You don’t have to get your culinary certification to host an epic brunch at your place this spring. In celebration of the new season, invite some friends over, buy some flowers for the table, and tie that apron on. Go beyond the typical: no buttermilk pancakes, no basic omelets. We’re talking about putting a definitive twist on some breakfast faves. So make the Eggs Benedict with crab cakes, or instead of the omelets, do a veggie scramble. Nix the orange juice and substitute pomegranate juice in the mimosas. Try and find some pretty plates to frame your menu selections — and don’t forget the linens. If you plan well enough in advance, you ought to be able to put on a brunch to remember, even if it’s just for you and your best girls. Check out some of our picks for inspiration.

Whole Wheat Waffles with Pears

You can do waffles for brunch — carbs and all. Just be as well-behaved as you can. Whole-wheat should knock of some of that guilt from eating a ton of bread. Couple them with Anjou pears from the farmers’ market, and you’re in the game! Take a look at this recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

Ingredients

• 2 ¹/₃ cups whole-wheat pancake and waffle mix
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 ¹/₂ cups buttermilk
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 Tbs. butter
• 3 Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 slices
• ¹/₄ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¹/₄ cup (3 fl. oz./85 ml) maple syrup
• Toasted pecans for garnish

Check out the rest of the recipe for the steps to make these yummy guilt-free waffles.

Pomegranate Mimosas

Orange juice doesn’t have to always be the drink of choice during the earlier hours of the day — even if it does taste amazing with the bubbly. For your special brunch, mix things up with pomegranate. Try this recipe for pomegranate mimosas from Epicurious. It serves eight so if you have three friends over, each of you can double up. Win!

Ingredients

• 2 cups chilled pomegranate juice
• 1 cup chilled fresh orange juice
• ¹/₂ cup orange-flavored liqueur (preferably Cointreau)
• 1 (750-ml) bottle well-chilled Cava or demi-sec Champagne

We’re pretty sure you know what to do to prepare this tasty treat, but head over to Epicurious if you need some hand-holding.

Peach Nectar Spritzer

For the non-drinkers in your circle, you’ve got to be sure to have options available. After all, it doesn’t have to be full of alcohol to be tasty and fun. ‘Bubbles’ don’t have to mean champagne. Try this Peach Nectar Spritzer, also from Williams-Sonoma.

Ingredients

• Ice cubes as needed
• 2 cans (each 12 fl. oz.) peach nectar
• 1 bottle (24 fl. oz.) sparkling mineral water
• 1 peach, halved, pitted and thinly sliced

Again, we’re confident you can handle the rest on your own, but Williams-Sonoma has your back if you don’t.

Vegetable Scramble

Why make omelets for brunch when you could serve its deconstructed cousin — the veggie scramble? You can’t have breakfast without eggs, and this is one of the healthiest ways to knock them out. No one at the table should feel too bad about filling their plate with these. Check out this recipe from Add a Pinch.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 6 grape tomatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• salt and pepper, to taste

This is the first time we’ve seen a recipe calling for water to be whisked with eggs, instead of the more traditional milk. Who woulda thunk? Click the link for instructions on how to put this puppy together.

Crab Cake Benedict with Roasted Asparagus

Forget the Eggs Benedict that you know so well, try something even yummier and implement some crab meat for your brunch. This one from Instructables is a little indulgent, but it’s so worth it and your guests will be happy to see that you took the extra time to do something special in planning the menu. Just make sure that no one at the table has shellfish allergies before including this dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lump crab meat
• 2 slices white bread, crusts removed and processed in blender
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp. light mayo
• 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley (or fresh, if you want to take it to the next level)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 stem green onion, green parts only

For the entire recipe, head over to Instructables. Don’t worry — you got this.

Let us know how brunch turns out! (And maybe send us an invitation if you have some space at the table.)