Twelve (12) Dishes For a (New Year’s Day) Brunch

…And a few more.

Happy New Year (English). Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar (Dutch). Bonne année (French).

Have a wonderful ones dear friends. I hope 2013 brings us closer, forges new relationships and sees us fulfilled.

I’m drawing up my resolutions, which must include partying. As in hosting more parties, and get-togethers with families and friends.

And so for New Year’s Day, we started on that one in style – by hosting a Brunch for two families, in line with our new family tradition of Sunday Brunch.

My key priorities were twofold: recipes that could be made-ahead – days before and on the day; and the necessity of the having the breakfast trio of bacon, sausages and eggs.

On the menu we had:

Store-bought:

Panettone, an Italian yeasted bread-cake.  Apparently the best are storebought, so I say goodbye to the thought of ever making it at home.

Foie Gras, with Fig jam, which were both gifts from friends

Made 2 or more days before & refrigerated:

Chocolate sauce
Mixed berry sauce

Bacon Jam

Gingerbread house (but that’s a separate post)

Made the day before:

Magical coffee

Homemade Crostinis

Made on the day & refrigerated:

Watermelonade

Whipped cream, two ways – lemon cream cheese  and plain, sweetened (Made-ahead on the day, then refrigerated)

Two salads – a Tomato salad (Made-ahead, then kept at room temperature for the flavours to develop)

Apple, cucumber salad with chopped cilantro (Made-ahead on-the day, then refrigerated)

Hard-boiled eggs

Green onion sausages (Made-ahead, kept warm till service), on a bed of sauteed onions and green bell peppers

Cheesy-Mushroom Pull-apart bread (Prepared ahead, then baked at the last minute)

Bread pudding, two ways – with nuts and without (Prepared ahead, then baked at the last minute)

Crepes (Make-ahead, kept warm till service)

Oatmeal, two ways: Plain, and a bruleed version, with a layer of apples, topped with oats and fired under the broiler.

My friend, B brought some Mexican wedding cookies which were crisp and crumbly and perfect for brunch after!

Some combinations were:

• Crostinis with foie gras  and fig jam
• Crepes with whipped cream and berry sauce

• Bread pudding with whipped cream and custard
• Cheesy mushroom bread with sausages, scrambled eggs and tomato salad
• Panettone with chocolate sauce

Just before the official brunch kick-off:

Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions and chilli peppers

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We truly had a great, great, great start to the new year. There was love and lots of laughter. And only a few leftovers.

Happy New Year friends. Do share your brunch ideas with me.

Lots of love X X X

 [wpurp-searchable-recipe]Twelve (12) Dishes For a (New Year’s Day) Brunch – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]