Friends, I've got a few exciting things to share:

One, my fabulous photographer friend Signe Birck is back! You may remember her lovely photographs from previous posts (here and here), or read her Q&A a few months ago. She's back in NYC (from Copenhagen), and I am thrilled that she wants to continue working together. Her pictures are so light and airy, and my food has never looked more delicious than when captured through her lens. Not only is Signe super-talented, but she's a pleasure to work with. Stay tuned for more of her work on the blog (including today's beautiful shots).

And...it's spring!! With the balmy weather lately (60's and 70's in NYC) and the extra hour of daylight, it's time to start planning a spring brunch party. Because what could be more spring-like than tulips, mimosas, and pastel colors?!

There's something really wonderful about having friends over for brunch (instead of going out and waiting in line for an hour). I love the sunlight streaming in the windows. I love buying fresh flowers and placing them around the apartment. I love drinking bubbly in the middle of the day (who doesn't?!). I love how relaxed everyone is after a good night's sleep, late on a weekend morning. Plus it's really nice to throw a party and still have plenty of daylight hours left to enjoy. But most of all, I just love brunch food.

When planning a brunch menu, I like to include a little sweet, a little savory, and a lot of bubbly (and coffee). And ideally, everything can be assembled in about an hour, so I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn. For this party, I made mini frittatas with goat cheese, spinach, and bacon, blood orange mimosas, a bowl of mixed berries, and picked up mini pastries from Ceci-Cela, a nearby French bakery.

The idea for these brilliant little frittatas came from my good friend Amanda. You just whisk some eggs together with your favorite cheese, vegetable, herb, and/or meat (like bacon, sausage, or prosciutto) and bake them in muffin tins for 15 minutes or so. My favorite combination is spinach, bacon, shallots, and goat cheese (recipe below). I've made them a few times now and I love how versatile, easy, and delicious they are. And as an added bonus, they can be served hot or at room temperature. Thanks for sharing, Amanda!!

I hope you are inspired to have a few friends over this weekend (or sometime soon) for a laid-back spring brunch. Go buy some fresh tulips, a few bottles of Prosecco, some blood oranges (while they are still around!), berries, and your favorite frittata ingredients. Make it easy on yourself and pick up some pastries or scones. Or if you're feeling really ambitious, try this Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake or these Banana Muffins with Sour Cream and Walnuts. Whatever you make, as long as there are good friends, good conversation, and plenty of mimosas, you can't go wrong.

(All photos by Signe Birck)

[recipe:best-mini-spinach-bacon-goat-cheese-frittatas-recipe][recipe:best-blood-orange-mimosas-recipe]