Monday, December 20, 2010

Brunch

Buttermilk Pancakes, recipe here
One of the best parts of having a day off work is enjoying a leisurely brunch with the family.  Sometimes it's just E and me, but often my mom and brother swing by for a late morning meal.  Breakfast is generally quicker and less expensive to prepare than other meals and it's a crowd-pleaser.  I used to love going out to diners and restaurants for breakfast, but it's just as easy to roll out of bed and enjoy a great meal in your own kitchen.  Plus it's cheaper.  Just get someone else to do the dishes.

To save calories I eat a light breakfast of coffee and Greek yogurt (with an occasional cheat) Monday-Friday.  Come Saturday and Sunday I'm ready for some bacon or sausage, pancakes or french toast, or some sweet breakfast breads. 

I've figured out a few ways to make breakfast easy for everyone:

1.  Choose your menu wisely.  If you're expecting more than a few guests and you expect them to arrive at different times, be prepared to mingle.  Don't choose to prepare omelets or other items that require you to stand over the stove.  Instead, try a breakfast quiche or another item that can be prepared in advance but still has traditional breakfast flavors.

2.  Prepare your breakfast meat first.  Sausage and bacon reheat well, so cook them before you move on to dishes that require more of your attention, like eggs, french toast, or waffles.  I prefer to cook my bacon on a baking sheet in the oven at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.  If you use this method your kitchen stays grease-free.  Just reheat your breakfast meat in the microwave right before serving.

3.  Don't be a short order cook.  Spend your time with your family, not standing over the stove.  When I'm making French toast, pancakes, or waffles, I preheat the oven to 200 degrees, put a large platter in the oven to get warm, and then put batches of these items on the plate as they come off the griddle.  I keep the warm platter in the oven covered with foil so everyone can eat hot food at the same time. 

4.  Have someone else do the dishes.  Our rule is that whoever cooks doesn't have to clean.  If you have a buddy clean while you cook you can have the breakfast dishes cleared within 10 minutes of the end of the meal and get back to relaxing with your family and friends.

5.  Save the leftovers.  I've heard that pancakes and waffles freeze well.  I wouldn't know because we eat them all!  I do make extra bacon because it can be used over a few days for other meals (grilled cheese, salads, pizzas, quick weekday breakfast sandwiches). 

Plan your menu, brew a nice pot of coffee (or hot water for tea), and surprise someone you love with a nice, well-planned breakfast.  Don't forget to make the table pretty so it feels special.  I'm partial to white dishes.  Happy brunching!

4 comments:

  1. Right now it's just my husband and I, so breakfast is pretty easy to prepare. Plus, my huband is the breakfast king, so he gets to show off his kitchen skills for this meal time and get to relax :) Looking forward to meeting you on Tuesday! Should be fun!!

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  2. We're doing brunch this year and I'm really looking forward to it! Those pancakes look so cool on that picture.

    I hope you and your hubby have a wonderful Christmas Keeley!

    Monica

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  3. Love the selective coloring on your photo! I love breakfast food too, gimme all the fatty foods like bacon sausage french toast.... you name it! Good thing I only have to cook for two!

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  4. This makes a ton of sense. I've often cooked breakfast for a group of guest, but never time the food right and something ends up cold. I'm going to start baking my bacon, b/c the layer of grease on stuff in my kitchen is more than a little gross. Now to work on my ultimate french toast recipe.

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