With all the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s nice to settle down for a bit and enjoy quality time with family and friends. Since food is an important part of the holiday season, why not consider hosting a Holiday Brunch for a few friends and/or family members.
A brunch is always easy to put together and it doesn’t take much time to prepare for. Unlike dinner, a brunch consists of just a few simple foods. A brunch is typically informal too. There is no need to get dressed up (unless you want to). Another great thing about a brunch is that you can serve just about any type of food you want, from breakfast items to dinner time fare.
This holiday season Food Network Chef Marcela is working with Kahlua to help consumers have a wonderful potluck brunch experience by offering delightful recipes and other handy tips. Here are just a few.
– Décor –Tie cinnamon sticks to napkins with colorful ribbon to spruce up your spread.
– Style – Make it buffet set-up for ease and mingling.
– Seating – Invite guests to sit on an array of colorful floor pillows for comfort and connection.
As far as what to make and bring to a potluck Chef Marcela suggests that you make sure your guests bring a variety of dishes, so everyone’s tastes are met. There should be something sweet & savory, something for the light eaters and something for the salt-lovers. Ask your guests about any dietary restrictions or allergies, and ensure there are vegetarian options, if called for. These extra steps go a long way in your host duties. These are some great tips! I would have never thought about food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Chef Marcela also suggests asking guests to share with everyone their dish and if there are any special stories or memories behind it. I love that idea!
There is a cool application on the Kahlua Facebook page to help you every step of the way when planning a holiday brunch. Visit www.Facebook.com/Kahlua. Click on the Delicioso Brunch Club on the left side bar and follow the instructions there after.
After you have figured out what foods everyone is going to bring, and you have set the right atmosphere for your brunch guests it’s time to focus on what to serve to drink. Of course you’ll want to offer the usual water, tea, coffee and soda. Mimosas might be fun too.
For a very special holiday treat why not make some Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha Hot Cocoa.
If you follow my blog’s Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/SheScribes) you would have noticed the picture I posted a while back (December 13th to be exact).
Notice the Kahlua in the center? It’s PEPPERMINT MOCHA! Oh my goodness! I’m in love. ♥ It’s made with dark chocolate and cool peppermint as well as Kahlua which is made with 100% Arabica beans and a sugarcane spirit. It’s great mixed with hot chocolate or even on it’s on “on the rocks” (over ice).
I first learned about the Peppermint Mocha Kahlua several weeks ago. Never did I expect I’d receive a bottle to review. I’m a big fan of Kahlua. I have a bottle of the original Kahlua and the Coffee Cream. I normally drink Kahlua in coffee. I would have never considered hot chocolate (by the way – it tastes great in hot chocolate :-)).
I love peppermint in my hot chocolate. I often use candy canes to mix it up so I can add a dash of peppermint taste to it.
Here is the recipe to make the perfect drink for your holiday brunch.
Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate
2 parts Milk
1 part Drinking Chocolate
1 part Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha
Bring milk to a simmer. Whisk in drinking chocolate.
Simmer for 30 seconds while stirring. Add Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha. Garnish with peppermint stick and marshmallows.
This drink is great anytime, not just for a brunch. Think of it as peppermint hot chocolate with a grown up twist to it.
Surprisingly the Peppermint Mocha Kahlua wasn’t too strong. Meaning it didn’t “scream” alcohol when you drank it. You could tell there was a bit of a “kick” to it but it didn’t come off as an “alcoholic beverage” if that makes any sense?
You may want to watch this drink around children. They might think it’s regular hot cocoa and because the Kahlua is not overly strong they might tolerate it and drink the whole thing.
I wanted to write “Delicioso” on the mug but like a dork I didn’t think of doing it BEFORE I filled it with the Kahlua Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate. I cannot write on it standing up right. I would need to tip it on an angle which I couldn’t do while it was filled up. I’m such a dork! So please pretend the write on mug says “Delicioso” on it. 🙂
For the brunch I am going to make Mini French Toast Casseroles. My husband’s cousin gave me the idea. They look and sound so good!
This how she explained to me how to make them.
Use Texas Toast type bread (square and thick). Cube the loaf. Mix 4-6 eggs, maybe a teaspoon of vanilla, half and half (about a cup) and a lot of cinnamon sugar. Get the bread good and soaked, and let it sit overnight. Bake in the morning at 350-375 depending on your oven. It’s done (30 min or so) when the top is slightly browned and the bread doesn’t look wet. This can be done in a casserole dish also. Serve with syrup and powdered sugar.
Sorry for the exact recipe. I’m going by a Facebook message that I just copied and pasted here.
Sadly I am not going to be able to host a Holiday Brunch until AFTER the holiday. 🙁 Everyone is so busy. It’s hard to get enough people together at the same time. So the tentative date for the post-Holiday Brunch is January 2nd at 11:00 AM at my place. I have plenty of Peppermint Mocha Kalhua (well, that is if I stop making myself hot chocolate with it. Ha Ha), plus the Mini French Toast Casserole recipe. I’m going to whip up some hash browns and sausage too. I’m not sure what everyone else is bringing. One person mentioned a spiral cut ham. That would be perfect!
Don’t forget to check out all the great tips for your own Delicioso Holiday Brunch found on Kahlua’s Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/Kahlua.
You might want to stock up on the Kahlua Peppermint Mocha. I believe it’s a limited edition.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. A special thank you to Kahlua for the wonderful Brunch accessories (mugs).