Got 30 people coming for Sunday brunch - any great suggestions?

I agree with the strata suggestion and the bagels and lox, I'm always a sucker for smoked fish. I recently went to a brunch and they had a yummy cheese laden strata, zucchini muffins, bacon, a grits casserole, mango-blackberry-mint fruit salad and a roast beef with creamy horseradish. It was delicious. They also had a mimosa/blood mary bar.

Take a look as shakshuka. Bon appetit just had a good recipe about two issues ago. It's casserole style and really good. I made it for about 6 people and everyone loved it. It's very different and a change up from the typical breakfast.

You could makes several different casseroles of it ahead of time and all you have to do us reheat and crack the eggs to finish.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2011/12/poached-eggs-in-tomato-sauce-with-chickpeas-and-feta

I second frittatas - make ahead and so versitile with the ingredients. Some with meat, some without, southwestern, french inspired, etc. Can be made in muffin tins as well. Paula Dean's French Toast Casserole is a hit for those who love sweet and can be made ahead (foodnetwork.com). A big bowl of fruit with yogurt and fun toppings - make your own parfait. Bagels and lox with speads - tuna salad, egg salad, cream cheese butter and whitefish salad. Have fun & good luck!

Make biscuit dough, cut and freeze. All you have to do is bake in tihe morning. This works beautifully. Also, in the NY Times cookbook, Amanda has a lovely fruit salad with pears and dried fruit. I think it is also on Smitten Kitchen blog if you need the recipe. And I love a good breakfast bundt cake...all make ahead recipes.

I find for large group breakfasts that bed and breakfast site recipes do really well. Try http://www.bnbfinder.com/?action=recipeSearchResult&recipeTypeId=8 and take a look in particular at the Absolutely the World’s Best Egg Casserole…Ever! - from Christopher's Bed & Breakfast and the Baked Creme Brulee French Toast. http://www.bnbfinder.com/?action=recipeDisplay&innId=15738&recipeId=1

For baked goods, try http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Yogurt-Cake-With-Marmalade-Glaze-Epicurious

It's an old recipe..'back of the box' thing.

But cheese sausage biscuits made with bisquick. "google it" are very good. and popular for a brunch, with a quiche, deviled eggs...salad etc.


http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/sausage-cheese-balls/6a2a7890-c685-4991-b699-743fd880486f

Uggg, I dont' know about that suggest on that link about BBQ sauce for dipping. Yuck.

Google deeper for better.

This my favorite strata recipe - maybe you can make several versions that will suit all your guests (as in leave out the ham for vegetarians, or else a different type of strata altogether.) They can be made the day before and baked that morning. I have been making this since the month I got that issue of Bon Appetit, and it still is delicious! The only thing I change is to do half sourdough bread and half regular french bread, and mix them together. The sourdough alone is a bit too sour, and my guests did not always like it.

I woke up this morning (Sunday) and really craved a tropical drink thingy. Something with pineapple slices, oranges, mango juice, all muddled together with some ginger syrup, and a couple of horrid bright red dye cherries, and soda water and a just a dash of rum.

Then I looked at the kitchen, and had some tea, buttered toast and fried egg.

OK- if you won't leave town, check breakfast casserole recipes on Epicuious app- there are a couple of good one that can be made ahead. Or you can make a variety on frittatas. Vary your ingredients- potatoes, onion, egg,cheese etc in one,and another with cooked spaghetti,sautéed. mushroom & shallots etc. All of these things can be made the day before. Mix dry ingredients for muffins a day ahead, add all ingredients & cook the morning of the brunch. Use puff pastry (cups are easier) & prepare strudel ingredients the day ahead (don't put fruit into pastry cups until the day of. Then have small bowls of fresh berries scattered around the table- a little dab of whipped cream on some, not all. Have several pitchers of different juices on hand- one with floating orange slices, another with berries frozen in ice cubes. I'd do this buffet style- it will look prettier if arranged well. Good luck, but I'd keep that quick trip out of town in mind if you start to get too dressed!

I had a waffle bar for Christmas morning. You can make the batter the night before (keep the dry ingredients separate from the wet) and then provide different items to add. I borrowed more waffle makers from friends. Williams Sonoma should have a printout on their technique classes link.

Do they drink? A Bloody Mary 'bar' would good.
With garnishes, Celery, cucumber spears, pickled okra, boiled shrimp, olives and maybe even "slim jim" type beef sticks, but not slim jims they suck now--"old Wisconsin brand". And a pitcher of V8 juice, And bowl of horse radish, sliced lemons and limes, and bottle Worcester sauce for guests to add their own spice. (and tabasco sauce on the side). Oh, almost forgot; a bottle of vodka.

You still need an egg dish tho, IMHO. Even if it's deviled eggs made the night before.
Maybe make a quiche the night before, can be served at room temp, with a vinegared side salad with clementine slices.

Leave town- don't tell your spouse!

I once did a breakfast burrito bar for about 12-15 people which was fairly easy. Most of it was easy enough to prep in advance (salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese) and keep warm in the oven (sausage, bacon, potatoes, sauteed peppers and onions). Eggs were scrambled right before folks showed up.

Alternatively, I would look at baked egg dishes which can be done as individual servings or a large casserole.

The site has a variety of bread puddings, both sweet and savory. I loved this one: http://www.food52.com/recipes/11992_garden_sweeper_savory_bread_pudding