Ah, the "big" weekend! What will you do to impress the guests? In Kelly’s Kitchen we’ll start with brunch. Hey, Sunday is the last day of my vacation, so why not offer up a few delicious ideas for you and your guests.

First stop? Since it’s the first Sunday of the month, the Hyde Park Fresh Market to make sure you have the best ingredients for a recipe I saw Giada DeLaurentiis prepare a few weeks ago. She used a Meyer Lemon infused olive oil for Lemon and Basil Eggs that would be a very nice addition to the menu, and a sure step above the usual casserole. Stop by the Kalamazoo Olive Company in the Market to get a bottle.They do offer sampling in their booth, and that’s what makes it so tough to stop at just one. Last month I picked up a Blood Orange Olive Oil that is nothing short of amazing. Send them a note on their web site if you have a special request, and let them know Ann Kelly loves them! A fresh fruit salad would be a nice side to offer with this dish, and adding snips of fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, or whatever you have in the garden can take that salad to the next level...hey, a drizzle of the Blood Orange Olive Oil works for me.

Oh, and while you’re strolling through the Fresh Market, please stop at the Friends of Joshua House Foundation, Inc booth. There is a lovely lady there who takes tender loving care of gently used toys to put a smile back on some young faces in need. You can learn more about the work of Joshua house here. And right across from the Joshua House booth...what I think just might be the most popular booth in the entire market. Sylvia’s Waffles, which are the decadent little squares of freshly made heaven that had quite a line the morning I was there. You can have one freshly made, topped with your choice of fresh fruit, Nutella, whipped cream, or just take home of bag of the mix to use at your leisure. But from the amount of people finding a cozy place to sit around the fountain with a plateful from Sylvia’s, most of us couldn’t wait. Yep, guilty as charged...with a chocolate smear to prove it! But Sylvia's also come in sugar and gluten free varieties, so we can have our waffles, and keep it healthy, too.

I’ll also pass along my favorite recipe for Sour Cream Banana Bread, which I’m baking a batch of as I’m writing this. But this time, in muffin tins. It’s easy, a fantastic way to use those oh so ripe bananas (which they must be - higher sugar content makes for a great bread). I do make some healthier adjustments. Instead of sour cream, I use a low fat vanilla yogurt, and instead of those three cups of sugar, try using Stevia. It’s an all natural sweetener, no calories, and quite honestly I prefer it for baking over other sugar substitutes. The all natural is what first drew me to it, and the nice texture it gives to my bakery. I find others can leave something baked with a really tough texture, and Stevia does not. You also measure it cup by cup just like sugar. Easy! So there’s my healthy tip for today. Try it and let me know what you think - first recipe sent to me at ann.kelly@coxmg.com, will receive Stevia samples from Kelly’s Kitchen!

You handle the nachos, the burgers and dogs, and the rest of the meal for later in the day. I’ve given you a great start in Kelly’s Kitchen!

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM KELLY’S KITCHEN

"If it's the ultimate game, how come they're playing it again next year?" - Cowboys RB Duane Thomas