Are you hosting an Easter brunch?

Let me guess, this year you were nominated to host the family's Easter brunch and you are worried about how to pull it off as a totally gluten-free affair? Perhaps you are not hosting, but need to provide a dish or two to go with what everyone else brings? Guess what! It is not only possible, but no one will guess or feel like they have missed out on a thing.

There are so many gluten-free options to choose from, the hard part will be narrowing your menu down. Don't believe me? Well, lets get started on the list and we will see what you think.

With spring officially here, we are seeing many more fresh fruits in the supermarket. I, for one, am thrilled! After a long winter, fresh seasonal fruit is a welcomed addition to any meal. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and many different melons have been appearing in our grocery store produce sections over the last few weeks. While they may not be local in your area, there are some pretty good options out there to put together a wonderful fresh fruit salad or tray. Need something to serve along with it for a dip, try mixing vanilla yogurt with a bit of pureed berries or some orange zest and cream cheese. Add a bit of honey and you have a tasty addition to any fruit tray.

Another common dish for your menu is quiche. Just about any combination of veggies, meats and cheeses can be substituted or added to make a tasty dish. Using TanyaG's amazing pie crust makes this dish not only amazingly good, but also very simply gluten-free. No one will miss the wheat in this crust.

Using this same crust recipe for any cream pie or fruit pie or tart will add another winning addition to your brunch table. I love this pie crust recipe, it is so simple to mix up and extremely easy to work with. If you have a food processor, the work is quickly done for you and you can move on to something else. Use this pie crust recipe in place of any crust for any of your favorite "gluten-filled" family favorites, no one will know!

Another great way to use this dough is to make individual pies. Simply roll out your dough, cut it with a four inch round biscuit type cutter (any size will work), take a small amount of pie filling and place it in the center of the dough. Brush the edges with water and fold the circle over, leaving you with a half circle. Crimp the edges with a fork and transfer them onto your baking sheet. If you have a silicone baking mat, you could do all of this on the mat for easy transferring. Sprinkle the pies with sugar and poke a few venting holes in the top. Bake them until they are golden brown and serve warm. Depending on the size you make, they can be bite sized or the size of the personal pies you find at the grocery store for lunches and such.

This could also be done with savory fillings such as mushrooms and onions sauteed with sausage. You could even create your own "hot pocket" type pies to serve along with the rest of your savory food. Obviously you would not want to sprinkle sugar on these, but the vent holes would still be important. Even cheesy mashed potatoes could be used as a filling. The sky is the limit! How about scrambled eggs and sausage with a bit of cheese? Yummy!

When making these pies, make sure to not over stuff them. Just a couple of tablespoons should be plenty, depending on the size of your circle. If you want them to be more like turnovers, cut the dough into squares and you will end up with triangles. Be creative, make it fun. Bite sized pies would be a fun addition to your buffet table. I bet they don't last long.

A traditional sweet treat for my family this time of year is strawberry shortcake. It has got to be the ultimate desert this time of year. Another variation to this classic dish is the addition of hint of coconut biscuits in place of the traditional shortcake. Absolutely amazing!

Another great addition to your buffet table are biscuits. There are several wonderful recipes here on Gling. Again, TanyaG has come up with an amazing biscuit recipe. Simple and easy to prepare, a sure winner.

How about some pancakes? These are wonderful, especially with some fresh fruit syrup or buttermilk syrup. Another wonderful option is buckwheat pancakes. Easy to prepare and sure to be a crowd pleasing dish. Don't feel like you have to be slaving over the griddle while your guests are dishing up. Make them up a little before your guests will be served. Cover them with a slightly damp tea towel and keep them warm in your oven set on the lowest temperature. They won't dry out that way and will be warm when your guests are served. Also, heating your syrup will also help when serving.

Bacon, sausage links and patties and ham are often served as well. Look for a good quality gluten-free product and serve it as you normally would. No one will even give the whole "gluten-free" thing a second thought. You will know it's safe for you and your gluten-free guests, the rest of your guests will not miss a thing.

Potatoes are always a crowd pleasing dish and also easy on your budget. Both are true winning points in my book! Try this simple yet delicious sausage and potato dish. Another quick and easy favorite are crispy potatoes. Either dish would be a wonderful addition to your brunch menu and easy to do a bit ahead of time. Perhaps you want an Au gratin potato, TanyaG has come through again with this amazing dish. It is a favorite of my family and no one misses the gluten.

What about muffins? A favorite at my house are strawberry banana muffins. Any berry could be used in place of the strawberries in this recipe for a nice change of flavor options. Chocolate zucchini muffins are always a tasty option as well.

Need another sweet treat? I know I've covered many of them already, but lemon bars just say "spring" and simply must be included. Try substituting orange juice and zest for the lemon for a different twist, or even lime. So tasty!

No meal would be complete without bread of some kind, don't you think? So many easy and wonderful options to choose from here. Do you want to have rolls to go with your meal? This recipe is so easy and I've shared it often here. It is our family's favorite. How about bagels? Trust me, these are simple and so worth it.

There are so many tasty dishes to choose from that would make your Easter brunch for your friends and family amazingly tasty and not one person would guess that it is all made without wheat! Even if you are not hosting, but need to bring a dish to share, this will give you a good list to choose from. Gling has an amazing collection of recipes that would work wonderfully. Pick a few and try them. Your family will be amazed at how good gluten-free can be!