Piece of Cake "Lazy Brunch" Party
Jason DeCrow, © 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Idea 1: "Toast to the New Year" Toast Bar
Set up a make-your-own toast bar with toppings that you have on hand or that are easy to buy. This way guests can customize their toast and there's no extra work for you. Mixing and matching make the possibilities endless!
- Suggested breads: multigrain, sourdough, brioche, white country and cinnamon raisin.
- Suggested spreads: mashed avocado, almond butter, chocolate-hazelnut spread, spicy honey, ricotta, lemon curd and jam.
- Suggested toppings: chopped cooked bacon, prosciutto, chopped cooked pancetta, smoked salmon, capers and trail mix.
Bonus Tip: Poach Eggs in a Muffin Tin
Poaching eggs on the stovetop can be tricky and labor intensive, but making them in a muffin tin is easy for a crowd! See The Kitchen's recipe on FoodNetwork.com.
Idea 2: Slow Cooker Chai and "Dirty Chai" Lattes
Make The Kitchen's Slow Cooker Dirty Chai Latte recipe for your guests (as a bonus, the spices will fill your home with a warm spiced aroma). Set out mugs for the guests to ladle the chai into, and put out a carafe of espresso or strong coffee to make "dirty chai" lattes. Instruct guests to add the coffee to individual mugs with the chai mixture. Top each mug with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. Voila!
Idea 3: Champagne Bottle Centerpieces
Adorable, themed decor doesn't have to be time consuming. Don't throw away those champagne bottles from your party the night before--use them to make high-impact centerpieces that pop.
You will need:
- Champagne bottles
- Needle-nosed pliers
- Wire coat hangers
- Round glass Christmas ornaments
Here's how:
- Remove the labels from used champagne bottles.
- Use needle-nosed pliers to cut unraveled wire coat hangers to a length that measures the bottom (straight edge) of the hanger plus one curved side.
- Straighten out the hangers and shape the ends to create a small bend at the end of each.
- Now, to get one more use out of your round, glass ornaments from the Christmas tree, thread ornaments of varied sizes onto the hanger pieces, starting with the smallest and alternating the sizes. Now you've got "bubbles." Easiest craft ever!
