This past weekend I traveled up to New Jersey with my husband and Dolly to spend Easter with my in-laws. We had a wonderful weekend together shopping, going out to dinner and just spending quality time together. The highlight of the weekend would definitely have to have been the delicious brunch my mother-in-law made for us on Easter Sunday. The menu included - a Garden Veggie Gruyere Fritatta, Bacon, Assorted pastries and the most delicious mimosas (pictured above).

I have received a bunch of inquiries from followers wanting to know how to make these fabulous mimosas, so today I am sharing the recipe for making this delicious cocktail. I love this recipe because it is a unique take on the traditional mimosa and is a perfect cocktail for serving/enjoying during the spring and summer months. Below I have included a list of the ingredients, a link to the actual recipe (courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis) and a few ideas for how to style/serve this beverage.

Ingredients

Prosecco
Sparkling Water (Chilled)
Lemons
Agave or Honey
Fresh Strawberries
Fresh Basil

Instructions

See here, for details on how to make Giada's Strawberry, Lemon and Basil Mimosa

Suggestions for Outfitting this Cocktail

Paper Source's Paper Flower Picks
Mackenzie-Childs Blooming Champagne Flutes
Simon Pearce Addison Pitcher
Spring-themed Cocktail Napkins (here and here)

We are heading to my in-laws this weekend to celebrate Easter and I have been asked to bring a cake to serve at brunch on Sunday. While going through recipes I stumbled across an old favorite of mine that I instantly thought would be perfect to bring this weekend. This cake is actually a marriage of two recipes - Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Loaf and Giada De Laurentiis' Raspberry and Orange Cake. Lemon combined with any type of berry always makes for a fabulous flavor profile, so combining Ina's Cake Recipe with Giada's Frosting Recipe was an instant winner!!! The bright flavors and colors of this cake make it the perfect addition to any Spring menu. Whether you are serving this cake for brunch or dessert, it is a definite crowd-pleaser and sings Spring time!

Cake Ingredients

Double the recipe (minus glaze) for Ina Garten's Lemon Yogurt Cake

Frosting Ingredients

Giada de Laurentiis' Frosting Recipe from Todd's Orange and Raspberry Cake

Decorations

1/2 pint of Fresh Raspberries
Ina Garten's Lemon Glaze from her Lemon Yogurt Cake Recipe

Barefoot Contessa Home Lemon Yogurt Cake Mix.jpg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a tube/angel food cake pan and set aside
Make the cake batter according to the recipe
Pour batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 1 hr and 5 minutes, positioning the cake on the lower third tier of the oven (until a cake tester comes out clean). **Note- During the last 15 minutes of baking, cover the top of the cake loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent the cake from burning
During the last 5 minutes of baking, combine 2/3c Granulated Sugar and 2/3c Fresh Lemon Juice in a small sauce pan and heat until it begins to boil and sugar is completely dissolved
When the cake comes out of the oven, pour the lemon syrup over the cake and allow it to soak for at least 3 minutes before removing the cake from the pan
Meanwhile, make Giada's frosting recipe adding an extra tablespoon or two of milk to ever so slightly thin out the frosting
When the cake is cooled, pour the frosting over the cake and allow it to set
Once the frosting is dry, garnish the base of the cake with fresh raspberries and drizzle Ina Garten's Lemon Glaze on top of the cake