Happy 50th Mom and Dad!!!

as i mentioned, my gift to my parents was to make a brunch for them, and the family. ever since i was tall enough to reach the counter tops in my parents kitchen, i've wanted to cook for them. to show them my love and gratitude through the best way i knew how....food. so it seemed fitting that i continue the gift for this amazing and momentous occasion. i tried to meet their favorites, and add some new treats i though they may like!

a good brunch should always have some colorful fresh fruits. i know my mom's favorite is mango, and luckily i found some gorgeous mango in the store! next to the ripe strawberries they made for a bright addition to the table.

trying to appeal to the more health-concious in the crowd, i set out some yogurt and berry parfaits. creamy greek yogurt with layers of fresh raspberries and blueberries. all topped with granola for that pleasing "crunch" texture. a big thank you to tony for assembling these for me!!!

since it was a "brunch" and not a breakfast, i though a salad was appropriate to put on the table. i made a large plate of one of my favorites, caprese salad with fresh peaches. pretty much everyone there had eaten caprese salad, but they all looked at me sideways when they saw the peaches. i assured them, as i assure everyone.....basil and peach are meant to be best friends. and much to my surprise? this dish was the first to disappear!!

it wouldn't be a brunch of mine if there wasn't something made in a muffin tin. i've written about these beauties before.....eggs baked in hash brown nests and topped with cheese. a quick and easy way to serve a savory entree to a large crowd! 

i knew it was going to be a mix of generations to feed. and some rather picky palettes. the one thing everyone can agree on in my family? chicken nuggets. so i relied on a party favorite i've made before....mini chicken and waffles. so easy. so tasty. so popular!!! there was not a single crumb left by the end of the meal!! 

what's better than bacon? bacon that has been candied with brown sugar and cracked black pepper!!! is it dessert? is it meat? yes. and yes. when the sugar mixes with the fat as it bakes, this wonderful toffee crisp develops. this is always a crowd pleaser. and honestly? really easy to make, if you know the tricks.  i use thick slab bacon coated with brown sugar and just a little bit of black pepper. then.....1) cook the bacon in the oven at 400F for about 15-20 minutes (be sure not to burn) 2) lay the bacon on wire racks so the fat drips away, creating that wonderful crisp texture 3) MOST IMPORTANT....place those racks of bacon on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. when that fat drips away? it is a nasty mess. this way you just wait for the foil to cool, ball it up, and throw it away. no scrubbing needed!

i saw the idea for these on ye ole pinterest and have been anxious to try them. crescent rolls (yes the kind that pillsbury makes...not snobbery here) filled with NUTELLA AND PEANUT BUTTER. can you imagine a better combination? warm buttery flaky bread filled with a center of creamy gooey wonderful tastiness? i was so hoping there would be some of these left over at the end of the night, but alas....not a single roll survived the slaughter. if you ever need a quick dish to bring to a pot luck (brunch or otherwise)? i highly recommend these!

one of the earlier recipes i taught myself to make was a proper scone. i've done a variety over the years. seasonal pumpkin scones. savory cheddar bacon scones. fancy fig and chèvre scones. but my favorite has been, and will always be....a blueberry scone. made even better with the addition of a lemon glaze. 

i promised my aunties i would share the recipe, so here it is!!

keep in mind the trick to a good scone is DO NOT OVERWORK THEM. when it says "mix just until combined"? it means it. if you have lumps of butter? that's ideal. it shouldn't be smooth. you aren't making cake. you're making scones. and you NEED lumps of butter for that flaky texture. so even though it looks like a bowl of gravel? walk away. just. walk. a. way. well, put the scones in the oven first. then walk away. and make some tea. and get ready to enjoy.

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones
2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz COLD butter; cut into small pieces
3/4 c COLD buttermilk
1/2 c blueberries
1 egg, beaten
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced

-preheat oven to 400F
-combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
-add butter with a pastry cutter until mixture looks like a coarse meal.
-add buttermilk gradually just until combined.
-gently fold in blueberries.
-gently form into triangles or rounds on a baking sheet
-brush tops with beaten egg
-bake for 15 minutes (until golden)
-once cooled, combine powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle on tops of scones