinkle lightly with salt, and sauté until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup Fontina cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add egg mixture to skillet; fold gently to combine. Cook until almost set.
Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Fontina cheese and Parmesan cheese over.
Broil until frittata is puffed and cheese begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 4-6.
*I used crimini mushrooms instead of shiitake mushrooms.

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Brunch Beverage Breakdown

FitSugar — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Easter is all about the brunch. If you go out or stay in here is a little reference guide for a variety of drinks that often accompany any brunch from fresh squeezed fruit juice to the classic Bloody Mary (which is not really the best way to get your lycopene, but might be the most fun).

To check out the list, just read more

Drink	Calories
Bellini (champagne and peach puree) (1 drink)	65
Mimosa (champagne and orange juice) (1 drink)	80
Bloody Mary (tomato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, 1 stalk of celery, and vodka) (1 drink)	266
Fresh squeezed orange juice (1 cup)	110
Fresh squeezed tangerine juice (1 cup)	106
Grapefruit juice (12 oz)	145
Apple Juice (12 oz)	175
Apple Cider (12 oz)	124
Unsweetened Cranberry Juice (12 oz)	174
Carrot Juice (12 oz)	142
Lemonade (12 oz)	165
Coffee with 1 tbsp cream (6 oz)	33
Black Coffee (6 oz)	0
Herbal Tea (6 oz)	0
Sweetened Iced Tea (12 oz)	107
Skim Milk (12 oz)	136
Lowfat Milk (12 oz)	156
Chocolate Milk (12 oz)	227
Soy Milk (12 oz)	150

Fit's Tips: Making your own beverages is always better since you know exactly what's going in your glass. Try this Chambord Spritzer recipe from my dear friend Yum. And this Bellini made from blood oranges sounds deliciously refreshing in the morning.

Come Fab Finding With Me: Lovely Easter Brunch

FabSugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 10:01:22 -0700

I couldn't help but notice a yummy picture of eggs benedict in Team. theotherhalfofme has started a group asking for help to put together an outfit for her birthday brunch. Though this is a private group, it inspired this Fab Finding. I'm actually going to be in San Diego for Easter weekend for a little mother daughter escape. I haven't been since I was a wee lassie and my mom and I made some Easter brunch reservations at a nice outdoor restaurant. You all know I'm not a fan of pink, but I do love the festivity of Easter so I'll start you off with this Bottega Veneta Chain handle bag, $2,760.

Let's go Fab Finding for a lovely Easter brunch outfit. This is a mother daughter thing so something more fun and cute is what I'm thinking. Make sure to throw in a great jacket or cover up in case it's breezy! Be sure to come back and tell me your Fab Finds are up, or just tag your Fab Finds with easter brunch.

To learn what a Fab Find is and how to make one, click here. For a more detailed explanation of bookmarks from geeksugar click here.

To see some of my favorite online stores, read more

Active Endeavors
Banana Republic
Bluefly
eLuxury
Girlshop
Jildor Shoes
Live Natty
Neiman Marcus
Net-a-Porter
Pink Mascara