Celebrate Easter With Brunch

Easter is less than a week away and those celebrating the holiday could be looking at a house full of family.

Kids love Easter for the egg dying, the candy and the Easter bunny, but for busy adults, all that fun can mean lots of stress. If you are playing host or hostess on Sunday, it's your job to meet all these expectations.

Celebrity party planner, Colin Cowie visits The Early Show to share a simple plan for an Easter Sunday brunch. Everything can be done in advance, with minimal preparation on the actual holiday, so you can maximize the time with your family and minimize your time in the kitchen.

The Table

• Linens – Picture a round table for eight with yellow tablecloth draped to the ground, an overlay of organza in a botanical print that includes all pastel colors (i.e. green, lavender, soft pink, blue) appropriate for Easter.
• Seat Cushions - Each of the eight chairs have a rotation of four different cushion and napkin colors, all in the pastel theme.
• Place Settings - Each place setting has an Easter cookie with a guest's name on it. This is a fun project that kids can get involved with on Saturday or whatever day they're dying Easter eggs. Just find some Easter cookie cutters. In this case, Cowie has chosen to make cookies in the shape of a chick, an egg, a cracked egg, a carrot, and a bunny.
• Centerpiece - The table centerpiece is a terra cotta tray, something that can be found in any discount home store. Cowie fills the tray with wheat grass and fresh flowers and adds colored Easter eggs. The effect is a spring garden. This is also something kids can help with.

Beverage/Juice - A combination of apple, pear and pineapple juice and ginger.

First Course/ Melon Salad Station with toppings - A whole melon, insides scooped into balls, save shell for serving bowl (cut top of melon shell bowl with serrated scissors to make decorative edge)
Toppings are: honey, yogurt and nuts.

Main Course / Eggs – Layer the following ingredients:
Toast
Canadian bacon
Onion
Tomato
Eggs (two poached)
Cheddar or Parmesan cheese (grated)
Cayenne pepper

Note: Table linens, napkins and cushion covers provided for The Early Show by: Roberta Karsch - Resource One, Inc. - (818) 343-3451. Table and Chairs provided by Party Rental LTD. - (888) 774-4776.