Guru Goddess

Brunch / Lunch

If you let mom sleep in a little – that means watching any little ones that might be around – then you can serve her a brunch or lunch. You can prepare the meal while she is waking up and getting ready for the day and then surprise her when she walks into the kitchen with a sumptuous meal. Once again, it is your responsibility to clean up so try to plan a relaxing activity for her to do while she is waiting for you to finish the dishes. A well rested mother with food in her belly is a happy mother.

Dinner

A full day – remember Mother’s Day is on a Sunday – might mean you need to wait until the evening meal to shower your mom with her edible treats. If you are not able to prepare the meal yourself it is still possible to have a delicious meal with a little advanced preparation or even perhaps by ordering a meal from your local grocery store, Honey Baked Ham store or some other food delivery service. Don’t forget to include the paper good! That way everyone can enjoy a “home cooked meal” without the dirty dishes that come along with preparing dinner.

Food is just another way to express your love and appreciation to your mom and she will truly appreciate any effort your put forth into making her day special.

What You Need:

1 (4 to 5 lb.) bone in rib roast

1 garlic clove, minced

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 onion, sliced

8 strips of bacon

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 325 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.

Lay the roast, fat side up, on a rack placed into a shallow baking dish.

Rub the roast with garlic on all sides.

Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the entire roast.

Cover the top of the roast with the onions.

Add the bacon strips over the onion slices.

Bake, uncovered, 3 hours or until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well done.

Transfer the meat to a platter and allow it to stand undisturbed for 15 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Preparation time:  approximately 15 minutes

Cooking time:  approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes

Total time:  approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes

What a simple but elegant meat to serve Mom on her special day.  It doesn’t take a lot of effort to put together and the best part is that while it cooks you can pamper Mom in other ways too.

Unlike Turkey at Thanksgiving, Ham at Christmas or even Turkey or Ham at Easter, there is no specific food that says “Mother’s Day.” Depending upon your outlook not having a “go-to” meal for Mother’s Day can be a curse or a blessing.

If you know the favorite food or meal of the mom in your life is then your job is simple. Make a menu of those items, create your grocery list, shop for the items, find the recipes and cook. However, if you have no clue what you would like to prepare for her this Mother’s Day read on.

Breakfast

Breakfast in bed might sound like a wonderful idea but mom might just be sitting in bed worrying about the mess you are making. A better idea might be to just get the kids ready and let mom shower and dress in peace and then take everyone out to breakfast at her favorite restaurant or diner. However, if you would like to make a breakfast for mom then make her favorite dishes and don’t forget to clear the table, wash the dishes and put them away.

What You Need:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. lettuce greens

4 C cherry tomatoes

1/2 sweet red onion, sliced

1/2 sweet red pepper, sliced

1 (6 oz.) pkg. sliced pepperoni

1 (4 oz.) pkg. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

1/3 C white balsamic vinegar

1 t parsley

1/8 t dried basil

1 t garlic, minced

3/4 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 (5.5 oz.) box Italian seasoned croutons

How to Make It:

Place the lettuce into a large salad bowl.

Add the tomatoes, onions and red pepper and toss to combine.

Add in the pepperoni slices and toss again.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top.

Cover the salad and chill at least 4 hours.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid place the olive oil and vinegar.

Add in the parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Tighten the lid and shake until all the ingredients are combined together well.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat the salad well.

Sprinkle the top with the croutons just before serving.

Makes 6 servings

If Mom is a pepperoni pizza lover but hasn’t indulged in one of her favorites for awhile fix her this salad.  Sliced mushrooms or sliced green olives can also be added. 

• Is your mom a fanatic for a Italian, German, or French food? Perhaps a cook book with mom’s favorite cuisine or by her favorite chef would be an ideal gift.

• How about an evening of mother-daughter cooking? Put together the ingredients for your mother’s favorite meal and spend time together making memories.

• A basket filled with kitchen gadgets is a useful idea for any mom. Think of things that your mom does over and over in the kitchen. Is there a doodad that would help her save some time in meal preparation? What about a tool that she might only use a few times a year but she would love to have for those special recipes.

• Mom’s favorite desert is always the right way to go. You can make it for her and deliver it in a nicely decorated box or have her favorite local bakery make her favorite confection and surprise her.

• If your mom’s sweet tooth bends more toward chocolate or candy then get a bunch of her favorites and give it to her in a multi-purpose container. Every time she takes a bite she will think of you and your kindheartedness.

The trick to finding the perfect Mother’s Day gift for the cooking enthusiast is to pay attention. Watch her when you are shopping together, listen to her when she is talking with you and then take that information and create the perfect gift for your mother this year.