Good accompaniments for a bagel/lox/cream cheese/onion/tomato brunch

Mom of Scooby · October 26, 2013, 08:08:40 PM

I am having my visiting family/relatives and a few friends over for brunch the day after Thanksgiving.. We do Thanksgiving pretty late..we eat at around 5 and stay till 11 or so. The breakfast is called for 10:30 and will be my first time entertaining in my new house. Probably between 18-24 people.

The center piece will be bagels/lox/cream cheese/onions/tomato type thing like every good Jewish family should do. My friend who is gluten intolerant is probably bringing a crust less quiche and I may pick up a few more quiches at Wegamans.

What would be some other easy accompaniments for people to munch on? With the quiches I'm thinking nothing to be cooked because I really want to avoid too much food...

some kind of easy dip? Salsa? Hummus or too early in the day for that? I'll definitely do some kind of fruit salad probably and maybe some dates stuffed with peanut butter? Banana bread?

This post is intended as much to have you guys keep me from going overboad and to help keep it simple as it is to figure out what to serve! Thanks!

radial · October 26, 2013, 08:56:04 PM

If you are going to Wegmans anyway, get some fresh and crunchy stuff. Cukes, chunks of sweet pepper, celery, carrots, zucchini, whatever looks good. They have all that stuff already cut up and ready. A platter of fresh veggies with a light dip (preferably involving dill) will be a nice counterpoint to the other stuff you mention.

Mom of Scooby · October 26, 2013, 09:20:39 PM

Quote from: radial on October 26, 2013, 08:56:04 PM
If you are going to Wegmans anyway, get some fresh and crunchy stuff. Cukes, chunks of sweet pepper, celery, carrots, zucchini, whatever looks good. They have all that stuff already cut up and ready. A platter of fresh veggies with a light dip (preferably involving dill) will be a nice counterpoint to the other stuff you mention.

Good idea just wondering if its too early in the day but not.. So I'm thinking quiche, bagels and stuff and the veggies , fruit and maybe some sweet stuff will be good to go? Enough but not too much

pfunksbn · October 26, 2013, 09:29:04 PM

I would do a big fruit salad.

Mom of Scooby · October 26, 2013, 09:31:59 PM

Quote from: Mom of Scooby on October 26, 2013, 09:20:39 PM
Good idea just wondering if its too early in the day but not.. So I'm thinking quiche, bagels and stuff and the veggies , fruit and maybe some sweet stuff will be good to go? Enough but not too much

Yeah I'm def doing that so fruit, bagels, lox etc, veggies , quiche and a few sweet things is that enough food?

monster2 · October 26, 2013, 10:16:11 PM

Monkey bread!!

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diablita · October 26, 2013, 10:17:57 PM

nope, not to much. that's perfect.

Mom of Scooby · October 26, 2013, 10:29:29 PM

Quote from: monster2 on October 26, 2013, 10:16:11 PM
Monkey bread!!

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Oh.. I do make this.. but not sure I need it with bagels.. I was thinking my peanut butter cookies that everyone loves and some chocolate chip cookies if someone wants to make them and maybe banana bread.

monster2 · October 26, 2013, 10:50:24 PM

Banana bread or muffins would be good as well, I just like monkey bread b/c it's a night before type deal. How bout a lot of bacon, can't go wrong there unless it's too forbidden.

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Mom of Scooby · October 26, 2013, 11:07:16 PM

Quote from: monster2 on October 26, 2013, 10:50:24 PM
Banana bread or muffins would be good as well, I just like monkey bread b/c it's a night before type deal. How bout a lot of bacon, can't go wrong there unless it's too forbidden.

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Ha ha my daughters bf's mom is coming and she's kosher so now meat at all just dairy, fish and eggs

monster2 · October 27, 2013, 12:25:35 AM

Didn't mean that in a bad way all of my Jewish friends actually did eat bacon but you never know..

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Mom of Scooby · October 27, 2013, 12:33:24 AM

Quote from: monster2 on October 27, 2013, 12:25:35 AM
Didn't mean that in a bad way all of my Jewish friends actually did eat bacon but you never know..

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I love bacon.. but it's easy enough to accommodate with no discomfort... come to think of it, my cousin from CA is coming with his wife and I'm pretty sure she is kosher as well.

merigayle · October 27, 2013, 07:17:15 AM

fruit salad, mini muffins, veggies and dip.

Mom of Scooby · October 27, 2013, 08:42:39 AM

How much of this stuff can I do/get in advance? I'm not going to be shopping/cooking on Thanksgiving plus I am cooking for Thanksgiving too so need space in my fridge. Obviously the bagels I will not want to get until Friday morning, but I can probably order ahead and have them all ready but most of the other stuff I would think I can prepare earlier correct?

merigayle · October 27, 2013, 01:13:03 PM

you can make mini muffins in advance. I can even lend you my mini muffin trays if you want. You can also do an oatmeal bar! Have a crockpot of oatmeal (just old fashioned) and lots of toppings-- maple syrup, brown sugar, berries, granola, raisins, etc.

Run Amok · October 27, 2013, 10:52:41 PM

Honestly, I wouldn't add a lot to what you already have. Fruit & some sweet things would be nice. If you have a trader joes near you, I'm a fan of their single-portion sweet pastries in the freezer section (croissants, etc). They are 2-bite-sized and super yummy! They have 4-5 items so easy to buy a couple of boxes and have a nice variety.

caribougrrl · October 28, 2013, 08:11:57 AM

when we do family brunch (rarely do we have extended family around, but when we do) it's generally bagels, cream cheese, gravlax, smoked whitefish of some sort, onions, capers, lemon wedges, cucumber slices, etc. typically I will also make a fruit salad and biscotti

coffee, tea, herbal teas, etc. obviously

MIL generally brings mimosa ingredients since she finds her grandchildren intolerable when she's sober...

Mom of Scooby · October 28, 2013, 10:19:05 AM

Quote from: Run Amok on October 27, 2013, 10:52:41 PM
Honestly, I wouldn't add a lot to what you already have. Fruit & some sweet things would be nice. If you have a trader joes near you, I'm a fan of their single-portion sweet pastries in the freezer section (croissants, etc). They are 2-bite-sized and super yummy! They have 4-5 items so easy to buy a couple of boxes and have a nice variety.

I just traded this off to a guest! She asked if she could bring something and I tactfully said "I'm all set, but if you wanted to bring something muffiny/pastryish I am sure it will get eaten!".. win!

Do you know if Trader Joe's carries full size quiches in their frozen section? I really want to do as much as I can prior and this would be great... I am so much making an effort to NOT HAVE TOO MUCH food because I always go the other way..

I don't think this is a big oatmeal crowd so will skip that.

merigayle · October 28, 2013, 10:34:51 AM

I have seen quiches at Wegmans in the prepared food section.

Run Amok · October 28, 2013, 11:12:54 AM

Quote from: Mom of Scooby on October 28, 2013, 10:19:05 AM
Do you know if Trader Joe's carries full size quiches in their frozen section? I really want to do as much as I can prior and this would be great... I am so much making an effort to NOT HAVE TOO MUCH food because I always go the other way..

I'm not sure. I think so. Definitely little quiches.