Cooking Tip of the Day: Fabulous New Year's Day Brunch Ideas

I love celebrating the holidays... what could be better than celebrating with family and friends... whether it's a breakfast for two or twenty... breakfast or brunch can not only be fun but also easy. There are so many recipes to consider... from foods kids love to adult favorites... many are easy and can be either prepared in advance or at least partially in advance to make the holiday fun and relaxing for the cook too.

Here are some great suggestions for you to consider.. from sweet to savory... there's something for everyone... for sure!

You may want to start off with a little holiday cheer... see some great recipes under the Alcoholic Beverage label and for those of you that want to be alcohol free there are plenty of non-alcoholic beverage recipes to choose from under the Beverage label.

Impossibly Easy Mini Apple Sausage and Cheddar Pies

Grilled Mascarpone and Apple Breakfast Sandwich - this knife and fork breakfast sandwich combines the wonderful flavor of apple with dulce de leche, a caramel like sauce ... a perfect combination!

Provencal Eggs - this savory dish is not only beautiful and delicious...it's easy too! Make the base ahead of time and when its time to make it... reheat it and bake it with the eggs... fool-proof and stress-free! Serve this with a savory muffin and coffee... and you're all set!

French Toast - use fresh bread from the bakery and slice it thick... soaked in a custard-like batter...this classic is always a favorite with kids and adults alike.

Poached Eggs - you can do so much with poached eggs... Eggs Florentine... Eggs Benedict ... served on toasted English muffins with endless varieties of sauces... they make a fabulous presentation... making them in large quantities with an egg poacher is a challenge... so the answer is bake them in a muffin tin... see my post How to Poach Eggs in the Oven for instructions

Southern Sweet Potato Pancakes - you have to love Southern cooks... they have hundreds of family favorite recipes and this is one of them... these light and fluffy pancakes have just a hint of sweet potato flavor.. just heavenly with some maple syrup drizzled over them.

Eggnog French Toast Casserole - what could be better for the holidays than an Eggnog French Toast Casserole? The wonderful flavor of Eggnog and the convenience of a prep ahead breakfast casserole... make sausage or bacon while it bakes.. maybe some scrambled eggs too... a wonderful way to start your holiday off right.

Southwestern Potato Egg Bake - maybe a southwest set of flavors is more your style.. try this easy egg bake.. serve with breakfast potatoes and maybe a sweet and you have yourself an impressive little brunch.

Banana Bread French Toast - Does your family love banana bread? Treat them to this over the top french toast casserole... just delicious!

Cheddar and Chive Scrambled Eggs in a Pastry Shell - want to impress? This recipe maybe the ticket - believe it or not this is a truly easy and foolproof recipe... what a presentation!

Asparagus and Crab Quiche - a quiche is always a great choice to add to a buffet.. they're easy to make and are so pretty.. everyone will think you spent hours in the kitchen...

Quiche Lorraine - maybe a Crab and Asparagus quiche is not a family favorite... don't give up on the quiche idea... just make a different kind... pick flavors your family likes... Quiche Lorraine with ham and Swiss is a universal favorite.

Deviled Eggs - use a decorator gun to make these look just perfect... so pretty...these are not only easy but a prepare ahead food... make it and store it in the fridge... a stress-free addition to a buffet.

Piña Colada Dip for Fruit

Breakfast Bruschetta with Mascarpone & Blueberries

Banana Foster Waffles

Cheese Strata

Spinach Bacon and Onion Frittata

Seasoned Oven Browned Potatoes

Home Fries

Potatoes O’Brien

Consider adding a delicious coffee cake or muffins to the menu... after all... there's always room for a little sweet!

Peach Upside Down Muffins

Easy Sugared Doughnut Bites - these yummy doughnut bites are always a welcome addition to any brunch table

Sausage and Cheese Muffins - Decide on southwestern foods for your menu? Add these muffins to your food assortment... they go perfectly with savory foods.

Cranberry Buttermilk Cake - A truly great breakfast cake... you can prepare the batter the night before and just pop it into a baking dish and bake it in the morning.

Sweet Cornbread - this wonderfully sweet cornbread is not only easy to make but a delicious side to eggs.. another plus.. this makes a 9 x13 size pan of cornbread... perfect for a crowd