Breakfast
in Bed
Breakfast
in bed is a wonderful way of telling someone that he or she is special.
Certainly breakfast in bed is appropriate on Valentine's Day or Mother’s
Day or his or her birthday but it's also a way to make any day special.
Don’t forget birthdays and anniversaries. And complete surprises
are always nice. Consider it often. Get the kids involved and make Mother’s
Day or Father’s Day a family day—the kids will have as much
fun as mom or dad.
Breakfast in bed
doesn’t have to be elaborate; it’s the thought that counts
the most. But these tips will add a touch to make the day more memorable
and make the event go a little smoother.
• If it’s
your wife’s birthday and you’re a complete klutz in the
kitchen, don’t despair. Call one of her favorite restaurants and
choose her favorite from the menu. Sneak out and get it and lovingly
present it just as if you had slaved away in the kitchen.
• If it’s
Mother’s Day and fixing breakfast with the kids seems like something
out of a Stephen King movie, you need to buckle up your courage—and
make a trip to McDonalds. Serve Mom in bed and spread a blanket on the
floor for a kiddie picnic.
• Avoid the
crumbs. If you don’t have a proper tray, improvise and spread
a tablecloth over the bed as a crumb catcher.
• Layer on
the extra touches. Use the best china and silverware. Present the meal
with a linen napkin. Put a chocolate, a cookie, or a small bowl of candies
on the tray.
• Add a special
love note, poem, or scripture. If the kids are involved, have them make
special “I love you cards” all colored and reflecting their
own creativity.
• Try adding
a special gift even if it’s not his or her birthday—maybe
toiletries or something relating to an interest or hobby.
• Add a single
rose or flower to the tray.
• Bring the
newspaper or include his or her favorite magazine. If you have a TV
in the bedroom, tape the program that your spouse never seems to have
time to watch and play it during breakfast or better yet, while you
are doing the cleanup.
• Cater to
her or his special interests and appetites. If he is a fisherman, stop
by the tackle shop and pick up a fishing fly or gadget. (Yep, those
guys in the fly shop will help you make the selection.) For her, if
she collects elephants, stop by the gift shop and pick up a small ceramic
elephant to adorn the tray.
• Save time
in the morning by using a mix or premixing whatever you can the night
before. Most muffin batters can be mixed the night before and stored
in the refrigerator.
• Don’t
forget the cleanup. A dirty kitchen spoils the effect of a thoughtful
meal in bed.
What
to Serve: 12 Easy Ideas
Here are a dozen
quick and easy ideas to make the breakfast in bed occasion a little
easier.
1. Pancakes are
always easy—especially with a mix. You can make them special with
a topping or by adding something as a filling. Cranberries, nuts, applesauce,
or chocolate chips are popular considerations.
2. French toast
is always easy. Add a little extra cinnamon or nutmeg and maybe some
vanilla extract or orange flavoring.
3. Scrambled eggs
can be quick and easy. Make it special with bacon bits and cheddar,
or sausage, or sautéed vegetables. Nearly anything that you can
do to an omelet, you can do to scrambled eggs.
4. Strawberries
and cream make for an elegant but easy breakfast dish.
5. You can make
a bowl of old-fashioned oatmeal in the microwave. Add dried cherries,
pineapple, or nuts to make the cereal special.
6. Pick a granola
that he or she likes and serve it as a cereal.
7. Cut fresh fruit
and present it in an attractive bowl or on a platter.
8. Pick up hot
bagels and different flavors of cream cheese.
9. Make muffins
from a mix.
10. Try broiling
a grapefruit half topped with a sprinkling of brown sugar.
11. Consider a
fruit smoothie. Use your blender and his or her favorite fruit--fresh
or frozen--along with a scoop of ice cream and a little extract.
12. When all else
fails, pick up a coffee cake or a pastry from the bakery. Better yet,
use a mix and make it yourself.
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