This week, we embarked on a family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells, in a beautiful rental condo with parents, siblings, and a herd of kiddos. It was a full house with lots of hugs, love, and sassy conversation. It was decided to have a Saturday morning family brunch, with Becky at the helm.

Setting the Scene

We stayed in a spacious, 4 bedroom, two bath condo, right on Lake Delton. The private beach was small, but uncrowded. The weather was beautiful and sunny, with a few clouds and a splash of rain. While the kiddos were out at mini-golf, Becky got to work creating a brunch for twelve.

Amenities and Accessibility

We were in a second-story unit, but there was an elevator for easy transport of heavy items and curious children. There were two balconies for enjoying the sun and sky, which could also be enjoyed from the outdoor pool. Two outdoor gas grills are available for guest use. There is a spa attached to the resort, but even with the provided coupon, prices for services were a bit higher than in the city. We opted instead to make use of the four-headed shower, which was a full-body bidet of delight.

For more information about the Dells, visit the official website.

Food and Drink

While the kids are away (and the Jodie asleep), the Becky will play, with magical coffee in hand. In planning the menu, I decided to keep it simple. I would bake a few loaves of bread, throw together an easy fruit salad (with a touch of sugar and squirt of lime juice), cook some bacon in the oven, and make an easy frittata.

The frittata consisted of seared asparagus and sautéed mushrooms, fresh cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and caramelized onions (and one version without onions for dietary considerations).

I began by baking fresh bread the night before, which was almost completely devoured before it was hidden from the pack of ravenous relatives. This bread is the best and easiest recipe I’ve come across, but further enhanced by the water quality found at my parents house in Muskego, Wisconsin. Check out the recipe yourself! We’d love to hear what you think about it.

While baking the bread the night before, I also caramelized the onions and prepped the other veggies to save time in the morning — children’s timelines are often unpredictable so I wanted to be ready. Unfortunately, the bacon and the frittata cooked at different temperatures, the weather was iffy, and the memo wasn’t received by the party out golfing to let me know when they were almost done and heading back, so the table settings were pushed aside for kids to color and occupy the rest of the waiting time.

All in all, the bacon was crispy and delicious (according to reliable sources), the bread was tender with a perfect crust, the fruit refreshing, the eggs light, fluffy, and flavorful, and the mimosas well-deserved.

BONUS TREATS

A little magic in your coffee, courtesy of Muskego’s Pick ‘n Save.

This. Shower. For real. It was also magical.

Mimosa Rating

A full, overflowing carafe. Ain’t nothing like homemade…or ho-made. Thanks Becky!

Review from guest food critic, our 7 year-old nephew: “I really like the eggs, just not the things in it. I don’t really like the tomatoes, asparagus, and mushrooms. But I’ll have some more bacon please!”

Thanks, buddy.

Pro Tips – Optimize Your Experience

• If you’re traveling with kids, free passes to Noah’s Ark are included with this condo. Our crew took the kids right to the park to tire them out.
• Go early in the season. Schools in the area were still in session, so the crowds were practically non-existent. More trips down the water slide!
• Buy early and often: liquor stores stop selling at 9 pm, due to state regulations. Get more than you think you need, especially if you bring children. Trust us on this one.
• Standard dishes, pots, pans, glasses, mugs, and coffee makers are included, but bring your own chef’s knives if you plan on serious cooking. The knives provided are dull and lackluster.
• Likewise with seasonings: we had to use margarita salt and Sriracha (not mad) to season our dishes. Bring a travel kit of your favorites, unless you want to make a trip to the local Walmart to stock up.
• Try the shower, with a partner if possible. More than once, just to be sure. See above. It’s magical AF.