Happy Thursday! With Mother’s Day approaching and our MunaMommy site launch on the horizon – we’re thrilled to have Tom Burke, of TomCookery Fine Catering & Events guest blogging today to share her expertise for hosting a fabulous Mother’s Day Brunch! So without further ado – check out her delicious recipes and tips below! Happy Brunching!
So you’ve decided to skip the restaurant brunch reservations this year and host your own Mother’s Day celebration. Kudos to you! Although Moms are an appreciative bunch, there is nothing like a brag-worthy homemade meal that will make her glow with pride. Check out our mom-approved recipes and tips so you can throw an affair to remember.
The Menu Plan
The weather should be warming up by the first weekend in May so we recommend keeping the meal light and tasty. For any brunch, a good rule of thumb is to have a sweet and savory option, that way your guests can dabble in both. We top our brunches off with fruity bubbly cocktails like mimosas or bellini’s.
Avocado Salad with Sichuan Chili Oil and Queso Fresco
Photo Credit: TomCookery Fine Catering & Events
Ingredients (Serves: 4)
Juice from two limes
1 small white onion, minced
1 tablespoon of cilantro, chopped finely
2 ripe avocados
salt to taste
1/4 cup of queso fresco, crumbled
2 tablespoons of sichuan chili oil
Directions
Rough chop the avocado and add lime juice, onion and cilantro. Gently mix together and add salt to taste. In a ring mold or round cookie cutter place avocado salad so it takes on a circular shape. Top with queso fresco and drizzle with chili oil. Serve immediately.
Waffles
Photo Credit: TomCookery Fine Catering & Events
Ingredients (Makes 6 Belgian Waffles)
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Mix the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients but don’t over mix. Cook on a waffle iron on medium heat. Serve with fresh strawberries, bananas or blueberries and maple syrup. [Adapted from Joy of Cooking]
Creamy Shrimp & Grits
Photo Credit: Yanqi Chang
Shrimp Sauce Ingredients (Serves: 4)
2 lbs of peeled and deveined shrimp, tail on
2 tablespoons of creole seasoning
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of red pepper, chopped finely
1/2 cup of green pepper , chopped finely
1 cup of onion, chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 cup of heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Two tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Marinate shrimp in 1 tablespoon of creole seasoning and salt to taste. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauce pan on medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp and set aside. Melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in the pan and add the remaining creole seasoning, red pepper, green pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until tender. Increase heat to medium high and add white wine. Cook until reduced about half (3/4 cup). Add heavy cream and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until flavors marry. Add the lemon juice and shrimp and serve over grits.
Stone Ground Grits
Serves: 4
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 cup stone ground grits
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
Bring salt, water, milk and butter to a boil. Slowly add grits, stir constantly. Cook until grits are soft.
Shitake Mushroom & Goat Cheese Quiche
Photo Credit: TomCookery Fine Catering & Events
Ingredients (Makes two 9-inch Quiches)
2 Large Onions, sliced thinly
4 Tbsp Butter
1/2 lb of shitake or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
6 Eggs
3 Cups of Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Pinch of Nutmeg
2 Frozen Pie Crusts
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large sautée pan, melt 3 tbsp of butter. Add onion and cook on medium heat until onions are brown and caramelized. Stir frequently for about 20 minutes.
2. In a separate sautée pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter and add your sliced mushrooms until they are fully cooked. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
3. While your veggies are cooking, in a bowl, beat the eggs and add the heavy cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix this batter thoroughly.
4. Take your frozen pie crusts and with a fork poke holes all around the base. Put in the oven for 8 minutes, take out and set aside. You are precooking or “blind-baking” the pie crust so it doesn’t doesn’t get soggy once you add the egg batter. Raise oven to 375 degrees.
5. Divide onions and mushroom between the two pie crusts.
6. Pour the egg batter into the crusts over the onion and mushroom.
7. Add the crumbled goat cheese to each quiche.
8. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until they reach a golden brown. You will know its done when the quiche has set and a knife placed in the center comes out clean.
Peach & Rosemary Bellini
Ingredients
8 oz of frozen peaches or 4 fresh peaches
10 Sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Bottle of prosecco, chilled
Directions
Place frozen peaches or the flesh from the fresh peaches in a high speed blender. Place the mixture over a sieve or thin strainer to extract the juice. Place rosemary, sugar and water in a sauce pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Place two tablespoons of peach juice and one tablespoon of rosemary simple syrup in champagne glass. Add chilled prosecco and serve.
Entertaining Tips to Round Out The Day
Family Affair: One of the benefits of doing it at home is that you can involve the entire family. From the matriarch all the way down to the grand children everyone can be comfortable.
Give Away Bouquets: You don’t need anything fancy, just hop over to the supermarket or famers market and get some standard vases and fresh blooms and give them away at the end. We recommend doing one for every mom (or Auntie) in attendance.
Don’t forget the playlist: A good generational mix of music is always good (think Ella Fitzgerald, Motown and Mariah Carey) so there is something for everyone. If you’re really lucky, she might just teach you a few moves.
Tom Burke is a food and entertaining “fête-spert” based out of New York City. She is also the owner of TomCookery Fine Catering & Events, a full service events company specializing in fun and flavorful parties. www.tomcookery.com. [Photo Credit: Ilene Squires Photography]
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