These days we are all looking for ways to make meals feel special. So imagine waking up your family with a DIY breakfast sandwich buffet…suddenly the weekends might not feel like just another day! You can go all out, with loads of choices, especially if you happen to have a larger group in your house. Or you can pare it back – even a handful of selections can make this morning meal a real treat, and get everyone downstairs and at the table at the same time. I can’t offer a money back guarantee if you have teenagers, but I’ve found that a breakfast like this is a real argument for getting out of bed before noon.
How to set up a DIY Breakfast Buffet:
Breads:
You can put out a selection of bread choices, or just stick with one or two. Some of the choices are bagels, country bread, sourdough, pumpernickel, rye, English muffins, pita bread, and rolls such as ciabatta.
Tuck these into a basket or bowl lined with a pretty napkins or dishtowel. If you are offering bagels (and I suggest that you do!), put the bagel slicer nearby, so people can cut their own bagel when they are ready to eat. You might set up this part near the toaster so your gang can toast their bread if they like.
Then you’ll want to lay out topping and filling options in the order people are most likely to use to create their sandwich masterpiece. Start with spreads, then lay out an array of toppings and fillings.
Spreads:
Softened Butter
Cream Cheese (such as plain, scallion, lox spread, chive)
Jelly, Jam, or Other Preserves
Non-Dairy Spreads (if there are lactose issues)
Boursin or Other Spreadable Cheese
Toppings and Fillings:
Scrambled Eggs
Smoked Salmon
Sliced Ham or Smoked Turkey
Sliced cheese (such as Provolone, muenster, cheddar, gruyere, Swiss, Emmental, American
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Onions
Hot Sauce
Leftover ingredients may well find themselves into a salad later in the day – hold on to any extra tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cheese, bacon and cold cuts. A Chef’s Salad is in the making!
Don’t forget to put out plates, forks, knives, napkins, and glasses. If you have the option, choose colorful tabletop items so the whole buffet looks super cheerful. Don’t feel the need to be matchy matchy. This kind of meal is casual from start to finish.
Finish it off with a pitcher of cold orange juice, or the juice your family most likes – if you want to turn this into a true brunch, you may want to put out a bottle of sparkling wine and make mimosas an option. Just a thought, especially if brunch has snuck towards the noon hour. And it goes without saying that there should be a pot of hot coffee out with milk, sugar, and mugs at the ready.
And then get ready to feel truly loved by anyone lucky enough to be sheltering with you in your home!
Featured Item: the Prepara Bagel Slicer
