A Mother’s work is never done. It’s time to honor mom for all the loving things she does every day. Have you thought about how you’re going to celebrate Mom? I have the menu planned for the whole day. Just a little planning and mom won’t have to step foot in the kitchen all day.
First of all, print out the recipes below and make your shopping list. Buy your groceries the Saturday before Mother’s Day. Don’t forget to pick some flowers for mom. Once you get home, make the Buttermilk Cake, Baklava Mini Bites, and your Strawberry Soup. After you’re done with desserts and soup, make your Melba toast and toast your nuts. This will make preparing your Mother’s Day meal easier.
On Mother’s Day, get up early and prepare a wonderful breakfast in bed for mom. This should take around 45 minutes to prepare.
For breakfast will be served:
Cinnamon French Toast
4 beaten eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 slices of thick bread
Maple syrup
Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon in a shallow, wide-bottomed bowl that is large enough to accommodate a slice of bread. Grease a griddle with melted butter or margarine. Heat griddle to 350° (medium-high heat). Dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Remove the bread and place it on the hot griddle. Brown the bread on both sides, cooking each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with maple syrup. Makes 6 servings
Variation: Top with maple syrup and berries of your choice: strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
Spicy Bacon Twists
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound. sliced bacon
Place the oven racks in the middle and bottom positions. Preheat oven to 350̊F. For easy cleanup, line the bottom of a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Place a sheet of waxed paper on a shallow tray or counter. Place the brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne on waxed paper and rub together with your fingers until the mixture is evenly blended.
Dip the bacon strips into the sugar mixture, coating evenly. Turn each strip of bacon several times. Arrange about half of the slices in a single layer on the broiler rack. Bake for 30 minutes or until bacon is almost crisp and sugar is bubbly. Carefully place the hot bacon strips on a piece of clean aluminum foil to cool slightly before serving. Repeat with the remaining slices of bacon and the sugar mixture. These can be served warm or at room temperature.
Makes about 24 servings.
almond tea
4 tea bags of your favorite tea from our collection of traditional teas.
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
4 cups of boiling water
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Steep the tea and lemon rinse in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Add sugar, lemon juice, almond, and vanilla. serve hot
Lunch will take approximately one hour and thirty minutes to prepare. For lunch will be served:
chicken to the beer
12 chicken thighs or your favorite chicken part, skin removed
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons of tomato sauce
5 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large russet potatoes, cubed
1/2 can of beer
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of thyme
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
In a saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onions until tender. Add chicken and sauté until light golden on both sides. Add the tomatoes, ketchup, carrot potatoes, and beer. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper and cook covered for 45 minutes. Remove lid and add thyme and cornstarch. Stir and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve on a decorative plate.
Note: The cooking process removes the alcohol and leaves the yeast flavor.
garlic rice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 cups of rice
4 cups of water or chicken broth
Over medium heat, saute garlic in olive oil until translucent but not golden. Add the rice and stir until the garlic olive oil is well blended into the rice. Add water or broth and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the water or broth is absorbed. Stir frequently. Serve in a decorative bowl or surrounding the chicken on a large plate.
roasted broccoli
1 pound broccoli florets
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper
2 butter spoons
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pecans, toasted
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with the oil and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the florets in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast, turning once, for 12 minutes or until just tender.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and heat, stirring, for about 1 minute. Let cool slightly and add the lemon juice.
Place the roasted broccoli in a serving bowl, spoon the lemon butter over it and toss to coat. Spread the toasted nuts on top. Serves 4 to 6 servings.
*To toast the pecans, place them in a small skillet. Cook over medium-high heat 1 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring constantly.
Caesar salad
1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
4 slices (about 1-inch thick each) French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes and toasted
Combine cheese, mayonnaise, water, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and mustard in a small bowl; blend until creamy. Combine lettuce and dressing in a large serving bowl; stir well to coat. Sprinkle with croutons. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
mini baklava bites
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup of honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups of chopped walnuts
5 sheets (18×14 inches) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Glaze ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, softened*
1 tablespoon honey
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens (18 to 20 minutes). Keep away from heat. Combine thick honey mixture and walnuts in a small bowl; mix well. Cool at room temperature (1 hour). Heat oven to 350̊F. Cut phyllo sheets in half crosswise (14×9-inch rectangle). Place 1 1/2 cups of filling at the end of each rectangle of phyllo dough. Roll up, starting at the long edge (14 inches). Combine all frosting ingredients; brush over top of dough. Cut into 1-inch slices with a sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining phyllo dough.
Place the baklava slices on an ungreased baking sheet, cut side down. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes; remove from baking sheet. Serve warm or cold.
Makes 28 servings.
Serve mom’s favorite drink with the meal.
Your light dinner will take 30-45 minutes to prepare. For dinner, you will serve:
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
2 bunches of spinach, rinsed and cut into small pieces
4 cups of sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
In a large bowl, mix together the spinach and strawberries.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.
Melba Toast Recipe
Serve Melba toast with soup or salad.
1 long thin loaf of French bread
softened butter
grated fresh parmesan cheese
Slice bread into 1/4-inch slices. Brush slices with butter, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place it on a cake rack or other rack above a baking sheet, so any drippings are caught and air moves around the slices.
Sweet Potato Sausage Balls
3 cups cookie mix
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups sweet potatoes, mashed
1 pound sausage
Combine all the ingredients well. Shape into balls and place on a greased baking sheet with the sides down. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Cold Strawberry Soup
2 pints of strawberry puree
3 ounces heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 ounce Amaretto liqueur
Mix all the ingredients and serve cold.
butter pie
1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 tart pan, 9 inches
Cream butter and sugar; add the egg yolks, beating after each addition. Beat in flour and buttermilk; add lemon juice, lemon zest, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Beat the egg whites until stiff; incorporate into the filling.
For the filling of the tart base; cook in the center of a preheated oven at 325º until the custard is set and lightly browned, about 1 hour. Serve with berries, fresh fruit, or dessert sauce.
Even if you don’t like buttermilk, you will still love this cake!
At the end of the day, make Mom a wonderful bubble bath. She hands him a couple of magazines and lights some candles in the bathroom. Let mom enjoy her bubble bath and reflect on her day as queen.