SPRING BRUNCH

I gave a small Spring Brunch last Saturday and thought I'd share some of the fun I had planning it.  I have to say, I love the "marinating" process of planning and execution of an event.  I enjoy having people in my home and feeding them!

Here's the menu...

Here's the recipe for the strata

SAUSAGE/MUSHROOM STRATA

1 pound breakfast sausage of your choice

3-4 cups shredded hashbrowns

8 eggs

1 cup shredded, sharp cheddar

1 can mushrooms

¾ teaspoons dry mustard

3 cups of milk, divided

1 cup of cottage cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Spread hashbrowns in a greased 9X13 pan.  Fry and drain sausage and layer over hashbrowns.  Drain mushrooms and layer over sausage.  Combine eggs, mustard, 2-1/2 cups of milk, and cottage cheese.  Pour over sausage mixture and sprinkle cheese over everything.  Refrigerate overnight.  Mix soup with ½ cup of milk and pour over the top of casserole just before baking.  Bake at 325^o for 1-1/2 hours.

The yogurt parfaits started with granola on the bottom, Noosa Honey Yogurt, topped with strawberries and blueberries, and garnished with a mint leaf and a honey wafer.

I'm not ashamed to say, I purchased the strudel from a very accomplished baker and was not disappointed--it was delicious. 

The lemon loaf began with a cake mix.  Here's that recipe...

Lemon Loaves

1 box of lemon cake mix

4.3 ounce instant lemon pudding mix

½ cup applesauce (in place of oil)

4 large eggs

½ cup milk

8 ounces sour cream

the juice of half of a large lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. 

Place all cake ingredients into mixing bowl and beat until well combined.  Divide batter between the two loaf pans and spread evenly.  Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before removing from pans.

For glaze, zest & squeeze the juice of the other half of a large lemon and add powdered sugar to taste.  Score the top of each loaf or prick it with a fork and pour glaze over each loaf.  Let set till the glaze soaks into the loaves.

The bird's nest were super-simple.  They consist of 2 cups of butterscotch chips combined with 1 cup of peanut butter melted.   Add chow mein noodles and shape into nests.  I then added Jordan almonds to mimic eggs and added a marshmallow bird (Peeps).

Here is one of the place settings...

 The keep Spring in mind, each guest was invited to take a pansy home.

Thanks for reading.  Hope you enjoyed the party.  Let me know if you try a recipe or two.

Linking Up With
thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com
 stonegableblog.com
savvysouthernstyle.net
nominimalisthere.blogspot.com
thecharmofhome.blogspot.com
commonground-do.com
romantichome.blogspot.com
frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com
stonegableblog.com
homemakeronadime.com
boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com 

Vignettes!

Who doesn't love  good vignette?  A small grouping of things to make you smile when you see them is good for the heart.  I believe one should smile in a home that is full of memories and stories of the life lived there.  And if you love collected items, they probably have a story of why, how, when, etc.  I love to hear the stories...I love to tell the stories of my own collecting.  Are you with me here?

Such is the beginning of this picture.  I went to an annual Christmas brunch at a friend's home and saw this stunning collection of mercury glass and immediately wanted the details.  The short version is she got it all at Goodwill!  I want to shop with her!  Look at that old window and imagine the story the story of it's past-life.  Oh, if it could only tell us what it has seen!  

This plaque was the first thing I noticed when I walked into the brunch and it is the message this friend carries in her heart and on her face.  I always walk away from her feeling that I've taken more than I should from just being with her.  I hope you have a friend like her in your life and if you don't I pray God will give you one as a Christmas gift this year.  She doesn't even know she does it for others.

I just had to share these with you.  They are also from my friend's home and they are picture frames from her sons' (yes, that is multiple sons) weddings that she glued together to form this almost-lanterns!  Love it!  A great story from and meaningful life-event!  BUT, what a great idea too, even if you don't have the story.  You could at least have bragging rights about being clever and economical.  

What a wonderful morning it was at the brunch, I'm already looking forward to the next one.  She has inspired me to have a brunch in the Spring with these women just because I want to be with them all more than once this year.  It's on my 2013 bucket list--hold me to it!  

As always, thanks for stopping by. 

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