spread joy and brunchiness on easter

When I threw a last-minute Easter brunch a few years ago, I expected a handful of people. Instead I ended up hosting 40. Here’s how I sated the masses:

• I opted to have a potluck to keep myself from going totally insane.

• In my Evite invitation, I described what I would be serving: caramel coffee cake, fruit with fruit dip, blue cheese grits, sausage balls, orange and chocolate salad, and mimosas. I mentioned that additions such as egg dishes and anything remotely healthy would be especially appreciated. It’s good to throw out some suggestions for a brunch potluck; otherwise you’ll end up with a baked-goods extravaganza.

• A coffee and tea station set up on top of an IKEA bookshelf in the living room kept the kitchen from being totally overrun by the caffeine-dependent (i.e., everyone) while I finished cooking.

• Consider moving your furniture to accommodate the crowd. I relocated my TV and TV stand to my bedroom and set up an additional table for food in their place.

• People are going to walk into your house ravenous since they’ll likely not have eaten yet that day. Don’t wait for the whole crowd to get there — encourage people to eat as soon as they appear in your home. Avoiding hungry, cranky guests is always key.

• I bought a few jugs of orange juice and also purchased some refrigerator-space-freeing frozen OJ as back-up. Plenty of champagne was on hand for mimosas, as well as lemon-lime soda so the teetotalers could participate in the fizzy orange fun.

• If you decide to host a brunch on your own without potluck help, here are some store-bought foods to easily bulk up your offerings: a big ole ham, baked-good-poison-of-choice (i.e., doughnut holes, muffins, Entenmann’s coffee cake, etc.), yogurt, granola, a green salad and frozen mini quiches. A cereal station stacked with tons of different mini boxes of cereal and a few different types of milk (don’t forget soy for the lactose-intolerant) would be exceptionally adorable. A smoothie station would also be cute, but potentially messy. Another option: A few days before your party, blend together yogurt, strawberry puree and sugar, then freeze them in ice cube trays.

• And hiding some plastic eggs stuffed with goodies in your yard is always a good plan on Easter — whether or not kids are present.

Comments

Wow, how can I get evited to your Easter brunch? It sounds fabulous! :)

Great ideas!! And for decorations....

Easter eggs (of the hard-boiled or chocolate variety) are dual-action centerpieces for a crowded table since they look pretty and taste yummy. If you have extra room, daffodils and tulips will bring a little springtime flair to the table.

Yum! Sounds wonderful! What great ideas.

Are those oranges with chocolate shavings? AWESOME! FTW!

Another good orange dish is to peel and slice a ton of navel oranges, layer them in a bowl, and pour vast amounts of honey on top. When you let it sit over night, the honey gets absorbed, and it makes this syrupy, delicious fruit salad.

Ooh, nice, Rachel--yum! I'm going to try that for dessert tonight....