This year, we’re hosting Easter brunch at the farm. Even though the kids are getting older, they still love to hunt for eggs out back in the garden, and of course I still love any chance I get to make a big spread of everyone’s favorite foods. As I started to jot down dish ideas for our table, I thought I’d share the final menu here to help inspire or round out what your own family and friends might gather around this year!
Here’s a look at what I’m serving:
Starters & Apps
Sunrise Granola Bowl
I like to set out a batch of yogurt beside a stack of petite bowls so people can serve themselves and layer on their favorite fruits as they wish. Oftentimes, people will snag a bowl of yogurt and fruit before we all sit down for the main meal, so it works great as a starter too!
ingredients
12 ounces yogurt
2 ounces granola
Fresh berries
Honey for garnish
directions
1. Add the yogurt to a bowl and top with the granola, fresh berries, and a drizzle of honey.
Salad & Sides
Tossed Greens with Honey Vinaigrette
We serve this honey vinaigrette at Magnolia Table here in Waco. Drizzled over a bed of greens makes for a colorful addition to the table, and it hits that perfect light-but-tasty note you want in a mid-morning meal.
ingredients
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅛ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup avocado oil
directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the honey, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and balsamic vinegar.
2. Use an immersion blender and mix ingredients until well combined.
3. Add in the avocado oil and blend until fully combined.
Breakfast Hash Brown Casserole
ingredients
1 pound ground breakfast sausage
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
40 ounces frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
2 cups freshly shredded white sharp Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 cup freshly shredded yellow sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sliced green onions (green part only) `
directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with the melted butter.
2. Place the thawed hash browns on a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. In a large bowl, mix the hash browns, 1 cup of the white Cheddar, and the yellow Cheddar until well combined.
4. In a medium saucepan, add the ground sausage and cook until browned. Use a spatula to break the meat down into pea-sized pieces. Transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside. Leave the fat in the pan.
5. In the same pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the milk, salt, pepper, and onion powder and whisk constantly to dissolve any lumps, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sour cream and sausage back to the pan and cook, stirring, for another 3 minutes.
6. Pour the sour cream and sausage mixture into the potato mixture and stir until well combined.
7. Add the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Cover with foil, leaving one corner loose to vent.
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining cup of white Cheddar over the top, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, allowing the top to bubble and brown. Broil for 1 to 3 minutes if you prefer a slightly browner top.
9. Top with the green onions. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Candied Bacon
Bacon, but with a hint of sweet. Need I say more?
ingredients
Peppered bacon
Light brown sugar
directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 ºF. Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and evenly lay the peppered bacon on top, allowing about two inches between each slice.
2. Lightly sprinkle the brown sugar on top of each slice of bacon, careful not to completely coat the slices.
3. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until crispy.
Main
French Toast Crunch
It’s always a competition between Chip, Drake, and Duke to see who can eat the most French toast, so I typically double (or triple!) batch this.
To welcome time together this season, explore our collection of spring-inspired serveware.
