Food Groups

My two favorite food groups are Supper Club and Ladies Brunch.  You really can't beat getting together with good people to eat good food.  This past Sunday we did a combo "Brunch meets Supper" where the girls from Supper Club come to the Ladies Brunch.  The whole brunch meets supper is an appropriate name for this gathering considering its starts at noon and people usually make it home in time for dinner.  Brunch usually takes place about every 6 weeks or so and we rotate who hosts.  There are 5 of us regulars and it's a potluck set up.  I strongly encourage the formation of food groups.  Everyone is busy with kids, work, life in general and this is one day when we all get to catch up over a nice meal and a few cocktails on a Sunday afternoon.  We've been doing this for a few years now so the husbands know the drill.  We'll see you at dinner time.  You and the kids have a good day.  Buh Bye.  The food we had on Sunday was so lovely, I thought I should share.

I made this salad of arugula, radicchio, pears, parm and toasted almonds with a whole grain mustard vinaigrette.  I loved it but not everyone goes for the peppery bite of arugula.

I also made these Risotto Cakes with Fontina and scallions.  They are really delish next to that salad.

Kristin, a fellow brunch girl made this tomato and spinach pizza on whole wheat crust.  (Is it obvious I told them I'd be blogging about this-everything looked extra beautiful!)

Jen, a Supper Clubber, made this amazingly photogenic fruit salad.  It was a perfect way to balance out some of the heavier items and the fruit was surprisingly sweet and ripe (I say surprising because there are no fruits in season in this part of the world at this time of the year).

My sister, who is also a Supper Clubber made these Potato-Gruyere Tartlets.  They are a slice of yellow and slice of blue potato (photo inspired I'm sure) on puff pastry with caramelized onion, Gruyere and rosemary.  She'll have to remember this one for the Christmas party, they were great.

This tasty Spinach and Feta Strata was made by Heather.  She and I both belong to both food groups.  If you invited us to join yours, I'm sure we'd both come.  We do love our food groups.

I don't know what it was about these Black Bean Salad Lettuce Cups that I so loved, but I will definitely be on Melanie's case for this recipe.  I think this is my favorite thing she ever made for brunch.  Weird right? They were so fresh and tasty and I am on a bean kick lately.  It's a little odd for me but I'm going with it.  When she gives it to me I will certainly share.

Now just look at that spread.  We had coffee, Mimosa's and Mellissa was in charge of the Bloody Mary's since she doesn't particularly care for cooking.  She'd never make it in Supper Club (we go all out!), but that is for another day.

So gather your friends, set a table, eat, drink and be merry.  You'll be glad you did.