Last year’s Easter brunch seems to have created a new tradition for us. The Monday morning after Easter Sunday means hosting a dinner and getting kids up for school the next morning.

That’s why we decided on a brunch last Easter. Even though the overlap of Passover and Easter this school year meant we were off  from school for two more days after Easter, we went with a brunch again.

It  makes for an early-in-the-day celebration to appreciate what has started to bloom. And the cost of eggs, ham, English muffins for Eggs Benedict, and a side of grilled asparagus, is considerably less than a holiday dinner with a roast.

Eggs Benedict sounds fussy to make to some people. It’s not. It can be prepped ahead of time by semi-poaching the eggs in boiling water.

To make a poached egg, add a few drops of white vinegar to a pot of boiling water. This helps the egg white coagulate. Crack an egg. Use a wooden spoon and swirl some water in a circle, to create a whirlpool, and tilt out the insides of the egg.

The egg whites will start to wrap around the yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of chilled water to stop the cooking process.

When you are ready to assemble the Eggs Benedict, drop the poached eggs back in some warm water for about 30 seconds before serving. Drain on a paper towel and build your Eggs Benedict with English muffins and Canadian bacon.

What’s the best part of Eggs Benedict? The Hollandaise sauce. Maybe you have memories of adults dealing with double boilers, cursing the Hollandaise sauce when it crosses the line of appropriate temperature, and begins to scramble the egg yolks.

There is a simple, foolproof method to turning out a silky Hollandaise sauce every time. Hollandaise sauce starts with butter. A good amount of butter. Holland is credited with the start of Hollandaise sauce.

Holland is known as “the land of butter” according to a New York Times cookbook. That’s where this rich sauce got its name. Butter, eggs to bind, a pinch of cayenne and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Fresh lemon juice adds the tang to Hollandaise in a way that bottled lemon juice can’t compare. Melt the butter and add to a blender. Add the other ingredients and blend it all together. Perfect Hollandaise every time.

The Canadian bacon warmed in the oven with English muffins as we had our egg hunt. We sat down to our Easter Eggs Benedict and grilled asparagus and had this punch made up of equal parts orange juice, cranberry ruby red grapefruit juice, pink lemonade and ginger ale with slices of orange.

We snipped the first bit of mint that has returned in the garden and some chives.

The Easter bunny will be back again next year and it looks like the new tradition of Easter Eggs Benedict will continue.

If you have leftover hard-boiled eggs around, take a look at my post over at Parade. Get in full swing with spring!

http://parade.condenast.com/282502/aliceknisleymatthias-2/5-ideas-for-leftover-hard-boiled-eggs/