UNBEATABLE BRUNCH TAKE IT EASY ON NEW YEAR'S DAY WITH A FABULOUS BUT UNCOMPLICATED MENU.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

You're cooked out and exhausted from the holidays, but not partied out yet. Relax and plan a casual New Year's Day get-together with a fuss-free menu.

Veteran Studio City event planner, caterer (to many celebrities) and party pro Randy Fuhrman has the ideal solution. He's designed a beautiful and delicious can-do buffet brunch spread. It's inspired by a brunch he served for 70 with great success and rave reviews on his mother's 80th birthday last month.

``I've streamlined this for the average person, along with those intimidated by cooking, to have an amazing brunch. These recipes are foolproof.''

Shortcuts, advance preparations

To make things faster and more convenient for home cooks, the enthusiastic and creative Fuhrman uses plenty of shortcuts -- such as bottled vinaigrettes, prepared salsas, prepared cranberry sauce, shredded cheeses, canned tomatoes, dry soup mix, cut-up fresh vegetables and fruits, frozen fruits and more.

Most of the prep chores and many of the dishes, such as the Custard French Toast, Tuscan Grilled Vegetables, Fresh Fruits With Lemon Cream, Randy's Turkey Chili and Caraway Onion Dip, can be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated. Only a few items -- like Fiesta Eggs and Potatoes and Peppers -- taste best cooked on party day.

The menu is also designed to hold well on a buffet table. For example, both the french toast and the grilled vegetables are good served hot, warm or at room temperature.

If guests show up late or stay for the game, they can dine on brunch/lunch fare -- chili, fruit, dip and hot chocolate -- if they've already had breakfast food.

The emphasis is on fun

``My thing is, have a good time -- or don't do it,'' he stresses, adding that guests are going to feel it, and your food is going to taste like it, if you aren't enthusiastic about hosting the party.

You can make his entire menu -- or just part of it. ``The other alternative, if you're scared of cooking and can only handle one thing, is to make the party a potluck (be sure to assign guests a specific dish to bring) or assign one of my recipes to each person,'' he advises. If friends contribute a favorite specialty of their own, ask them to bring along the recipe. After the party, make a little booklet of the recipes and send a small thank-you gift to each guest.

``Plan your guest list to be interesting -- and make sure you have people you like, so you start the New Year off right and around people you love.'' Since the party is casual and you probably don't want to get up at the crack of dawn to complete cooking tasks, invite guests for 11:30 a.m., noon or even later.

``Don't make yourself crazy. If your friends aren't late-night partiers, call the brunch earlier, as they are going to be hungry.'' For the party crowd, make the brunch time later, perhaps 1:30 p.m.

When it comes to setting up the buffet table, Fuhrman likes to accompany each dish with a professional-looking computer-generated recipe name and a description of what's in the dish, in an attractive picture frame (usually 4x6-inch size), so people know what the food is.

To avoid being stressed out on party day, get the buffet table set up a day or two in advance. Make sure you have everything you need -- plates, glasses, bowls, mugs, silverware, napkins, etc. Fuhrman prefers using ceramic plates and other dishes, cloth napkins and metal silverware (he often picks up these items in various colors and styles very inexpensively at the 99-Cent store; it's less pricey than renting -- ``for $40 you can buy everything you need for eight to 10 guests'').

To make it easy on yourself, use heavy-duty plastic utensils, plates, bowls, etc.

Also, take out all serving platters and dishes and label them (with what recipe goes in them).

Simplicity is best

``For table decor, keep it really simple. Three bunches of calla lilies (from the flower mart, if possible) in three different heights in a tall clear glass vase look fabulous.''

Otherwise you might opt for three different-size vases, each with a different color flower -- such as tulips, roses and calla lilies.

``Trader Joe's is a great place to buy flowers, if you can't get to the flower mart, as they'll be half the price you'd pay at a florist. Be sure to cut off the ends of the stems before putting in the vase so the flowers can drink fresh water.''

Fuhrman prefers to arrange the flowers asymmetrically on the table.

``I like different textures and depths for the whole atmosphere -- flowers, food, etc. -- as it makes it more interesting for people.'' Raise the food to different heights or levels with books, boxes and such, covered with a cloth or tablecloth. Or use wooden boxes on an attractive wood dining table. You can also place platters on trivets, atop cake stands.

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

[e-mail]

FIESTA EGGS

1/2 stick salted butter

1 (12-ounce) bag tortilla chips, coarsely crushed in bag (chile lime flavor available at Trader Joe's is good)

2 medium brown onions, peeled and julienned sliced

16 large eggs, beaten well

2 cups shredded Jack and Cheddar cheese

2 cups favorite salsa, drained

In a large pan, melt butter. When butter is melted, add entire bag of coarsely crushed tortilla chips to pan. Saute chips about 5 minutes over medium heat. Then add onions and keep sauteeing until onions are soft. Add beaten eggs and keep stirring occasionally until eggs are set. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add salsa and stir a couple of times. Serve immediately, or place on a hot plate to keep warm on a buffet.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

NOTE: Use a mild salsa in egg mixture if you're concerned about the heat; serve a spicier salsa on the side so guests can help themselves. For fun, also offer condiments like sliced olives, sliced green onions, sour cream and chopped cilantro leaves to accompany the eggs.

POTATOES AND PEPPERS

8 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled 

1/2 stick salted butter

1/4 cup safflower oil 

Garlic salt 

Seasoned pepper

2 red onions, peeled and cut julienne 

2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced julienne

2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced julienne

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (optional)

Rinse potatoes and pierce with a fork. Place potatoes in a microwave oven and cook on high power, 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from microwave and trim off ends. Cut into 1/2- to 1-inch-thick slices.

In large skillet, melt 1/2 of butter and add 1/2 of oil. Add 1/2 of potatoes and season with garlic salt and seasoned pepper to taste. Cook potatoes until brown on one side and then flip over until brown on other side. Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining potatoes, butter, oil, garlic salt and seasoned pepper; place potatoes on same baking sheet.

Heat same large skillet until hot, add red onions and cook until almost soft. Add bell peppers, garlic, if using, and saute until warmed through and crisp-tender. Season with garlic salt and seasoned pepper. Place on same baking sheet (or another, if necessary, for more room). Place in a preheated 250-degree oven to keep warm until serving (can be held for 45 to 60 minutes). These are best served the day prepared. If making early the day of the party, reheat until warm in a 250- or 300-degree oven. Pass ketchup to go with the potatoes and peppers.

Makes 10 servings

HOT AND SWEET MUSTARD CRANBERRY GLAZED CANADIAN BACON 

1 (7.25-ounce) jar hot and sweet mustard (available at Trader Joe's)

1/2 cup cranberry sauce (store-bought OR homemade)

16 to 20 slices Canadian bacon

Heat a large skillet until hot over medium high heat. Meanwhile, combine mustard and cranberry sauce, blending well. Dip bacon slices into mustard glaze and add to hot skillet. Let bacon cook until hot and glazed, then turn over and heat on other side. Drizzle any extra mustard mixture over bacon, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

NOTE: When cooked, place slices on a baking sheet and pop into oven just before serving to re-warm.

FRESH FRUIT WITH LEMON CREAM

1 cantaloupe 

1 honeydew

1 small watermelon 

1 pineapple

3 navel oranges

2 baskets strawberries

1 basket raspberries

1 basket blueberries

2 cups heavy whipping cream 

1 (6- to 8-ounce) container lemon yogurt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 bunches fresh mint

Cut the fruit up in different ways as artistically as possible (remove seeds, peel or core, if necessary). Make lemon cream as follows (can be made a day in advance and kept, covered, refrigerated.) Beat whipping cream until stiff, then fold in lemon yogurt and lemon juice. Place lemon cream in a bowl and place on a large tray. Arrange a fruit display around bowl of lemon cream. When the fruit is to your liking, garnish attractively with bunches of mint. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

NOTE: If you're short on time, buy cut-up fruit at the market. To save time, the lemon cream can also be made by combining 4 cups frozen, thawed Cool Whip instead of whipped cream with the lemon yogurt and lemon juice.

CUSTARD FRENCH TOAST

2 (8-ounce) sourdough flutes (Pioneer brand available at Gelson's)

8 large eggs

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 cups half-and-half

Butter for cooking

Maple syrup OR Wild Berry Compote

Slice flutes crosswise into 2-inch-thick pieces (you'll get 10 slices from the 2 flutes). Beat eggs well in a medium bowl. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and blend thoroughly. Add half-and-half and beat well. Place bread slices in a shallow Pyrex dish.

Pour egg mixture over bread, place dish in refrigerator and allow to soak, turning pieces after 3 hours. Let stand, covered, overnight in refrigerator, making sure bread has soaked up all of mixture.

Next morning, coat a heated pan with butter. Saute bread in pan, cooking both sides of each piece. Place bread pieces on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven about 20 to 30 minutes until puffy. Serve immediately with maple syrup or Wild Berry Compote.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

WILD BERRY COMPOTE: Thaw 1 (1-pound) bag frozen mixed berries (available at Trader Joe's), making sure to drain off all juices. Combine drained berries and 1/2 cup orange marmalade; mix well. Ladle over hot bread pieces before serving.

NOTE: Substitute 1/4 cup Amaretto, Grand Marnier OR Southern Comfort and 1 1/2 cups half-and-half for the 2 cups half-and-half to appeal to a more adult palette if desired.

ADULT HOT CHOCOLATE

1 cup milk

2 squares 70-percent dark chocolate (about 1 ounce; from Trader Joe's)

1 ounce Kahlua

1/2 ounce Amaretto

1 packet hot chocolate mix

Whipped cream

Heat milk until very hot. Add dark chocolate and mix or whisk until melted. Add Kahlua and Amaretto and and mix well. Then stir in cocoa mix. Serve topped with whipped cream.

Makes 1 serving

NOTE: Make up several servings and place in a large air pot if desired. Place pot on table and let guests help themselves. Accompany with a bowl of unsweetened whipped cream on the side so guests can add a dollop if desired.

CARAWAY ONION DIP

2 cups sour cream

1 (1.4-ounce) package dry French onion soup, dip and recipe mix (Knorr brand)

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend well with a pulsing motion. Serve with mini carrots or other vegetables for dipping.

Makes 12 to 20 servings

CAPTION(S):

8 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) SIMPLY SENSATIONAL

Start the new year with a stylish brunch

(2 -- color) Randy Fuhrman sets a brunch table in his Studio City home.

(3 -- color) Custard French Toast, served with Wild Berry Compote, makes a delicious addition to a New Year's Day brunch.

(4 -- 7 -- color) Randy Fuhrman, top, prepares his Sweet Mustard Cranberry Glazed Canadian Bacon, left. Fuhrman's New Year's Day brunch also includes Caraway Onion Dip with fresh veggies, above, and Potatoes and Peppers, below.

(8 -- color) FIESTA EGGS

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer