• Brunch menus are sweet and savory.brunch image by michele goglio from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you're planning for a holiday or just a special Sunday, the perfect brunch menu can easily be organized to suit everyone's taste. The best brunch menus include a selection of both sweet and savory items. The wonderful thing about brunch is that it is relaxed and comfortable, and the menu is designed to ease you and your guests into the day with easy-to-prepare, delicious dishes.
  
  

Eggs

• The last thing you want to be doing on a lazy Sunday morning is slaving over a hot stove making eggs to order. The best way to serve up eggs to a group of guests is scrambled or omelets since both can be prepared in large batches. For scrambled, whisk up two eggs per person and add a touch of cream for an extra decadent, fluffy scramble. Top your eggs with some finely chopped chives, sea salt and freshly ground pepper to take your scrambled eggs to the next level.
  
  Alternatively, omelets are a great bet for pleasing a large group since they can be customized to each individual's taste. Prepare all the omelet fixings including chopped green pepper, onions, diced ham, shredded cheese and baby spinach. If your guests feel ambitious, you can even open up your kitchen for build-your-own omelets by letting each guest choose their fillings before cooking and assembling the omelet. Another simple way to serve omelets is to offer two pre-set options; one with ham, cheese and onions, for example, and one with just vegetables.
  
  

Pancakes and Waffles

• Classic pancakes can be made in advance and kept warm in the oven until ready to serve. Step up your pancakes by adding buttermilk in place of regular milk and seasonal fruits such as fresh apples with cinnamon, blueberries, bananas and even chocolate chips. Top your pancakes with whipped butter and real maple syrup or powdered sugar and fruit preserves.
  
  Waffles can easily be upgraded with scrumptious additions like ricotta cheese and sliced strawberries, toasted pecans and syrupy peaches or bananas with peanut butter.
  
  

Bacon and Sausage

• A little meat in the morning is a nice balance to the typically sweet brunch fare. The great thing about breakfast meats is that they are best left alone and require very little in the way of preparation. Perfect bacon, for instance, simply needs to be cooked slowly at a low heat to achieve the coveted crispness.
  
  While everyone loves bacon, find some unexpected meats to serve for brunch. Ask your butcher about varieties of farmer's sausage, or look for breakfast patties made of chicken, turkey or venison. Opt for thick cut bacon or pea meal, otherwise know as Canadian bacon, for a twist on a breakfast favorite.
  
  

Cocktails

• A special treat that goes hand-in-hand with laid-back brunches are cocktails. One of the most popular alcoholic drinks to enjoy with brunch is the Mimosa, which traditionally mixes champagne and fresh orange juice in equal parts. To shake up this old favorite, try substituting strawberry, pineapple or mango juice in place of the orange. Use ginger ale in place of champagne for children and non-drinkers. Garnish with fresh fruit for a beautiful, tasty drink.
  
  Specialty coffees are also a wonderfully warming drink option. Simply brew up a pot of strong coffee (you'll probably already be doing this for the coffee drinkers in the crowd so make a little extra if you plan to serve coffee cocktails too). Rim your mugs with sugar by taking a lemon wedge and running it around the lip of the cup. Dip the rim into sugar to coat the edge. Pour one ounce of Irish cream liqueur or brandy into the mug, follow with coffee and top with a generous dollop of real whipped cream.