Hash Brown Frittata

This is my go-to brunch dish (although sometimes this makes a nice main course for "breakfast for dinner").  I love it because I can make it the day before (so I don't have to wake up too early to set everything up), and it can easily be doubled for a large crowd.  I usually make this with egg whites.  It tastes just as good, and my guests feel less guilty.

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil  
• 2-3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced like hash browns (or substitute 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed and drained) 
• 8 eggs (or substitute egg white equivalent, it is just as good!)
• 1/2 cup non fat milk 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese  
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or substitute with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 cup shredded Colby cheese) 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add potatoes to pan, and cook until heated through (about 4-5 minutes).
4. Remove pan from heat.  
5. While the potatoes are cooking in the pan, combine eggs, milk, and parmesan in a large bowl and beat.
6. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
7. Add the potato mixture to the baking dish, and spread evenly around.
8. Pour the eggs over the potato mixture.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until it barely jiggles when shaken.
10. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
11. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes (or until cheese melts and begins to brown). 

*If you make it in advance, wait until it cools, cut it into squares, and then refrigerate until it is ready to be reheated.

Mother's Day Brunch

Although the world has been spinning for a week now (thanks to a fun case of vertigo), I was really looking forward to preparing Mother's Day brunch for our families.

The Breakdown:

The Decor

I didn't have much time to plan the brunch, but I knew I wanted something "girly" - pinks, lavenders and green. I found orchid stems at Trader Joes, and they were the perfect color - and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them:

I had always wanted to submerge orchids in a large vase. I ran all over town looking for the perfect vase, and was delighted to find these on sale at Target.

Lesson learned: simply placing the orchid in water does not work. The orchids won't all face out in the glass, and when you go to adjust the flowers, the water overflows from the top. I filled the water part way (so I wouldn't damage the flowers later), and I placed each orchid so it was facing out. If there was a "bald spot" I would cut an orchid from the main stem and rearrange.

In the middle of the vases I placed wheat grass (raised on a box hidden under the tablecloth). I then sprinkled orchids on top of the grass. In a perfect world, I would have used flower tubes - but I couldn't find any and I didn't have time to order them online. Luckily orchids are pretty sturdy flowers, and they lasted the entire party.

I wanted to hang some orchids from the chandelier over the table, but it didn't end up looking right, so instead, I sprinkled some orchids around the buffet table.

I made some additional arrangements using spring flowers in shades of pink and lavender, and spread them around the room.

In order to add interest to the buffet table, I used cake stands and boxes to raise various dishes.

I wrapped silverware in white napkins, and stacked them on a plate. Instead of using napkin rings, I tied each napkin with ribbon. The entire spool cost me $3, which is about the price of one napkin ring - and I was pretty happy with the results:

I used a similar ribbon as an accent on the champagne glasses:

The Brunch Menu

I tried to come up with a menu that was true to brunch - part breakfast, part lunch. It was hard to come up with lunch items that flowed with the overall menu, but I eventually decided to go with more breakfast less lunch (with a couple items that could arguably double for both). I strongly believe that any brunch menu must have mimosas or Bellinis - but I also tried to come up with some options for the kids.

• Bellinis
• Mimosas
• Champagne
• Sparkling Apple Cider
• Orange Juice
• Orange Mango Peach Juice
• Milk

• Coffee
• Tea
• Hot Chocolate

• Bagels with cream cheese and lox
• Strawberry summer salad

• Spinach quiche


• Honey swirl yogurt


• Fruit kabobs


• Hash Brown Frittata


• Candied french toast bites


• Chocolate banana bread

The Dessert Menu

• Ice Cream Bombe (alla Barefoot Contessa)


• Chocolate Covered Strawberries


• Baklava (alla Trader Joe's)

• Assorted chocolates and candy

• and . . . drum roll please . . . Rainbow Cake (inspired by omnomicon)
  
  

One Last Idea

I was planning on adding pictures as an element of the decor (but, alas, I ran short on time and something had to go). The thought was to either use my digital frame to showcase pictures of the mothers being honored at the brunch or to place pictures of each of the mothers with their children in frames around the buffet and living room (and then give the frames to each mother as a gift).

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommas out there!