As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that having people over for brunch is my favorite way to entertain. It has none of the frenzy of the weeknight, post-work dinner party and neither does it carry the gravitas (or booze demands) of a Saturday night event. Brunch is low-key, works just as well for families as it does for party-loving single friends, and can be made to taste great no matter what your budget.

What makes brunch so particularly good for entertaining is that the menu options are wide open. Sweet or savory, just about anything under the sun can fit comfortably under its umbrella. It can be as easy as bagels, cream cheese and toppings from the corner bagel shop (no true kitchen effort required on your part at all) to a full-on, home-cooked meal of eggs, bacon, coffee cake and more.

My favorite way to serve brunch consists of a giant skillet of cheesy scrambled eggs, oven-baked turkey breakfast sausage, an easy salad and one baked item that requires a bit more energy and work. That baked good is what makes it particularly perfect for The Weekender.

Dig into these Cheese Danish »

Anne Thornton's personal faves? Ice cream and anything salty-sweet.

Pastry chef Anne Thornton’s ridiculously delicious Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Pie (and fun, bubbly personality) caught the attention of many a guest — including a few top Food Network execs — at last year’s SWEET event at the NYC Wine & Food Festival. Now, one year later, Anne has joined the FN family with her very own show for the sweets-obsessed: Dessert First.

It’s a dream come true for Anne, who left a corporate career to pursue her passion for food. “I always thought, I’m going to go to culinary school when I retire,” she says. “Then I realized, you don’t have to wait until you retire to do what you like!”

Dessert First premieres this Sunday at noon. Before you tune in to watch Anne make festive Halloween treats (Couture Caramel Apples rolled in fun toppings like popcorn and peanut butter cups; spooky Red Velvet “Brains” Cupcakes), get to know our new pastry gal with 10 questions from the Dish.

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