I do not have many opportunities to serve breakfast or brunch to a crowd so my yearly Ladies Valentine's Day Tea is my one time to shine. I have been hosting the tea for years now and have finally settled on a menu that is both delicious and kind of healthy.
I want the food to taste good but I do not want it to leave my guests feeling too heavy. I want them to be able to sip on their tea or coffee and nibble on the food while they craft. A variety of filling, tasty, and bite size items have allowed me to find the perfect breakfast menu. Plus I also want the majority of the food to be able to be made ahead of time so that I am not rushing all morning.
Hosting a morning gathering can be tricky so having all the decor all ready out as well as most of the menu taken care of makes for a more enjoyable few hours before the party.
One of my favorites and new additions to my menu are these fruit and donut hole skewers. I washed and prepped the fruit the night before and put them on skewers the morning of. Since this was a Valentine's party, the colors and shape of the strawberries fit well but could easily be used any time of year. Something about donuts next to fruit makes them feel less unhealthy in my opinion. Plus everything is more fun on a stick, right!?
A hit from last year are these yogurt, fruit, and granola parfaits. Since I added a few more items to the menu, I made them in smaller jars in hopes of not wasting too much food. I used non-fat vanilla yogurt, blueberries, strawberries, and vanilla granola. A little protein without dishing out a bunch of eggs.
Plus they always look really pretty.
Another new item was homemade bagels. This is a little more work but can be made days in advance. I have been on a kick making these for us, so it seemed like a good addition to the party. They are made using a bread maker recipe which makes for a pretty easy process. I served them with cream cheese, butter, and jam.
A Valentine's favorite are these heart shaped cinnamon rolls. I just buy store bought cans of cinnamon rolls and press two together to form a heart and bake the day before. Very easy and super adorable! If you were not hosting a Valentine's themed party, baking store bought cinnamon rolls in cupcake liners and serving on a cupcake stand also make for easy but pretty finger food.
The only item that gets cooked the day of is this oatmeal casserole. It is made up of plenty of fruit, nuts and chocolate chips for a decadent but filling dish. It is an easy recipe to make and gets popped in the oven just in time to be done when guests arrive.
Along with hot tea and coffee I also put out water and a cranberry orange spritzer. The spritzer is made up of equal parts cranberry juice, orange juice, and club soda. The sweet and bubbly drink feels perfectly fancy.
There you have my go to breakfast/brunch menu. There was not one waffle, piece of bacon, or egg in sight. Hate me. I am not a breakfast person. Instead I enjoy my sophisticated sweet but semi-healthy spread!
// What is your go to breakfast menu for a crowd?
