Keeping It Stress-Free
Try making a breakfast casserole. One way to cut down on stress when you're crunched for time is to use dishes you can make ahead, either in part or the whole dish. For instance, mix up a breakfast casserole the night before, and all you need to do is stick it in the oven that morning.
Create other dishes that you can make ahead. Keeping with the theme, try to think of other dishes you could make ahead. For instance, if you want to do a ham, heat it up the day before, and then just reheat it the day off. You could also do something like a quiche the day before.
Make your meats ahead of time. You can also cook up bacon and sausage ahead of time. Once they're drained, stack them on layers of parchment paper in the refrigerator. If you don't want to do them ahead of time, try baking them in the oven instead of frying pieces individually.
Bake quick breads ahead of time. One way to save time at a Christmas brunch is to make your quick breads the night before. Let them cool, then wrap them tightly for the next morning. You can even make these breads up to a month ahead of time. Just wrap them well, and stick them in the freezer. They'll defrost in no time on the counter. Biscuits and scones can also be made ahead. However, it's best to shape them and freeze them on a tray unbaked.
Skip individual items. That is, making foods like omelettes or waffles will leave you standing in the kitchen all morning. Instead, try items that feed everyone with one dish, such as a breakfast casserole, frittata, or even baked eggs served alongside a homemade quick bread.
Try a quick-cooking dish. If you don't want to make your meal ahead of time, stick to things that cook more quickly. That way, you won't have to get up extra early to start the dish. Frittatas come together relatively quickly, for instance, and if you pair it with a breakfast meat and quick bread, you'll have an ample breakfast.
Covering Your Bases
Include the basic food groups. Generally, you'll want something hearty as a main, such as a quiche, bacon and baked eggs, or some other breakfast protein. A fresh-baked side, such as biscuits (that you made and froze unbaked), scones, or quick breads, make a nice addition. It also can be nice to have something fresh, such as a fruit salad or a light green salad, if you're going on the lunch end of things.
Bake a casserole for the main dish. If you bake a casserole such as a sausage, egg, and potato casserole for the main, you can keep the sides relatively simple, such as some fresh-cut melon or a small bunch of grapes for each person.
Pair an egg dish or sweet dish with meat sides. If you want an egg dish to take center stage, such as baked eggs in spinach, you can round it off with ham, bacon, or sausage. Similarly, if you have a sweet main dish like baked French toast, all you may need is a side of meat to finish the meal off.
Don't forget different tastes. Make sure to have something everyone on your guest list can eat. If you have vegetarians, an egg main dish may be a good plan (as long as they eat eggs). If you have diabetics on the list, make sure to include a less sugary side, such as fresh fruit. Just keep your guest list in mind as you plan the menu.
Remember the drinks. You can keep it simple with coffee, tea, and juice. However, you can also have an alcoholic brunch cocktail, such as a mimosa, to serve. Keep in mind, though, that not everyone will want to drink that early in the morning, so have non-alcoholic drinks on hand, as well.
Plan ahead for a more extravagant meal. If you want your Christmas brunch to be the main meal of the day, you're going to need a bit more planning. Try using a menu planner or organizer, which you can find online. Basically, it has all the necessities you'll need for the meal, so you can fill in each slot, like meatballs for appetizers, ham for the main course, and so on, along with a place to make notes.
Creating a Fun Atmosphere
Pick bright colors. Since you're planning a daytime meal, try using bright colors instead of darker ones, such as bright red and white with touches of green here and there. Don't be afraid to add a little sparkle with some silver or gold tones.
Set the table the night before. One way to de-stress your morning is to lay everything out on your table the night before. Put out the plates, juice glasses, mugs, silverware, and napkins. That way, you know you have enough for everyone coming. If you have a cat that likes to investigate your table, try closing the room off or placing everything out but the juice glasses and covering the whole thing with a clean tablecloth.
Add a scent. While the smell of breakfast cooking may be enough good smells to last through brunch, it doesn't hurt to make your home smell more like Christmas. Try lighting a Christmas-themed candle, or make a pot of boiling potpourri by throwing orange slices, water, and spices into a pot that you boil on the stove.
Don't forget the background noise. To help complete the perfect atmosphere, try adding in some quiet Christmas music in the background. It will help keep a happy mood going when the conversation lags. However, you don't want it too loud, as it will drown out conversation.
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