Easter Brunch

One of the things that are very important to me is creating traditions that both Julianna and Leah will remember for the rest of their lives. One of these traditions is to celebrate Easter with my family, but since this Easter was very different for all of us, I had the unique task of keeping the Easter traditions alive. Although I missed being with my extended family, I can honestly say we had a blast at home! Julianna was kept busy by searching for hidden Easter eggs all day long, she helped with the decorating of the house, and even helped bake a chocolate cake. My husband contributed to the festivities by summoning his inner chef and having an awesome breakfast spread. My husband never fails when it comes to cooking for special occasions, and I wanted to share with you all the recipes for the spread that he made for us.

One thing that cannot be excluded from any morning brunch celebration is a mimosa (of course). My uncle Fredo introduced us to the Casa De Piedra Vinicola located in El Valle De Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico, and absolutely fell in love with their Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc blend Espuma De Piedra. (A little sidebar - my uncle is building a hotel in El Valle De Guadalupe and I cannot wait to share with you more in the future when it opens up! Make sure to follow his page for all updates!)

I hope you use these recipes for an upcoming brunch or for any future gathering you will have with family/friends.

Remember, what we are going through right now is not permanent… only temporary. I can’t wait to celebrate Easter with my family next year!

Simple French Toast

Ingredients

● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

● 2 tablespoon sugar

● 4 eggs

● ¼ cup milk

● ½ vanilla extract

● 8 slices your favorite white bread, preferably thick-cut

● 4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Whisk together the first five ingredients in a small bowl and transfer mixture to a shallow container.
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Dip bread in egg mixture
Fry slices until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side
To elevate presentation, dust a bit of confectioner’s sugar, mint, and fresh berries on top. Or, to make a blueberry compote, see below:
Blueberry Compote
Ingredients
●     1 bag of frozen blueberries or 2 cups fresh blueberries (any other berry works fine)
●     I cup of orange juice
●     ¼ cup sugar
Directions:
1. Combine ½ bag/cup of blueberries, orange juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the blueberries and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.
  Brussels Sprouts Hash
  Ingredients
  ●     6 slices of bacon, chopped
  ●     ½ onion, chopped
  ●     1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
  ●     Salt and pepper, to taste
  ●     ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  ●     2 tablespoons water
  ●     2 cloves garlic, minced
  ●     4 eggs
  Directions
  1. In a large skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Set bacon aside. Keep most of the bacon fat in the skillet; remove any black pieces from the pan.
  2. Add onion and Brussels sprouts to skillet, stirring occasionally. Cook until they begin to turn soft. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cover the skillet. This will cook the Brussels sprouts even more and will make them tender. Cook until all water has evaporated. Add garlic to the skillet and cook 1 more minute.
  4. Using a spoon, make four holes in the hash to reveal the bottom of the skillet. Crack an egg into each hole and season the egg with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook the egg to your liking (I like the yolk runny and this takes about 4 minutes)
  5. Sprinkle cooked bacon pieces over the entire skillet and serve immediately.