The other day, I invited my family to a brunch at my place (which is not that big). Most often, we’re a group of 8, but my little brother is missing. Whenever we’re having a get-together, we usually meet at my mom’s place, since it’s big enough for all of us. This time, I wanted to change the air a little, so they had no choice!
I love cooking for my family but I love decorating the table even more (that’s what I usually do when it comes to family celebrations – I decorate!).
How to get started
1. Choose the theme
There are so many themes you can go for, e.g. bohemian, classic & chic, all pink, a gold theme, a holiday theme like halloween or whatsoever. You’ve got a lot of options and I decided to go for my favorite colors – navy blue and some pink, with a vintage touch (some of the plates are over 20 years old). You can always change things up a little, but I think it’s important to stick to the theme you’ve chosen to make it not too busy.. Pinterest is a great channel to find some inspiration. Make sure you decide on your theme early so you still got some time to oder things online, if needed.
2. Set up dining area
I don’t have a big dining table or a dining table at all. So this was the biggest challenge for me: how do I get 7 people sit at one table – I don’t even have chairs!! It actually didn’t take me long to realize I have a quite big table in my home office where I can remove the legs. As I said, I didn’t have enough chairs to make them actually sit at the table. So, what I did is, I took the pillows from my couch which are big enough and make the perfect hassock! I used some Ikea wastebins as legs for the tables – luckily they had the perfect height! We were basically sitting on the floor, what we all loved since this is how we do it in my home country, Turkmenistan!
3. Choose food
The fun part about brunch is, you can make whatever you like and no one’s gonna judge! 😀 Pancakes and potato wedges? -No problem!
After I’ve solved the table issue, the rest was a piece of cake. So here we go with what I’ve made (you’ll find the recipes at the end of this post):
• Avocado Bruschetta
• Potato wedges
• Braised vegetables
• Pancakes
• Fruit Salad
• Pomegranate juice
4. Preparation
Everything, that doesn’t need to be served hot, can be prepared in advance. One of the time-consuming activities is the chopping part. Safe time by doing it early and then putting everything in the fridge.
Also, decorate the glasses for the drinks. I put pomegranate seeds and rosemary into the glasses, when I decorated the table.
5. Decorate
This is my favorite part! I can just let it flow and be super creative – I love it! Since I’ve already chosen a theme, I know where I’m going with the decoration and what I’ll need. If you’re going with a vintage theme, it’s always a good idea to check out second hand shops for unique dishes and decoration! Don’t “overdecorate” the table, as you’re going to place plates with food on it, too. This might be obvious, but seriously – I had to remove things. lol
6. Start cooking
Depending on what you’re making, make sure you start cooking on time. If you’ve prepared everything in advance, you won’t be stressed out with the cooking part. That’s why I love preparing everything a few hours before the actual event. Preparation IS a life saver!!
7. Finish the table
Right before your guests arrive, place all your food on the table and fill the glasses. Check one more time that you didn’t forget anything (cutlery, napkins etc.). Also, you can prepare welcome drinks on a tray if you like. Orange juice or champagne are always a good idea! 😉
8. Enjoy!
Hope you guys liked my little brunch and got some inspiration out of this. I think a brunch isn’t too much of an effort and it’s a great way to spend time with your beloved ones. I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post and if it was helpful or inspirational for you!
Recipes (7 pers.):
• Avocado Bruschetta:
1. Chop avocado (4), tomatoes (3) and onions (1-2)
2. Toast slices of bread (7)
3. Put the avocado mix on toasted bread
• Potato wedges:
1. Wash potatoes (3 per pers.) and divide by four
2. Put into a bowl and add olive oil (1 tablespoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon) and rosemary (2-3 branches)
3. Put in preheated oven for 20 mins (220°)
• Braised vegetables:
1. Wash and chop vegetables of choice (2 red, 2 yellow and 1 green paprika, mushrooms 500g, carrots 5-6)
2. Preheat pan, add olive oil (1 tablespoon) and add vegetables. Spice up with salt, pepper and oregano
3. Braise vegetables for 5-10 mins
• Pancakes:
1. Beat egg (1) until fluffy
2. Add milk (3/4 cup) and melted margarine (2 tablespoons)
3. Add cup of flour (1), sugar (1 tablespoon), baking powder (1 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon) and mix well
4. Heat a heavy griddle or fry pan which is greased with a little butter on a paper towel
5. Pour a small amount of batter (approx 1/4 cup) into pan and tip to spread out or spread with spoon
6. When bubbles appear on surface and begin to break, turn over and cook the other side
• Fruit Salad:
1. Wash and chop fruits of choice if necessary. I decided to go with apples (2), grapes (1 bag), blueberries (2 boxes) and pomegranate seeds (1 pomegranate).
2. Mix in a bowl
• Pomegranate juice
1. Put some pomegranate seeds and rosemary (1 branch per glass) into a glass
2. Add sparkling water if you like
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