Brunch with your girlfriends is a great way to relax, catch up with old friends and enjoy a fabulous meal at the same time. If you’re hosting a brunch, you’ll want a few recipes that are easy yet elegant, so you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your friends. When planning a brunch, you’ll want to think carefully about all the courses that you’re going to serve. It’s a good idea to offer at least two appetizers, a choice of main courses, dessert and at least two cocktails that can help kick the party off.
But First, Drinks!
It’s always a good idea to start off with cocktails. Let everyone drink a few cocktails as you bring out the food for the brunch. Classic white wine is a good choice for early morning fun. Think about other kinds of wine as well such as rose and port. If you want to add something a bit more fun for your guests, consider a Bloody Mary bar so they can customize their own drinks. Offer choices that allow people to make the type of drink they like including fresh, crisp celery, Tabasco sauce, herbs, limes, pickles, caper berries, marinated vegetables and several kinds of flavored vodkas. If you are looking to keep things simple, you can’t go wrong with picking up champagne and orange juice and making mimosas.
Several Appetizers
An elegant brunch will include several types of appetizers that you can pass around as your guests enter the house. You want your guests to feel welcomed when they arrive. Deviled eggs are a classic appetizer that you can easily update. Start with hard boiled eggs. Insert your eggs into a pot of boiled water. Turn off the water and let them simmer for ten minutes. Remove the eggs from heat and peel. Remove the egg yolks and mix with an aioli and a dollop of Sriracha. Sprinkle the egg whites with paprika. For another appetizer your guests will love, bring out the bacon strips. Bake them in a 400 degree oven with a glaze of your favorite beer and some a thin coating of brown sugar to bring out the natural sweetness in the bacon strips. Serve when they come out of the oven.
Hearty Main Courses
Even a light brunch needs at least one substantial main course. Offer your guests something with a lot of bite that will help stand up to their drinks. Think about standard breakfast foods with a twist that brings in modern flavors. Think about ways to create something innovative that your guests may not have tried before. You may know about their personal tastes and how you can create dishes they will enjoy when they come over.
Pancakes
You can make pancakes come alive with flavor when you add in fun items like chia seeds, almonds and some spiked raisins with a bit of whiskey. Mix up a cup of flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, a bit of salt and sugar to taste. Then add half a cup of milk, a room temperature egg and some melted butter. Pour the mixture onto a hot grill or pan that you started before you begin mixing. You can top the pancakes with to bring out character and interesting flavors including candied nuts, fruit or chocolate chips.
Something a Little Lighter
Keep in mind that your guests might want something light during brunch. Try these light updated favorites. Bake eggs with vegetables for your vegetarian guests. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Sauté vegetables like spinach with onions, some fresh herbs and add salt and pepper. Add in stewed tomatoes to the mixture. Bring out a ramekin for each egg that you plan to serve. Place the eggs, a low fat cheese and a bit of olive oil to the mixture and bake for at least twelve minutes.
Fabulous Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
Another great low calorie dish is chicken sandwiches with pesto. You can buy pesto sauce from a jar or choose to make your own. Grill or poach chicken for the base of the sandwich. Slather the pesto sauce on the chicken and let sit in the fridge for at least twenty minutes. Lightly toast the bread with some minced garlic and olive oil. Then pile the sandwich high with the pesto. You can serve the sandwich either cold or hot.
Delicious Dessert
Desserts can be another way to get a touch of delicious elegance to your table. For an easy brunch dessert, slice up some fruit in varied colors. Cantaloupe, blueberries, green grapes, red grapes and watermelon are a good combination. Boil orange juice, lemon zest, ginger and a little brown sugar in a saucepan. Add the sliced fruit to the pan and let coat it for a few minutes with the heat. Store the salad in the fridge for at least an hour before serving to your guests. If you want to add even more elegance to your dessert, spice it up with a few dips like caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. You can make a simple chocolate dip by heating up chocolate in a double boiler and then serving it warm with the gently boiled fruit salad.
