Last month we launched a new monthly series, Gatherings from The Kitchn, showing you our own dinner parties, large and small. We started off with Faith's cozy and communal Italian polenta party, and this week I'll be sharing a brunch I hosted for my book club, a bright weekend gathering full of fresh spring flavors, make-ahead recipes, and a fun, book-themed table setting.

I always link brunches with spring and its warmer mornings, longer and more leisurely days, and friends with whom you need to catch up after a long winter of occasional hibernation. If you'd like to host more brunches this spring but are nervous about the time or work required, I have a tried-and-true way you can be assured to do it: just plan your brunch around simple, albeit delicious low-key food!

The internet told me that if I shook my uncooked egg before boiling that it would come out with a beautiful yellow color and creamy texture. No whites, no yolks, just a pale yellow. Sounds cool, right? I saw multiple people liking the idea, so I hopped on board and tried it with the hard-boiled eggs I like for lunch. Folks, some ideas we should not try at home. Want to know what happens when you shake an egg before cooking? More

Travel can be a tough thing for die-hard oatmeal fans. The packets of instant oats are convenient, but the often-artificial flavors and added sugar often detract from the wholesome oats and simple spices. The solution? Make your own on-the-go instant oatmeal packs! More

How do you get a perfectly fried egg? An egg with crispy, browned white edges and a runny, soak-up-with-toast yolk? Izy from the blog Top With Cinnamon was frustrated that her fried eggs always had an overcooked yolk, so she came up with a better way to fry an egg: More

Want to know what last year's Breakfast Week looked like? It looked like a warm peanut butter and banana breakfast pudding, ideas for kid-friendly breakfasts, kale and goat cheese frittata cups, and a gigantic round-up of all our favorite make-ahead breakfasts. Want in on the action? Here you go!

Let's face it: Breakfast can fall into a real rut sometimes. And while almost anything can become a picture-perfect breakfast with the addition of a runny-yolked egg ("Put an egg on it!") what if you want to branch out and leave eggs behind? Maybe the grains, too? No grains, no eggs — what's left? Quite a lot, actually — starting with this heavenly avocado pudding. Read on for this and 9 more breakfasts that take a break from grains and eggs. 

The only possible cure for the late-winter blues is brunch. A big brunch. One with friends dropping by, trays upon trays of sticky buns, mimosas and coffee, and muffins for nibbling when you think you're almost full. Oh, yes! Let's do this.