Spring Entertaining: Brunch Recipes and Themes

I hosted a brunch this weekend with a group of my college girlfriends.  We celebrated a recent marriage and an upcoming baby.  The theme:  French Garden, complete with vintage accessories, decorative hens and birds, sunflowers, freesia, and the ubiquitous bird cage.  I love to entertain - and also know that many people don't share those same sentiments about it.....but what they don't know is that it doesn't have to be overwhelming and expensive.  It's all in the preparation and planning.  The more you do ahead of time, the easier it is for you to be an involved host. 

On the Menu:
Prosecco Mimosas with Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
Mini Herbed Frittatas (recipe below)
Maple Roasted Bacon
Ricotta, Cinnamon, and Honey Casserole
Mixed Greens Salad with Grapes, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese (recipe below)
Huge fruit platter 
Lemon Cake with Powdered Sugar Glaze and Mixed Berry Sauce (recipe to come)




Mixed Greens with Red Grapes, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese

Mini Herbed Frittatas

Freesia

What a fun afternoon!  Good food, good conversation, good company.  It's amazing how we've changed over the years....convos now revolve around kids and the things our mothers never told us.  We talk about house projects, the days of past that we used to sleep in AND take a nap all in the same day, those fun nights we spent on Santorini - oh how we miss them so, and our trials and tribulations of dealing with our newly inherited families (aka the in-laws) that we love.  We cherish these times together - after all, they happen far too infrequently.  And isn't this why we entertain anyways?  To bring our nearest and dearest together and create memories?  I think so.

On to the recipes.  These are simple dishes that can serve double duty as brunch items or just plain 'ol breakfast on Saturday morning.  They are full of flavor and take very little time to prep. 

Happy Brunching!

Mini Herbed Frittatas
Recipe by A Toast to Taste

Ingredients Needed:
10 large eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used skim, whole is best)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
3 Tbsp finely grated parmessan
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a muffin tin and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk, herbs, parmessan, salt and pepper together until well combined.  Fill prepared muffin cups with egg mixture almost to the top.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until center is set and tops are lightly golden.  Using a fork, loosen the frittatas from the cups and place on serving platter.  Serve and enjoy!

Mixed Greens with Red Grapes, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese
Original Recipe from Bitchincamero
Adapted by A Toast to Taste

For the Pecans
8 oz pecan halves
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Salad
4 large handfuls mixed greens
15 red grapes, sliced in half
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

For the Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place pecans on foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with sugar, honey, and cinnamon.  Mix together using a spoon and make sure everything is well coated.  Roast for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool.

While pecans are roasting, prep other salad ingredients and make vinegarette by whisking all ingredients together until emulsified.

Dress greens and top with grapes, pecans, goat cheese.

Enjoy!