Option 1: pancakes or waffles, bacon & sausage, eggs either scrambled or cooked to order
Option 2: Strata, overnight french toast, or cast-iron skillet frittata
Option 3: Lox & bagels with all the fixings
DW always insists on a fruit salad. Coffee & OJ. We're not brunch drinkers like we used to be, but could still do mimosas or bloody marys if our guests were into it.

Cheese grits are super easy to serve--just a scoop on the side of the plate with whatever else you're serving.

Though personally I like them in a bowl with a poached egg on top, and I can crumble a piece of bacon in before stirring and getting it all gooey.

OP here... and please, keep offering suggestions if you have them! I will still want to host a brunch one day. (and I love grits! Usually love them just with salt and butter. But cheese grits sound good too. Wouldn't have thought of them for a brunch, though. A little hard to serve? Plus I guess I like them with a runny yolk, and that'd be tricky for a brunch.)

I see that the OP is no longer looking for suggestions, but I can't let this thread die without recommending CHEESE GRITS. I look for any excuse to make them, and I'm not even from the south.

(So my brunch menu tends to be a couple of quiches, potatoes, cheese grits, fresh bread, fruit, coffee, tea, juice.)

Thank you all for the suggestions! It's very helpful. I was over-thinking it.
Unfortunately, before I saw all the suggestions, I decided to change the brunch to a dinner. But now I know how I can do a brunch next time!

Strata:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spinach-and-Cheese-Strata-107754

or baked oatmeal:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Baked-Oatmeal-365069

Both recipes get raves. Then fruit, yogurt and granola or hard boiled eggs, coffee, tea, and mimosas.

easiest: bagels, cream cheese, lox, etc; scrambled eggs; fruit salad; quick bread (banana, cranberry, whatever)

slightly more elaborate: french toast casserole (like a bread pudding), quiche or sausage & egg casserole, bacon or sausage, fruit salad

if they are close friends who will hang out in the kitchen with you: pancakes and omelets, bacon, fruit salad

all include OJ, coffee, cocktails

-something with eggs (frittata, scrambled, quiche)
-something with carbs (overnight French toast, waffles, coffee cake, pancakes, bagels with cream cheese and fixings-- but the casserole type things like overnight French toast are easiest)
-fruit salad
-meat (sausage links, bacon, being mindful of many friends who don't eat pork- so usually turkey / chicken variety of those things)
-coffee / tea / juice

It's actually my favorite meal to host. I feel like it's the easiest meal of the day to get everything timed right, especially if any of the above are cooked in one pan and served out of that pan.

Anonymous wrote:I make a noodle kugel, waffles, bacon (smidge of brown sugar), a big plate of scrambled eggs, cut up fruit (berries, melon), and coffee.

I used to make a big dish of oatmeal, but less than half ever got eaten so I stopped.

I would eat your oatmeal. Especially if you had a bunch of toppings to choose from, like chopped apples, brown sugar, raisins, cream, etc. But I can kinda see how it wouldn't be right for company.

Blintzes! Cheese filled, if you have time to fiddle with it. With homemade blueberry-citrus sauce. Or you could go savory and make the filling with ham and swiss, then top with a little shredded cheese and chives.

I make a noodle kugel, waffles, bacon (smidge of brown sugar), a big plate of scrambled eggs, cut up fruit (berries, melon), and coffee.

I used to make a big dish of oatmeal, but less than half ever got eaten so I stopped.

Lucky! We are having a family over for dinner and I wish it were brunch. I will start a thread to get help too and you'd better help me!!!

Brunch:
A strata (or frittata or egg casserole)
A cheese souffle
Quiche or mini-quiches (especially for kids)
fruit
mimosas and bloody marys
muffins or bread (cranberry bread or lemon poppyseed) -mini muffins for kids
scones (I like cherry scones) with jam/cream
bacon/poached egg in muffin tins (I'm sure there's a recipe somewhere for these- easy but look fancy)

Hope those ideas get you started!

Oh and Mimosa's and Bloody Mary's if you plan to have alcohol.

Quiche, Fruit, Coffee and OJ. Some sort of sweet pastry is usually nice as well.

I would like to have another family over for brunch, but am stymied as to how to host a brunch.
What are your favorite things to serve for brunch?