Ladies' Brunch!

 

I'd been itching to have a party for a while, so when my friend Grace mentioned an article she'd seen solely devoted to french toast recipes, I knew that a Ladies' Brunch was definitely in order.

As much as I love cooking and baking, I almost never do it for myself. Cooking for one can be a little depressing, so when given the chance to cook for others, I dive head first. All the bases were covered: a cheese plate, (a chalkboard plate I got on sale at Crate and Barrel!) a Florentine Fritata (I got the recipe from Breakfast for Dinner),  delicious and crispy brioche french toast with baked berries and maple syrup (curtesy of Grace!), and last but certainly not least, fresh and giggle-inducing grapefruit mimosas! At my house, you go big with brunch, or you go home.

A good brunch always needs fresh flowers. It brightens up any room, and reminds you that Spring has sprung, and you must embrace it.

Trader Joe's actually has a great selection of cheeses from all over the place, for excellent prices. My local grocery store was trying to charge me almost double, for less product. I don't think so!

It took me 20 minutes to make the mimosas, and I had the best time doing it. Cutting up those grapefruits made the house smell so wonderfully citrusy.

I thank my lucky stars everyday that I decided to keep the champagne glasses I impulse bought at Goodwill last year. I hardly ever use them, but when the time comes, these beauties come in absolute handy.

I've caught the entertaining bug, and I'm thinking a nice, classic dinner party is next!

Grapefruit Mimosas

What You'll Need:

1 750 ml bottle of Prosecco, chilled

4 large grapefruits (should make 3-3.5 cups of grapefruit juice)

Optional Sweetener or Simple Syrup

1. Fill a large pitcher with your freshly squeezed and chilled grapefruit juice, then add the prosecco. (Make sure your pitcher is big enough to handle both the juice, and the contents of the bottle, plus the foam. The foam is what ties it all together!)

2. Add sweetener to taste. (I added a couple spoonfuls of granulated sugar)

Yields about six servings

Source: Jason and Shawnda

If loving brunch is wrong, then I just don't want to be right.

Be My Valentine?

In all honesty, I've never really been a fan of Valentine's Day. I think it puts too much pressure on us,  and if you're single, it'll make you feel a teeny bit lonely if you let it. But the one thing I've always loved  is all the cute things you can buy to celebrate the day. It's also one of those holidays that fully embraces novelty. You want those salt and pepper shakers that make a heart when you put them together? Go for it. You want that tea set with a million hearts painted and heart-shaped handles that would be useless and tacky any other time of the year? Throw it in the cart. And the most delicious part of all: the candy you can buy at half the price the day after the holiday.

So thank you, Valentine's Day, for inspiring my favorite shops to make adorable products that I can't resist. And for making it so my beloved Dove Dark Chocolates come in the shape of hearts, and in bulk.

Sweetly Sipping Tea Set, ModCloth // Heart Knee Cableknit Over-the-Knee Sock, Urban Outfitters // 'Love' Hand-Carved Book Shelf Art, Nordstrom // Valentine Spatulart, Williams-Sonoma // Coming Up Rosy-Cheeked Rouge in Crimson, ModCloth // Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook, bookstores

Go on, get shopping!