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*This blog post was originally published on December 21st, 2017.
I’ve mentioned recently that it’s our first Christmas celebrating at our new home—which means we get to make up all of our new traditions! It’s so exciting!
A few years ago my Grandmother on my Mom’s side (Grandma to me, Gigi to my kids!) generously passed down her Christmas china to me. She knows how obsessed I am with all things decor (and nostalgia), and I am beyond thankful to have something so special of her to hold on to and pass down for generations.
I posted some images of this traditional Lenox Christmas china on social media, and I was so tickled when some readers reached out to me and let me know that their own Grandmothers had passed the same china down to them! I mean, too cute! It’s such a special tradition—and I of course HAD to find a way to consistently work it into our holiday celebrations.
Welcome to the first annual Martino Family Christmas Day Brunch! LOL.
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This year on Christmas morning, we plan on having a yummy and nostalgic brunch with my Grandmother’s china. I offset it with some more modern linens to freshen the look a bit. All of the food is grown-up AND kid-approved—and we will definitely be serving some mimosas and bloody mary’s to go with it! I can’t wait! I’m not quite sure how I ended up with a toddler who goes nuts for poached asparagus spears…but I did? LOL. I think keeping these little tender cuties whole adds to the appeal of eating them. Major even tried these asparagus for the first time recently and loved gnawing on them. I love serving breakfast for our special holiday that is as nutritious as it is delicious!
Entertaining Tip: using a holiday wreath with a serving bowl inside is my favorite, easy way to spruce up a Christmas table!
On the Menu…
Freshly Baked Buttermilk Biscuits
Eva’s Mini Frittatas
Marlowe’s Favorite Asparagus with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
ChrisMint Fruit Salad
Coffee, Tea, Mimosa’s & More!
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Freshly Baked Buttermilk Biscuits
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup buttermilk, plus 1-2 tbsp more for wash
- 2 tsp honey
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a stand mixer, and mix on low to combine.
- Next, add your butter one cube at a time to your dry mixture, while on low-medium until the mixture becomes crumb-like in texture.
- While still mixing on medium-low, add 1 cup of buttermilk slowly, and then the honey, until just combined. It should look very crumbly.
- Once the dough is mixed, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and mold it into a rectangle with your hands. Fold the dough into itself by by folding the top to the center, then the bottom to the center, then the left side and right side. Gently flatten and repeat the folding system twice more.
- Roll the dough out with a roling pin until it’s ¾-inch thick.
- Cut out 3-inch circles, re-rolling the scraps until you have 9 biscuits.
- Arrange the 3-inch circles in an oven-safe cast-iron skillet. They will be touching, and that’s okay!
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with the extra buttermilk, and bake until the biscuits are golden brown (roughly 15 minutes)
- Once the biscuits are ready, remove them from the oven, and enjoy warm!
Nutrition
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Eva's Mini Frittatas
Equipment
- Muffin Tin Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 2 large handfuls spinach, torn
- 1 small tomato, diced
- ½ onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 12 oz bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1½ cup shredded cheddar, I prefer cheddar, but you can use any cheese you'd like!
- nonstick cooking spray
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º F.
- Begin by sautéeing the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion is translucent (5-7 minutes). Set aside.
- Now beat the eggs together in a large mixing bowl, adding a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Spray each muffin mold with nonstick cooking spray, and fill each mold halfway with the beaten eggs.
- Going down the line, sprinkle a pinch of the follow items into each mold: onion/garlic mixture, chopped bacon, tomatoes, and finally spinach leaves.
- Take a spoon and gently mix the ingredients in the molds until combined.
- Now go around to each mold and sprinkle about 1 tbsp of cheese on the top of the egg mixture.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the frittatas are firm but not browned.
- Serve immediately!
Nutrition
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Marlowe's Favorite Asparagus with Lemony Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with water and two cups of ice, and set aside.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by adding the olive oil to a mixing bowl, zesting the lemon into the glass, then slice the lemon and add the juice. Next, add the honey and mustard to the mixture, and whisk together briskly. Add salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
- Now, test the asparagus: when ready they should be bright green, and firm to the touch—but you should be able to pierce each spear easily with a fork.
- When the asparagus are cooked, remove them from the water with tongs and put them immediately into the ice bath to stop them from cooking.
- Remove asparagus from ice bath after 5 minutes and pat dry.
- Arrange on a serving platter and top with vinaigrette. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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ChrisMint Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cantaloupe, chopped
- 1 honeydew melon, chopped
- 1½ cups blueberries
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 tbsp honey
- fresh mint
Instructions
- Combine the cantaloupe, honeydew, blueberries, and blackerries in a bowl.
- Next, add your honey and mint and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately!
Nutrition
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I have a long tradition of enjoying festive Christmas Crackers during the Holiday season—my Mom always used to buy them for holiday meals when I was a kid—and I couldn’t resist getting them for our Christmas brunch this year!
I cracked one open early…and turns out I was a bit more excited about them than my kids. I tried to get Lowie to wear the paper crown from the cracker, and she gave me a little side-eye and replied “Mom…I’m not really that into this…” LOL. Okay! Well, I guess some Christmas traditions are more for the parents than the children! Noted!
I love starting this new brunch tradition with my family and can’t wait for Christmas day! Wishing you and yours a beautiful holiday filled with so much joy and love. Be well!
Photographs by Carter Fish | Happily Eva After, Inc. © 2020 All Rights Reserved
OH MY GOODNESS. The last 2 pictures of you and Marlowe hit me right in the feels. So, so sweet. And the recipes look amazing, Merry Christmas to your family and thanks for throwing an entire Christmas brunch to show us what it looks like, I’m sure that was super easy lol.
hahaah. It’s that #BloggerLife! 😉
Happy new year!
xo
What beautiful china! The fruit salad looks so good! ☺ xo
Merry, Merry Christmas to you, Kyle, Lowie and Major! May your have a love, laughter and shenanigan filled holiday!
My mom still uses her Lenox holiday China. I know when she’s ready I’ll have it use it. It certaly makes a simple meal into a special occasion.
Your attention to every detail is amazing! I love the pjs and can’t wait to try the mini quiches and the asparagus.
Love to all!
Sue C
Thanks so much, sue!
Thanks so much for all your great posts this year. Hope you guys have an amazing holiday! <3
I love holiday crackers. I typically have them during my holiday party and am always surprised how many people don’t know what they are. Such a fun thing to do!
What lovely brunch ideas! I will definitely try to make the muffin fritattas. You make it seem easy! Christmas crackers are my favorite since my mother in law introduced me to them. I love going around the table when we all open them!
Christmas Crackers are the most fun!!!
xx
Eva-my family does a very similar meal Christmas morning! I love doing something in the morning so we can just relax the rest of the day and enjoy each other. I love your ideas, but what I’m most curious about is the photograph on your mantle! Is there a story behind it? Thanks!
Kyle and I collect black and white photography, and I particularly love nudes. This one is actually from a gallery in Berlin that my Mom gifted me for my college graduation. I love collecting valuable artwork that I can pass down to my kids one day! Other than that, no significance!
I once had a cable guy ask me if it was a photo of me– which I thought was a totally bizarre thing to ask somebody when you’re alone with them in their apartment! Yikes : /
Your house looks beautiful as do your kids! Love the decor!
Thank you!!
Love this post, love the photos and love brunch any old day of the week, but especially on Christmas! Can’t wait to try the asparagus; I am always looking for new ways to prepare it. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!! ????❤️?
Thanks same to you!
Hi Eva!
I love your posts! Everything you do is done so beautifully. I have ‘forwarded’ the asparagus recipe to my mom for Christmas ? and I was wondering if you could please let me know what’s in the Chris-mint Fruit Salad? I can’t get over how perfectly cheeky this is! Thank you kindly! And A Merry Merry to you and yours!
Hi! I think I may have replied to you on Instagram (sorry if it was a bit late!) but the salad is just fruit salad of your choice with finely chopped mint mixed in with some orange juice as dressing– and then mint for garnish
xox
Eva, I had to come back and comment on this post as I was so inspired by your beautiful brunch that I made the whole spread, down to the asparagus, for Christmas brunch. Wow, just wow! Not only did it look impressive, but everything was beyond delicious! This was our first Christmas away from our families (we just moved to Seattle with our 1 yr old). I wanted it to be special- and boy was it ever! Thanks again!!
Oh wow, so happy to hear this! Hooray! Hope you have a very happy new year!
xoxo
Your Christmas brunch menu made MY Christmas brunch *100* and mom was so impressed that I had my menu planned out a week in advance. I call that a win — thanks!
Where is the Ho Ho Ho Banner hanging on the mantle from?
Am I missing the biscuits? I did not see a recipe. I love this site.
Thank You!