Schedule a family brunch into your busy weekend

You worked late on Friday. He played golf on Saturday. You both went out on Saturday night and you feel like you haven't seen your children in a month. Why not schedule a midday Sunday brunch that everyone can enjoy.

Brunch is a great meal that is often overlooked in our jam-packed lifestyle. We dart through the kitchen, grabbing a snack for breakfast, in order to get our engines running. We use lunch as an opportunity to conduct business meetings or we skip it altogether to run errands. Brunch is the occasion that combines both meals at a much more leisurely pace with a huge array of delicious food options. A successful brunch often incorporates dishes that are made in advance and easily served on a buffet table. Honey ham, baked egg strata, sweet muffins, and a fruit tart are all examples of prepared in advance dishes that are usually found in a standard brunch menu. But, for a laid-back Sunday brunch - simplicity is the mode. Forget the advance planning. There are no hard and fast rules to cooking at home. Your perfect Sunday brunch can be a spur of the moment inspiration. Here are a few fun suggestions that may spark your interest to include brunch in your weekly meal plan.

• Fruit Punch Cocktails - Combine equal amounts of orange or grapefruit juice with a touch of club soda and a dash of grenadine. Pour the mixture into a blender and toss in a handful of ice cubes. Pulse to blend for a truly smooth smoothie. Garnish with a pinwheel of lime to create a festive drink that everyone will love.
• Maple French Toast - Soak 4 thick slices of bread in a mixture of 2 beaten eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Cook the bread in very hot canola oil, turning once. Drain on paper towels and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place the slices in a napkin lined basket and keep warm in the oven until you are ready to serve.
• Ham and Egg Scramble - Cook diced ham in a small amount of butter. Pour in beaten eggs and cook over medium high heat stirring gently. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and serve straight from the skillet.
• Fruit Trifle - Layer a clear glass dish with chunks of pound cake. Top with a layer of fresh strawberries. Then add a layer of either prepared instant vanilla pudding or vanilla yogurt sweetened with pureed raspberries and honey. Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the dish. Serve with a swirl of whipped cream on top.

Divide the duties so that everyone participates. Children can help layer the trifle and blend the ingredients together for the cocktails. Dad can handle the eggs while you take on the French toast. Bring all of the completed dishes to the table and dig in. Remember - this is a meal that you take your time with. A relaxed Sunday brunch is a terrific opportunity to spend some enjoyable quality time together.

Do you have a favorite brunch dish? Share your fun brunch ideas with other BlueSuitMoms by sending us an email. We want to hear from you!!

Jorj Morgan is the Lifestyle Director of BlueSuitMom.com and the author of At Home In The Kitchen, a cookbook due in spring 2001.