If we are having a casual weekend morning family brunch, we love to have bacon, fun pancake shapes, and fresh fruit.  The pancake shapes are especially fun to make with a condiment squeeze bottle (I just cut the top off so more batter can come out) that I keep just for that purpose.  I know there are fancier versions available, but the condiment bottle works well.  If we are doing a more formal brunch, I have a favorite frittata recipe that never fails.  It is a potato basil frittata from Ina Garten.  I have made it enough now to know what I can do ahead: I cut the potatoes and put them in a bowl of cold water until ready to cook, and I measure the rest of the ingredients.  (Any ingredients that require refrigeration I also have measured, but left in the fridge.)  This easy, yet impressive-looking frittata makes the kitchen smell fantastic.  I serve it with fruit salad.

I’m a big fan of breakfast and enjoy it in almost all iterations.  My favorite brunch dishes vary with the season (more fruit and berries in the summer, more savory dishes in the winter).    I really like eggs, and the weekend affords the time to make them for breakfast.  One of my favorite ways to prepare them is to make a big bowl of scrambled eggs and serve them with sautéed vegetables like sliced bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms.  This time of the year, I like to serve roasted asparagus along the scrambled eggs with some sort of breakfast meat like bacon, sausage links, or sliced ham.  A good side is seasonal fruit with fresh mint.  Lately I’ve been cutting up a whole pineapple and tossing it with fresh mint leaves from my herb pot.  If I have leftovers, I make a hash and serve it with poached or fried eggs.  And the best part is that all of this makes a delicious dinner too!   Happy brunching.