Menu for a Brunch Party (and recipe for mini Chicken Waffles)

Menu for a Brunch Party

I really love entertaining. There isn’t much that makes me happier than having people over to indulge in good food and drinks. Recently I hosted several friends for a brunch party in honor of our good friends’ new baby girl. The baby was passed around while everybody enjoyed a hearty brunch including a Bloody Mary Bar.

Personally, I love having a party during the day. I think it’s a sign of aging because my main reason is getting to bed on time and having additional time to sleep off the party before the next day. Or maybe it’s just a sign of a drinking problem…? Let’s move on to the easy brunch party menu.

The Menu:

Make-you-own Yogurt Parfaits (with Homemade granola)

Mini Italian Brunch Sandwiches

Quiche (supplied by a friend)

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake from Baking Bites

Mini Chicken Waffles, recipe follows

Bloody Mary Bar (also supplied by a friend), homemade Bloody mix, and mimosas

Mini Chicken Waffles

• Servings: ~20 mini waffles
• Time: 24 hrs, 15 minutes active

These are so simple, and finishing the chicken in the oven prevents a situation where you are sweating and getting splattered with oil as your guests walk in. They were the favorite of the party!

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 lbs of chicken thighs
• 1-2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• vegetable oil
• 1/2 box mini ego waffles
• maple syrup for serving

Method:

Place chicken thighs in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Place in the fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large pan with high sides to ~360 deg F. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and pat dry with a paper towel. Dredge the chicken in the flour on all sides and working in batches fry the chicken 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Move chicken to a rack above a baking sheet and cook 30-40 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile toast the waffles. Top waffles with chicken and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Special Equipment Needed: a thermometer for testing frying oil is helpful, but not necessar