Ryan Foster 5/13/15 Ryan Foster 5/13/15

Splendid Huevos Rancheros

I can admit that I’ve never been a huge fan of breakfast. I love eggs, I like bacon, but it’s just not the most rousing meal category in my opinion. But when I was in college, brunch started to become a “thing”. Traditional restaurants all over D.C began offering a trendy and unexpected twist, served from noon until three- a mix of breakfast and lunch in one specialized menu. Exciting! Brunch is perfect for kids who partied until three a.m., and couldn’t possibly make it to breakfast on time (me in college). Or the slow moving, late people, who plan to arrive someplace at three, and arrive casually around four (me pre-baby). It’s also perfect for somewhat authoritarian moms, with a kid who takes a mandated, no-excuses four-hour midday nap (me right now).

Besides timing, brunch is awesome because there’s so many options! Pancakes and french toast are cool, but sometimes you’d rather have something more savory. Or spicy. Or Mexican! That’s where these huevos rancheros come in. I ordered them once at a reputable restaurant, and hated them. This defied logic. I adore all Mexican food, I adore brunch, and I adore said restaurant. For these reasons, I decided that I must actually just hate huevos rancheros. Years passed before I considered them again.

Ryan Foster 5/7/15 Ryan Foster 5/7/15

Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls

In college, I worked retail for a few months at one of those stores that sold overpriced ripped jeans, tank tops, and hoodies, with murals of half naked hotties plastered on the walls, and an overpowering scent of Axe body spray-esque cologne in the air. And I hated it. I hated the aggressive techno music, I hated the rude customers, and I hated the smell of that cologne. The only good thing about the short-lived job was my almost daily meal of a big, warm, gooey Cinnabon. I was a woman obsessed. I’d leave classes early to make sure I got to the mall in time to have one before my shift, or rush over on my fifteen-minute break. The Cinnabon employees and I knew each other by name. Now that I think back on it, it’s kind of disgusting how many of those cinnamon buns I ate in that three-month period. Disgusting, but awesome. I absolutely love cinnamon buns!

Now that I’ve accurately given you a look into my cinnamon bun fueled sickness, you can understand why mastering this recipe was so important to me. I don’t frequent malls anymore- I’m more into home goods and specialty groceries at this point in my life. But even though I rarely pass a Cinnabon store and get enveloped in that heavenly smell of dough, cinnamon, and sugar, I still think I deserve (yes, deserve) to have cinnamon rolls.

Ryan Foster 4/17/15 Ryan Foster 4/17/15

Leisurely Sunday Morning Waffles

Sunday mornings at my house are special, and probably my favorite time of the week. There’s no rush to get up and go anywhere, and the mood is very casual. The three of us lounge in bed and watch television for about an hour before breakfast, which I love. I hate feeling rushed, especially when it’s time to cook. Keeping with the casual Sunday morning feel, breakfast is typically just as leisurely. There’s often mimosas involved, which makes the cooking (and eating), significantly more enjoyable than lets say, on your average weeknight.

Because our Sundays are so relaxed, it gives me the opportunity to make more involved meals. When boyfriend brought home a long awaited waffle iron, I was ready. I knew it would work perfectly for our Sunday mornings. So then came the issue of finding the perfect waffle recipe. We eat a lot of pancakes, so I’ve got those down pat, but waffles are a little different. The batter needs to be a little denser, but not so dense that it makes a thick, heavy waffle. You want them to be light and fluffy, but still hold up well to the syrup, whipped cream, and berries you’ll obviously top them with.

Ryan Foster 4/6/15 Ryan Foster 4/6/15

Easter Brunch Success- and a few extra tips!

My simple Easter brunch was a delicious success. Family gathered, champagne flowed, and the food was delightful. Below is the menu we used, and a few extra brunch hosting tips that complement my Hosting a Special Occasion Brunch post perfectly!

The Menu:

Belgian Waffles (with berries and lots of homemade whipped cream)
Broccolini, Spinach, and Cherry Tomato Quiche
Homestyle Grits
Breakfast Potatoes
Bacon & Sausage
My mom’s infamous Strawberry Cake

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Ryan Foster 3/30/15 Ryan Foster 3/30/15

How to Host a Special Occasion Brunch

Easter to me feels like the real kick off to spring. It’s the first holiday leading into better weather, and an opportunity to get together with family to celebrate. It reminds me of little girls in lace dresses with ankle socks, men in shiny patent leather shoes, and of course, heaping plates of potato salad and ham. I don’t particularly love potato salad or ham. But that’s neither here nor there.

Boyfriend and I typically trek out to various family members’ homes to eat multiple holiday dinners, but this year, we’ve decided to switch it up a bit. Instead of roaming the metro area to cover all our familial bases, I’ll be hosting an Easter brunch. I can’t think of a better time to gather a few family members for a casual yet sophisticated celebration in my new-ish home. I chose to throw a brunch for the obvious reasons. Brunch just suggests casual elegance. Celebratory but not too formal. Special but not too over the top. Also, there’s always day drinking involved, which I obviously love.

So how does one go about hosting a “casually elegant” brunch? There’s only a few things you must do to throw a mostly effortless brunch. Here’s my best insight for success in the special occasion brunch department.