Brunch

Is there anything better than brunch??

 

This weekend my boyfriend and hosted a brunch for six. As per usual when cooking together he made the meal menu and took care of all the prep and cooking while I was in charge of any baked goods that we would need.

This arrangement worked out well because poaching eggs makes me very nervous, I hate over cooked eggs so I stand over the pot poking at them from the second they go in until the second I pull them out (which is always too early). Lucky for me  - and our guests -  Mckenzie can poach eggs like nobody's business so I was free to try some recipes that I have had on my list for quite a while.

 

These apple crumble muffins came together quickly  the morning of the brunch. Perfect brunch muffins, not all sweet and cakey. Instead, they are filled with chunks of baked apples in a batter sweetened with honey and spiced with cinnamon. The topping of pecans, oats, and brown sugar was so good that I kept picking it off my muffin loooong after I was too full to ever eat again.

 

Along with the muffins I made some braided lemon bread. The night before I prepared the dough, formed the loaf and filled it with cream cheese and homemade lemon curd then stuck it in the fridge overnight. Day of the brunch I let it do one more rise and then baked for 30 minutes.

This bread is seriously impressive looking and was surprisingly easy to make. Plus it tastes amazing!  I'll be posting the recipe for the bread and the muffins later this week.

Mmm sweet creamy, cheesy, lemon-y goodness.

 

So my job was done long before people arrived, which left me free greet and  sit around with them drinking coffee spiked with baileys and godiva liquor.

 

Meanwhile in the kitchen Mckenzie was shaving parmesan cheese for the poached eggs and parmesan cheese over toasted brioche with pistou.

 

Nom! Pieces of buttered brioche sprinkled with cheese and topped with two soft poached eggs. The pisou is made from basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Perfect.

Especially since I didn't have to poach all those eggs.

 

Accompanying the eggs were German-style fried potatoes. Par boiled potatoes  and diced onions are sauteed in a bit of beer and olive oil, pan fried, and then tossed with a tangy dijon vinaigrette.

Normally I need ketchup on any sort of breakfast potato dish, but not these ones. Very flavourful plus we par boiled the potatoes the night before to cut down on steps day of.

We served these with sausages we that we got from the farmer's market. Mckenzie baked them in the oven, occasionally glazing them with maple syrup.

 

This was all served up with glasses of orange juice  had been squeezed that morning..

 

..and some bubbily in glasses that had an ounce or so of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. We wanted to do something different than the run of the mill mimosa. Grapefruit juice isn't drastically different than orange juice but the result was really delicious.

It was a pleasant surprise that every single dish worked perfectly considering that we picked a menu consisting 100% of dishes we had never made previously.

It was good food with people we love which really was the best part.

 

 

..Actually, it was ONE of the best parts. The other best part was when we received a beautiful le creuset pot as a house warming gift.  I was very excited, especially since the day before I had been making sad faces through the kitchen store window at the le creuset display. I can't wait to cook something up in it!

 

 

 

Comments

[Mylifeunderthebus]

Oh my god !!! Everything looks fabulous and I am jealous of that pot !!!

[Kirsten H.]

That looks like a very successful brunch to me. Will you share the recipe of the lemon bread?
Enjoy your Le Creuset. They are just wonderful pots.

[Clockwork Lemon]

Kristen I'll be posting the baked good recipes this week :)

[hocus]

this is just the kind of brunch menu i dream about! it's my favorite meal of all. and such a lovely housewarming gift! you must have some very lovely friends :)

[Lori Plyler]

Good Gosh!!!! I beg to be invited to your next brunch. My mouth is, literally, watering. Must go poach an egg now.

[Lexiscafe.wordpress.com]

I love brunch, mostly because you can have the best of both breakfast and lunch. It all looks delicious.

[sonUnz]

http://omnicef250mg.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14766775-side-effects-omnicef
side effects omnicef
http://omnicef250mg.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14767456-omnicef-refrigerated
buy omnicef antibiotic uses
http://omnicef250mg.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14766301-omnicef-for-bronchitis
uses for cefdinir

[sonYza]

http://omnicef250mg.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14767554-buy-cefdinir
cefdinir for strep
http://omnicef250mg.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14766008-cefdinir-strep
omnicef prescription dosage for toddlers
http://omnicef250mg.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14767474-omnicef-red-poop
omnicef 250 mg

[tomityHix]

dudh wali ko choda hindi story
delete plz