AN EASTER AT HOME : Preparing the holiday feast doesn’t have to be a burden. The solution to menu problems is take out and do ahead

There are times when it definitely is more trouble to eat out than in. And Easter often proves to be one of those times. It’s a day when the crowds at popular restaurants tend to be so horrendous, it’s hardly worth the effort to dine out. Whether you’re brunching, lunching or going out for dinner, reservations are an absolute must. Even then you can almost count on a wait no matter how far ahead you made them. So what’s the alternative?

A spring feast at home, of course. But even that idea has its drawbacks. After getting the family dressed in all their spring finery and off to church or the community Easter egg hunt on time, who wants to come home and prepare a big holiday meal? This year there’s even an additional problem; Easter Sunday is the day the powers that be have designated as the day most of the country sets clocks forward an hour in observance of daylight-saving time. For the designated arbiter of family activities, trying to figure out what to do is almost enough to make one settle for a peanut butter sandwich.

There is, however, a genuinely easy solution to the whole decision-making process. In this day of almost simplistic meal planning, there are a couple of easy options for holiday entertainment at home. The operative words to solve Easter menu problems are familiar ones these days: take out and do ahead.

A Ready-Made Meal

With all of the elegant choices of portable foods at both boutique and supermarket delis, one can assemble a ready-made meal fit for any number of guests with practically no effort. Or, if that isn’t quite what you have in mind, try the second suggestion and offer family and guests a holiday brunch that can be almost totally prepared at least one day ahead.

Either option will take the pressure off, making it possible for the family cook to enjoy this special day as much as anyone else.

In suggesting a brunch menu that will fit into the hectic pattern of living in most households gearing up for the spring holidays, we have opted to combine the take out and do ahead ideas in one simple menu. The do-ahead portion of the menu involves preparing fresh fruits for a salad and putting together the ingredients for a truly easy strata casserole made with traditional Easter foods, ham and asparagus. A sinfully rich cheese sauce accompanies the strata. Best of all, it shouldn’t take much more than an hour or so in the kitchen to do all of the advance preparation for the whole meal.

Mimosas Before Brunch

Preceding the brunch, we suggest serving Mimosas, which are nothing more than orange juice combined with a splash of Champagne or, if you prefer a nonalcoholic introduction to the meal, club soda.

For dessert, anything goes. That’s because dessert falls into the take-out category. Ice cream and a spectacular cake or a big platter of fancy cookies or a nut tart . . . whatever suits your fancy when you drop in at your favorite bakery will take care of that portion of this simple, yet elegant, brunch.

Sound easy? It is. And it will certainly beat wilting in line while waiting for your reservation to be honored at a crowded restaurant. EASTER BRUNCH MENU

Mimosas Easter Brunch Strata Spring Fruit Salad Ice Cream , Cake or Cookies Coffee or Tea Prepare strata and fruit the day before. For dessert, buy a cake or cookies from your favorite bakery and serve with store-bought ice cream.

MIMOSAS

3 cups orange juice

Champagne or club soda

Kumquats or orange slices

Chill orange juice and Champagne well. For each drink, fill Champagne flute with 2 parts orange juice to 1 part Champagne. Garnish with kumquat on skewer or with orange slice split half-way through and attached to rim of glass. Makes 6 to 8 drinks.

EASTER BRUNCH

STRATA

1 1/2 cups diced asparagus

6 cups cubed sourdough bread

1 1/2 cups diced ham

4 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups milk

Salt, white pepper

Spicy Cheese Sauce

Blanch asparagus briefly in boiling water and drain well. Spoon 1 1/2 cups bread cubes in bottom of greased 2-quart ovenproof casserole. Scatter 3/4 cup asparagus over bread cubes. Top with another 1 1/2 cups bread cubes. Layer all of ham over mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups bread cubes and top with remaining 3/4 cup asparagus. Cover asparagus layer with remaining 1 1/2 cups bread cubes. Combine eggs, milk and salt and pepper to taste and pour evenly over strata. Cover and chill 3 or 4 hours or overnight.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees 1 hour 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving with Spicy Cheese Sauce on side. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Spicy Cheese Sauce

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 cups milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salt, pepper

Hot pepper sauce

Melt butter in heavy saucepan and stir in flour. Stir in mustard and cook, stirring, about 1 minute or until mixture forms a paste. Do not brown. Add milk and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to boil. Boil, stirring, 1 minute, then add cheese and continue stirring until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Makes about 3 cups.

SPRING FRUIT SALAD

1 cup strawberries

2 very ripe kiwi, peeled and sliced

2 oranges, peeled and sliced

1 cup red seedless grapes

1 cup green seedless grapes

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks, optional

Fruit Dressing

Lettuce leaves

Prepare strawberries, kiwi, oranges, red and green grapes and pineapple day before serving and store separately in sealed plastic bags until serving time. At serving time, pour any juices that have accumulated in bags into a small bowl for use in Fruit Dressing. Toss fruits together and spoon into large lettuce leaf-lined serving bowl or arrange attractively on serving platter. Serve with Fruit Dressing on side. Makes 8 servings.

Fruit Dressing

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons reserved fruit juices

1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

2 teaspoons sugar

2/3 cup oil

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Combine lemon juice and reserved fruit juices in small bowl. Whisk in 5-spice powder and sugar. Continue whisking while adding oil slowly. Whisk in poppy seeds and chill well. Makes about 1 cup.