Need some last minute ideas for tomorrow’s sunday brunch?
Here is our Egg-stra Effortless Easter Brunch for your party planning pleasure:
Spring is finally here – and we are ready to celebrate.
Easter Sunday is the perfect occasion for throwing an impromptu Brunch Egg Hunt morning with friends, family and neighbors.
We have all the best new decor and entertaining ideas that you need – making the prep time short, sweet and simple.
Here are 3 simple steps to setting the perfect Brunch:
1. Color – spring is all about color – and Easter is no egg-ception. Use colorful, sherbet inspired linens, dishes, florals, foods, etc.
For $30 you can rent a gorgeous cloth from Windy City Linen in crinkle – which looks like a couture gown and dresses up any table. windycitylinen.com
2. Fresh – we are ready for sunshine, fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh fruit, fresh everthing!
For less than ten dollars a centerpiece you can pot fresh spring bulbs – bright sunny Daffodills are my favorite – they just ooze happy. Pot a potted plant from the florist or even grocery into a gorgeous easter basket (always line with cello wrap or a plastic waterproof liner) or urn, add bright green, fluffy reindeer moss to cover the dirt, and you have a centerpiece about one or two minutes. Potted plants and bulbs are very long lasting – so you can enjoy them for weeks instead of days, making them a “green” choice for decor.
Paired with organic chocolate bunnies, candies and nests – is it a blissful and edible display for your spring table.
Cocktails and Menu – bright, fresh, organic, full of vitamins and minerals – that’s what spring is all about.
A Muddling Bar for specialty drinks mixes a dozen fresh spring fruits with seltzers, juices, champagne and more. Glasses, bowls or vases can be filled with blueberries, raspberries, watermelon, peaches, herbs like rosemary and mint, whatever you like. You can mix any flavor combination, which kids and adults love. They look just as gorgeous as they taste – making them the perfect Easter sipper.
3. When in doubt, take out!
Everyone is short on time, so rely on local neighborhood favorites to do the cooking for you. Everything featured on our buffet is from my favorite Chicago restaurants – letting me focus on the fun and them on the food.
This Frittata Bar is so much fun – giving everyone fresh and eclectic flavors like Carmelized Onion, Blue Cheese and Balmamic and Goat Cheese and Grape Tomato and Brocolli and Thyme. I love to feature bacon flights, each with different flavors like jalepeno, maple syrup, and black pepper and brown sugar.
These mouth watering pastries from Lovely in Wicker Park and Bakin and Eggs in Lakeview really take the cake. Almond Tart, floral mold blueberry and banana muffins, croissants that taste like Paris, pain chocolat, scones, and more. Pair all with their delicious fruit butters and jams, which are packaged in adorable, glass jars ready for hostess gifting. www.lovelybakeshop.com and bakinandeggschicago.com/
Bagels and Schmears have never been so chic – with fresh mix in spreads guests can create their own custom flavors with herbs, fresh vegetables, bacon, sauces and syrups in bowls to combine with cream cheese, boursin, hummus and more. Popular this spring: cream cheese with maple syrup and bacon and hummus with shredded carrot, radish and cilantro.
I love breakfast. I love cupcakes. And now, let me introduce the new party pleaser – Breakfast Cupcakes! These gourmet muffins in blueberry vanilla, cranberry orange and apple cinnamon are adorned with bright spring bouquets in buttercream icing, from Sugar Bliss. sugarblisscakes.com
Easter Truffles and Truffle-pops are the sweetest – literally – dessert display in themed egg cartons. Not to mention Beer-cakes, infused with beer for “the boy’s easter basket”, all from Cacao on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/cacaobakery
These easter basket cupcakes light up every face in the room – and the coconut makes them an all time favorite for the dessert buffet. In both regular and mini sizes, they will bring a smile to each guest’s face even before they take a bite. Swirlz Cupcakes. swirlzcupcakes.com
Last, but never least of course, favors for the guests are always a sure fire favorite. The vintage, glittered easter bunny boxes at Bittersweet are perfect to fill with their lovely handpainted sugar cookies with sugar glitter edging. Four egg shaped cookies fits perfectly inside, and as they already come tied with a silk bow, they are ready for baskets from the easter bunny himself. bittersweetpastry.com
Cheers to spring’s bright arrival at long last – Happy Easter Brunching.
