brunch

Colomba Cake for Easter Brunch

March 21, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow Leave a Comment

Do you serve the same thing for Easter Brunch every year? While most of us have traditions that we like to stick to, I usually like to try something new as well. I knew that Panettone was an Italian tradition at the Christmas holiday but I didn’t know they had a version to share at Easter too. This makes me really happy as I am somewhat obsessed with Panettone. Nudo makes a Colomba Cake for Easter that is available online. Like their other products, their packaging is gorgeous! It arrives like a gift and would be perfect to take with you if celebrating Easter at someone else’s home.

This cross between bread and cake is so yummy! It is light and airy with hints of citrus fruit and the crunch of nuts. This Easter cake is made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and is perfect for brunches during spring.

Those white “sprinkles” are made of sugar and the cake is shaped like a dove (although I wouldn’t have made that connection on my own) to symbolize peace and renewal for spring.

Nudo’s Colomba Cake is a limited edition and is $25. Order now so it arrives in time!

This cake is rather impressive to look at. It is sure to get the crowd talking when you debut it at Easter brunch.

They suggest serving it at the end of the meal but I say put it out for the guests to enjoy all morning. But be warned, it is totally addicting!!

Disclosure: On occasion, I receive products, compensation and/or services gratis or at discounted rates. This practice does not influence my point of view or the outcome of the review. All descriptions are factual and accurately reflect my experience. The opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Family Life, Food, Holidays, Party Planning Tagged With: brunch, cake, Easter, entertaining, family, holiday, Italian, panettone

Mother’s Day Brunch at Knott’s Berry Farm!

May 1, 2012 by Sharon Garofalow Leave a Comment

This weekend I got to have a pre-Mother’s day Champagne Brunch at Knott’s Berry Farm. I took my fellow mommy friend, Carole, along to enjoy a kid-free meal with me (you must excuse her funny face. Mere moments before this was taken there was an incident. I’m just going to leave it at that. But gosh dang, I wish this was a video and not a still photo :). I am no stranger to the Champagne Brunch at Knott’s. My husband’s family lives in Buena Park and we meet up at the brunch to celebrate special occasions. This time was different, though. I only had to worry about making a plate (or four) for myself.

The Knott’s Berry Farm Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch features an expanded menu with over 60 items, including this delicious roast beef. There truly is something for everyone from Mexican food, Ms. Knott’s Famous Fried Chicken and breakfast staples such as custom omelettes, waffles with strawberries and delightful smoked breakfast meats.

By now you must know that I have a wicked sweet tooth. This was my favorite part of the brunch. The desserts! That carrot cake was SO tasty and the peach cobbler?!?! Insane! This is the perfect place to bring mom for Mother’s Day Brunch. Hours for brunch on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13th, are 9 am – 4 pm. Adults are $29.95, Seniors are $22.95 and Kids are $16.95. BUT! if you mention the “mom blogger event” when making your reservation, you’ll get 10% off (for Mother’s Day Brunch only). Call 714-220-5055 to make reservations.

It had been awhile since I had walked through the shops outside the front of the park. Carole and I strolled through, because we could since we were kid free! These shops are great because you don’t have to pay for park admission to shop there. There is 3 hour free parking right across the street which makes it super convenient (unless you can find a spot right in front! – SCORE!) I found Boysenberry Punch concentrate in the Marketplace that I bought for my boys. Have you ever had this stuff? SO good and TOTALLY a Knott’s thing. Word on the street is you can make a mean Boysenberry Martini with it too…I’ll keep you posted.

And there are great party resources to be found outside of Knott’s! I already mentioned in my previous post that you can order custom cakes from their super talented bakers, but did you know that they have an amazing candy shop?! Perfect for all your candy buffet and favor needs. Not only do they have tons of colors, but they have the super fun candy that is hard to find like chocolate rocks and stones!

I am super grateful to Knott’s for giving me a few hours off of mom duty this weekend. It was much-needed! And I didn’t eat for the rest of the day thanks to all the delicious food I overate.

*I was given a free brunch and $25 voucher for the shops. The opinions are mine. As was the heartburn. Just kidding.

Filed Under: Blogger Meet Ups, Family Life, Food, Holidays, Knotts, Orange County Resources, Party Planning Tagged With: brunch, champagne, Knotts Berry Farm, Mother's Day

A Cool and Casual Easter Get Together with Amy’s Kitchen Table

April 14, 2011 by Sharon Garofalow 3 Comments

Have you guys seen Amy’s Kitchen Table yet? Hurry, go look. I’ll wait…Ok, you back now? So Amy is this extraordinary cook. Like, for reals. She’s one of those people who are so natural in the kitchen that she requires no recipes and doesn’t even break a sweat if a meal contains multiple steps. I’m lucky enough to have sampled many of her dishes including some phenomenal baked goods so trust me when I tell you that you should bookmark her new recipe site! She is just getting her blog started and she asked me to help her out with a little Easter set up she wanted to do. I’m so excited that the posts are up and you can see a little bit of what turned out to be one of my favorite tables and buffets ever. So simple, casual and inexpensive.

Rush on over to Amy’s Kitchen Table to see a few other shots from the day and all of the fantastic recipes Amy put together like her pineapple bourbon glazed ham. Best ham I’ve ever tasted – not exaggerating one bit.

SEE THE REST OF THE POSTS HERE:

Amy’s recipes for her Easter spread

Amy’s Easter dessert recipes

The Easter decor and kid’s activities

The Buffet

The Table

Kid’s Waffle Bar and Crafts

Behind the Scenes

Thanks for asking me to be part of this Amy!

Sharon