5 Chef Anne Burrell Eatocracy

Eat healthy. Drink less. Exercise more. All these popular resolutions make sense until we remember that New Year TMs Eve is one of the biggest party nights of the year.

One way to start the New Year off right is by hosting a fabulous brunch, and regardless of your social calendar the night of, you can get a bulk of the work done before slipping into your favorite party dress and heading out for the night. Chef Anne Burrell, host of Food Network TMs Cooks in America and of a Restaurant Chef, is here to help in the preparation of said delicious New Year TMs Day brunch, despite any level of hangover.

Five Tips for New Year Day Brunch: Anne Burrell

1. Prior planning prevents post-party freak outs.

up in a stupor? Can TMt recall just how many glasses of champagne you raised to toast the New Year? Thank goodness you prepped your brunch ingredients the day before. Choosing a simple dish, such as a yummy frittata, is the best route as most of the ingredients can be readied and stored in the fridge, like cooked sausage, caramelized onions, and saut脙漏ed peppers. In the morning, the only thing you have to do is beat together the eggs, add in the ingredients you prepped the night before, toss in some delish Parmesan cheese and shoot the whole thing in the oven. Consistency is key: Champagne at midnight and Mimosas at noon.

the old hangover advice of hair of the dog; if you were tossing back bubbly while counting down to midnight, stick with the bubbles in the morning. Mimosas are a brunch favorite, or you can try my go-to brunch cocktail " the Anne Sparkler (Aperol and Prosecco over ice and with an orange twist). Don TMt forget the bacon.

makes everything better in the morning (or afternoon, or evening). Since most people crave some sort of fried product after a night of celebrating, why not fry up some deliciously crispy bacon? It TMs fast, easy, and sure to please all of your guests - vegetarians not included. with the clean up.

January 1, potentially everything can be a struggle. on the actual day, you might find yourself wishing you were on the couch watching trashy TV instead of entertaining friends. Since you already prepped the day before, relax with the knowledge that most of the cleanup is already completed too. No one says you have to start 2011 with a sink empty of dirty dishes. And if you TMre someone who is lucky enough to have a dishwasher in their apartment (I TMm talking to the New Yorkers out there), be thankful of the 365 days ahead that mean easy dish cleaning. Stock up on hangover cures.

that your guests would ever doubt your hosting abilities, but why not knock their socks off by providing a range of hangover cures as part of the brunch spread? Coconut water, Gatorade, aspirin, and plenty of ice water will make for a happy brunch bunch. If you have time beforehand, you could even package up these goodies in a little to-go bag - when you TMre ready to take a nap on the couch, nothing works better than a party favor bag to urge guests out the door. there someone you like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we do our best to chase down.

I spent a week studying with Chef Anne at ICE culinary in Manhattan when I was in culinary school. I can tell you, she knows her food, especially Italian cuisine. I believe she spent a years studying and working in ITaly after graduating from the CIA. Very nice, patient, and very hard working, and when we had a request from a student for a special dish, Chef Anne made sure the commissary department went out and got the ingredients we needed to make the dish. What more could you want from a teacher? And let me tell you, she could probably cook 99% of people on this board under the table, including me.