Easter Brunch
Easter is Early This Year -- But You Still Have Time to Plan a Great Brunch!

Whether you’re hosting the brunch or need a dish to take to an event, we have the information you need. First, check our Recipes page for links to dozens of tasty items. Make your choices and create your menu.

If you’re a novice or need a refresher, visit our Tips & Tricks page for hints on cooking eggs. Some tips for dying eggs and creating great floral displays follow.

Dying Easter Eggs

To give your Easter eggs a natural look, can dye them with common kitchen ingredients:

Onion Skin Dye: To make dye from yellow onion skins, place several skins in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, then let cool and discard skins. Based on the number of onion skins used and the amount of time the eggs soak, you’ll get warm colors ranging from gold to terra cotta.

Brewed Coffee Dye: To make dye from coffee, brew a pot of strong coffee and cool. Depending on how strong the coffee is and how long the eggs soak, colors will range from a light speckled tan to a more solid dark tan.

Cranberry Dye: To make a dye from fresh cranberries, boil 4 cups cranberries in 2 cups cold water until the berries burst. Let cool and drain the mixture, discarding the berries. Soak eggs a short time for a light blue egg, or soak longer to get a dark gray color.

Make a Quick, Inexpensive Floral Display

Use these tips to get the most from those supermarket bouquets.

• Choose one or two varieties instead of prearranged bundles. The petals should feel crisp (not limp) and stems should be green and firm (not dark or slimy). Avoid tightly-closed blossoms that may never bloom or ones that are already completely open.
• Cut each stem at an angle to allow better water absorption. Then strip any bottom leaves that would be under water.
• Place the flowers in a clean vase with lukewarm water. Add floral preservative* if you have it. Top off the water daily.
• Put the arrangement in a cool place if possible, away from direct sunlight and heating/cooling vents.
• To prolong the life of your bouquet, change the water completely every three or four days and recut the stems.

*Make your own floral preservative by mixing a 12-oz. can of lemon-lime soda, 1 tbs. chlorine bleach, and 1 gallon water.

Happy Easter!