I've always loved how the weather mirrors our celebration of Holy Week and Easter. It was so dark and stormy- and cold- through Saturday night. But Sunday, when the fog cleared by mid-morning and the sun came out- it was a bright, warm, perfect day. We were coming out the fog too, and I'm so thankful for the time we had with friends and family yesterday. It was much needed.
We postponed the Easter egg hunt to lunchtime, and Linden could not get enough of it. After eating - no exaggeration - e v e r y piece of chocolate hidden in the eggs, she re-hid them for herself for a couple hours. And somehow, she kept finding more chocolate around the house, and that is what our two year old ate for lunch. What are you going to do?
Ok, let's get to brunch. It felt so happy to host at our new house and really savor it. I want to share some thoughts and tips about hosting a simple brunch, because it can seem overwhelming. But it's not! You can make it easy on yourself and have something pretty to show for it.
1. Decor: don't decorate. I spent $7 on cheapo flowers from Kroger. Stuck them in a vase. Voila!
2. Cooking/Cleaning: Make your menu work for you. Can you find recipes that can mostly be made ahead of time? That way, you cook and make your mess earlier, clean it up, and only have finishing touches left- in a c l e a n kitchen. No scramble to do dishes before people show up.
3. Menu: Pinterest is not your friend. She will sway you into doing waaaaay more than you have time or capacity for. Cooking the whole meal? Pick 3 to 4 very simple recipes, and that is it. If you're hosting a potluck- pick just one.
4. Playing Host: Make as much as you can self-serve. Make plates and glasses readily available. Drinks and apps out. Serve buffet style. Anything that takes the actual serving off your plate will make everything more casual and enjoyable. Repeat after me: The host should enjoy the party too.
Here is our set up for brunch. I cooked/assembled four super simple recipes. Then I cleaned and put flowers in a vase. Pulled out some serve ware and plates. Put on some music. Made myself some coffee and hung out with my fam while one dish finished in the oven.
The menu: friend brought an app, avocado toast bar, veggie frittata, fruit salad, no-bake lemon pie and a friend brought a second dessert. I'll save the veggie frittata recipe for another day. Let's talk avocado bar!
Toast up some good multigrain bread. I added lemon, chopped cilantro and garlic to veganaise and spread that on the toast. Next up- mashed avocado with some lemon, chili powder and salt. A sprinkle of crumbled feta and raw pumpkin seeds. Topped with arugula and smoked paprika. We assembled the avocado toast for everyone, but this would make a great "build your own" station.
The fruit salad was blackberries, blueberries, chopped apple and strawberries, and sliced banana. A little lemon zest and a couple teaspoons of maple syrup- and DONE!
Most Southerners know a good lemon icebox pie. Why is it so good?? I just followed this simple recipe. I made my own crust only because the store was sold out. But it took just a few minutes and was so delicious.
Y'all- that is it! Easy hosting is the way to go. What questions do you have for me? I'm here to help with menu planning and other ideas!
