Three easy Mother's Day brunch classics
Whether it's breakfast in bed or at the table, brunch is a staple of Mother's Day celebrations. But there's no need to kill yourself trying to make complicated dishes. It's better to stick with these simple classics, as easy to prepare as they are delicious.
1. Bacon
Everyone loves bacon! Even vegetarians, which is why soy bacon is so popular.
Many people will tell you that the secret to perfect bacon is to bake it in the oven. And this is true, so far as it goes. (After all, this is how restaurants cook their bacon.) But I'll be honest with you, I can't deal with the thought of cleaning all that splattered bacon grease off the inside of my oven.
My personal trick to bacon is to only flip it once, when it starts to foam. Watch your bacon cooking and you'll see what I mean. Once it hits this point, after you flip it, you only need to cook it a few minutes more.
2. Scrambled Eggs
Forget about omelets, poached eggs, Eggs Benedict and other fancy dishes. Why risk it, with such a high-pressure meal? Instead, give yourself a break and go for the classic scrambled eggs.
Want to fancy them up? Try adding something yummy: Rosemary, thyme, a dollop of sour cream, cooked chorizo, flaked smoked salmon, chunks of cooked sausage or minced chives.
3. Pancakes
If you have never made pancakes before, now is probably not the time to start. Pancakes take a bit of practice to know when to flip them, and flipping them without breaking. But if you have mastered these basic skills, then knock out some delicious stacks!
The standard recommendation among foodies is to make the mix from scratch. And it's true that pancake mix is very easy (I used this recipe for years). But if you don't cook often, those ingredients in your cupboard might be stale. It's better to buy a fresh box of pancake mix at the store than to risk making pancakes from stale pantry ingredients.
Image courtesy Flickr/cookbookman17