Some Ideas For Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day should be a vacation for Mom and fun for the family. It follows that any cooking done for her should involve child-friendly recipes which are easily prepared in case the day’s Chief Cook isn’t all that experienced in the kitchen. It’s also nice if the recipes require minimal clean-up. Mommies like that. I know I do.
This posting has 12 such recipes from the 48 in my booklet No Stress Recipes for Mother’s Day, available on this site’s Bookshelf. It also includes descriptions of two Mother’s Days which I planned in advance for a military family, one for the children to prepare alone and the other for the father to help.
Because the recipes for this week fill so many pages I’m making the text brief. Please do remember to practice kitchen safety. Establish each child’s skill level before you assign tasks, supervise any work done on stove or in ovens, have pot holders, towels and the correct utensils handy, oversee use of knives and remember to wash surfaces, hands and utensils after preparing poultry.
If you want to find more recipes to share with children, the book Can I Help? is also on the Bookshelf. It has 104 recipes in all meal categories. A handy helper to have on hand in the coming summer months.
Have a Happy Mother’s Day!
MORNING
Baked Eggs in a Cloud— Recipe for 4
4 large eggs separated
4 thin slices of ham or smoked turkey
2 drops of cider vinegar
Butter for the [an
Salt and pepper
Optional seasonings
Lightly butter a 7X7x1 ½ inch square ovenproof pan. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Lightly grease the bottom of the pan, and line the bottom and sides with a single layer of ham leaving a slight overhang all around. Whip the egg whites until they stand up in peaks, incorporating the vinegar half way through. Add seasonings. Spoon them over the ham. Using a spoon, make 4 dents in the whites, evenly spaced for portions. Put a yoke in each depression. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until whites are slightly brown and yokes are just set. Serve at once. I like a bit of curry powder or dry mustard in the whites. Alternately serve with Worcestershire sauce to top.
Toad-in-the-Hole –Recipe for 4
1 loaf French or Italian bread unsliced
4 large eggs
4 thin slices of ham AND/OR 4 slices of cheese- sharp or Swiss recommended
Butter
Salt and pepper
Cut 4 slices of the bread 2 in. thick and 4 more 1in thick. Using a cookie cutter or a glass or jar, cut 1 ½ in round holes in the thinner slices. Butter both sides of all the slices and toast one side of each. Spread ham and/or cheese on the toasted sides of the thick slices cover with the untoasted sides of the thin ones. Break an egg into the center holes and carefully place on a lightly oiled grill. Close the lid and grill for 5 min. until the cheese is bubbly. Serve at once with salt and pepper.
Yogurt with Bananas and Nuts: Serves 4
3 large, ripe bananas
16 oz. Greek yogurt
4 Tbs. toasted chopped nuts, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts
Peel the bananas and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Microwave 1 min. on high. Cool, unwrap and mash. Gently mix with the yogurt and spoon into 4 dessert dishes. Chill briefly to cool and sprinkle nuts equally over the tops as garnish.
NOON
Greek Pita Pockets: Serves 4
2 medium cucumbers – peeled, seeded and diced
1 medium onion – diced
2 plum tomatoes diced
2.25 oz. sliced ripe olives – ½ a 4 oz. can – drained
8 oz. packet of Genoa salami coarsely chopped
4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
2 tsp. oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
8 lettuce leaves
4 pitas –suggestion whole wheat
Gently mix the first 10 ingredients. Cut the pita rounds in half and line each half with a lettuce leaf then fill with the salad. Salad can be made ahead and chilled, but should be served as soon as the pita pockets are filled.
Tuna and Bean Salad: Serves 4
6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained
16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans
2 plum tomatoes diced
2 tsp. dried basil
Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. Dijon or spicy mustard
Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 6 ingredients. then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on lettuce lined plates garnished with a sprinkle of basil.
Vegetable Wraps; Serves 4
(6-8) 8” flour tortilla wraps
1 medium zucchini
1 medium summer (yellow) squash
1 large onion
1 large rib of celery
1 green Bell pepper
1 red Bell pepper
2 plum tomatoes diced
1 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp. garlic powdered
¼ tsp. dried rosemary
½ tsp. dried basil
½, tsp. dried oregano
4 oz. cream cheese
1 cup plain yogurt – preferably Greek
4 –6 red radishes—thinly sliced in a separate bowl
Mix the cheese and yogurt in a bowl and chill until serving. Halve the squash, the zucchini and the onion crosswise, and then slice them lengthwise in thin strips. Slice the peppers lengthwise into strips and slice the celery thinly crosswise. Put these vegetables in a microwave safe bowl and toss with the oil, vinegar, herbs and seasonings to coat. Microwave them on high about 2 min. until crisp tender. Add tomatoes and microwave 30 sec. more. Toss gently. Have the tortillas ready on a plate, wrapped in a towel or napkin. Microwave them 15-20 sec. to warm.
Place the bowls of cheese, vegetables and radish slices along with the plate of warm tortillas on a table and let everyone fix their own. These can also be served in Pita pockets.
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Chicken in Orange Sauce: Serves 4
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. Orange Marmalade
2 Tbs. soy sauce
Mix marmalade and soy sauce. Slash the breasts diagonally a couple of times and marinate them several hours in the sauce mixture. Remove them and place in a comfortably fitting pan, with a ½ inch of broth in the bottom. Spoon a bit of marinade over the tops and put in a 350 deg. preheated oven. Bake 35-45 min Baste frequently using all the marinade and maintain the liquid level with the broth. Serve the pan juices as a sauce.
*This entree goes well with broccoli, green beans or asparagus cooked and served with a sprinkle of lemon-pepper, and sweet potato fries cooked along with the meat in the oven.
Grilled Swordfish Steaks with Melon Salad:
This is a salsa I worked out and find very refreshing. Fresh fruit is necessary though, and try to make it at least 30 min ahead. Mango or peaches would probably replace the melon, and Marlin, or even Tuna the Swordfish.
4 thick Swordfish steaks –Tuna will do as well.
2 Tbs. butter – divided
¼ cup White wine
½ a cantaloupe – cut in bite sized cubes
1 small red onion diced
½ a green bell pepper diced
¼ cup chopped fresh mint or to taste
½ a lime juiced
1 lemon quartered
Cooking spray – if broiling
Kosher salt
Mix the melon, mint, onion, green pepper and lime juice in a bowl and chill to let flavors meld. Prepare grill or broiler. If broiling, put fish in a sprayed pan, and dot with the 1 Tbs. butter. Cook about 6 inches from broiler, about 8 min total, depending on thickness of fish, without turning until fish is opaque. Deglaze pan with wine, and pour over plated fish. For grilling, melt 1Tbs.butter and cook fish over direct hear about 4 min. per side, brushing occasionally with the butter, again until opaque, turning once. Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan with the wine, pour over fish and serve. Divide the lemon quarters and the salsa between the plates
Suggested sides: If available corn-on the cob, if not, perhaps parsley buttered potatoes. Combine (2) 14oz cans drained, tiny whole potatoes, 1 Tbs. butter and 1Tbs. dried parsley in a microwave safe bowl, and cook until butter is melted and potatoes are hot. Toss before serving.
1 lb. Whole Green Beans cooked and drizzled with oil and lemon pepper.
Pork Loins with Apricot Glaze:
Look for these Pork Loins in the commercially prepackaged section of the Meat Counter. Usually they bear a brand name. If confused ask the butcher. Shadybrook Farms makes a turkey tenderloin that is the same size as this type of pork loin and can substitute for it.
(2) 1 lb. Pork Tenderloins – Commercially prepared in plastic sleeves*
(1) 12oz jar apricot preserves
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1Tbs Teriyaki sauce
3 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
1 tsp. salt – divided
1 tsp. pepper – divided
Remove wrappers from pork and pat dry. Rub each with ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Heat grill or broiler. While heating grill or broiler, melt jam in a small saucepan with vinegar, Teriyaki sauce, Tabasco, garlic and ginger. Brush meat with glaze and place on a foil lined pan or on grill and cook 4 inches from heat source 10-15 min for the grill, 15 – 20 min. under the broiler, basting and turning every few minutes, until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. Allow to rest, tented under foil 5 min., before carving. Slice meat and serve topped with a drizzle of glaze and be sure to pass any remaining glaze warmed.
Suggested sides: Long Grain and Wild Rice
A fresh spinach salad with a thinly sliced red onion and a small can of drained Mandarin
Orange sections., with a citrus vinaigrette or Poppy Seed dressing.
I wouldn’t advise attempting to prepare and freeze these lions ahead, but leftovers should freeze well. In fact, I’ve had success freezing rice. So ready serve portions on rice, with glaze, should freeze for short periods- a week or so. Reheat in the Microwave.
* 4 thick center chops can be used. Cooking times, by either method, might be slightly less, check for doneness.
DESSERT
Cheesecake Bars:
1 box of Yellow Cake Mix without pudding added
4 eggs – divided -2 + 2
1 lb. Confectioners’ Sugar
8 oz. Cream cheese
1 cup melted butter – divided ½ cup + ½ cup
Cooking spray or Crisco
Grease or spray a 9 x 13 inch pan. Beat cake mix, 2 eggs and ½ cup melted butter together well, and pour into the pan. In a separate bowl beat sugar, cheese, 2 eggs and the other ½ cup melted butter until very smooth. Pour over batter layer in the pan. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 min. Cool completely in pan, and cut into squares.
Chocolate No Cook Bars:
12 oz. good quality chocolate – milk or semi-sweet or a mixture
5 oz. graham crackers
½ cup +2 Tbs. stewed (jarred prunes) pitted and chopped.
¼ cup butter
Crush the graham crackers in a plastic bag. Chop the prunes. Melt the chocolate with the butter in the microwave for 1-2 min. Stir to smooth. Mix all the ingredients together and pour into an 8 x8 inch square pan. Chill until set, about 2 hrs. Cut into 12 bars.
Easy Berry Angel Cream Cake # 1:
This a quick, elegant answer to the problem of providing a nice dessert when there isn’t time to prepare one from scratch, and a tasty end to a meal anytime. Any berry will work, as would peaches but the best options are strawberries or raspberries.
1 Angel Food cake – purchased or made from a mix
2 pkgs. frozen strawberries – with juice
1 box Vanilla Pudding mix
1 pt. whipping cream
Cut the cake into 3 layers using toothpicks, a ruler and a knife. Select, and put aside a few choice berries to use as garnish. Combine the pudding mix and berries with juice in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and chill.
Whip the cream and fold into the chilled berry mixture. Spread on the three cake layers. Garnish with the reserved berries.
Easy Berry Angel Cake # 2
1 purchased pound cake
8 oz. tub of Whipped Topping
1pt. box of strawberries
Save several nice berries for decoration. Slice the rest and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest for a
few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced berries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides. Repeat with 2nd layer. Finish with 3rd layer topped with the rest of the whipped topping and the reserved decorative berries.
