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It’s almost Mother’s Day! We all know Mothers come in countless forms – and all of them deserve to be celebrated. It’s a tough job (just as it is for the Fathers) to be responsible for caring, nurturing, educating, loving and raising a person you’d be proud to know as an adult.
How do you celebrate the woman who seems to do it all with a smile? A day at the spa? Breakfast in bed? That’s great and all but, um, don’t even think about it. It’s all about brunch.
Why brunch? Well, obviously your honoree was given the opportunity to sleep in (ahem). It will be far beyond breakfast time when your Queen arises from her interrupted slumber and she will require nourishment – but we know you’re going to be crazy busy keeping the kids entertained while you cook, so we’re going to keep it super simple.
Mmmmm Mimosas. As a woman with a love for all things sparkling and bubbly, mimosas are one of my favorites.
Orange juice and champagne together is a classic, even at restaurant brunches, and can be easily made at home. They’re also great to play with! Just replace the same amount of juice for your usual OJ. Maybe fresh squeezed grapefruit juice instead.
To keep it classic (Makes about 2 drinks):
Mix your orange juice and champagne together, blending very gently as to not break up the bubbles. Serve to awesome people.
For Fun? This mimosa’s orange juice was replaced with pear nectar from the juice aisle in the grocery store and it was delicious.
Or put some seedless watermelon in a blender and strain the liquid out – and you’ve got a lighter mimosa with a surprising refreshment that isn’t all that common. Plus, you can make the watermelon water the night before and store in the refrigerator.
What about pomegranate juice or fruit punch? For the kids, try some juice mixed with club soda or sparkling apple cider so they can be a part of the celebration.
I’m not going to lie, Eggs Benedict is one of my favorite decadent breakfasts’. It’s not enough to have the poached egg – it’s the silky hollandaise that shoots it over the moon.
To keep it classic:
Brown the canadian bacon in a pan and toast your English muffins. You can keep them warm under a piece of tented foil.
Fill a pot half full with water and bring to a boil. Add in the vinegar. To make sure you don’t get any shells or broken yolks – crack each egg individually into a small bowl before adding to the water.
Reduce the heat on your pot of water to simmer. Slide one egg at a time gently into the simmering water. Try to only do one or two at a time so you can keep a proper watch on them.
Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is set but the yolk is still runny and delicious. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, allowing the egg to drain of it’s hot water.
To assemble: Lay a slice of Canadian bacon on top of each muffin half, followed by a poached egg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you haven’t spooned it all in your mouth while you waited for the eggs to poach, spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs.
Quick Blender Hollandaise Sauce:
Put the egg yolk, lemon juice, and cayenne in a blender and pulse to combine. Keep your blender on and add the butter slowly into the egg mixture to make it a cohesive sauce. If it’s too thick for you liking, add small spoonfulls of hot water until it’s the consistency you want. Taste and season with the salt. Serve immediately.
For Fun: Replace the classic canadian bacon, tomato combination with a crab cake, some goat cheese and a sprinkle of arugula, or with a spicy slice of Capocollo and spike the hollandaise with fresh basil or store-bought pesto when blending. Little things make a big difference.
Even easier is an oven baked frittata. You beat some eggs in a bowl, toss them in a baking dish and cook until the eggs are set. The you slice and serve – it doesn’t get much easier than that!
To keep it simple:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Use your butter to grease the baking dish of your choosing.
Beat the eggs with the milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into your baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are just set and no longer visibly jiggly if you shake the pan.
For Fun: Mix and match any of these into the egg mixture:
You really can’t go wrong, unless she’s allergic to eggs or doesn’t eat them. Don’t do that. Otherwise, you’re golden.
If you have pickier palates, you can always make these in a muffin tin so each person can have a little bit of what they like.
Serve the frittata with a small salad of greens that have been tossed with extra virgin olive oil and a little salt. Keep it simple.
At the end of the day, all that matters is that the Mother in your life feels loved and appreciated. More than any plate of food or glass of champagne can do, the greatest gift is a warm embrace and a ‘Thank You.’ (Though the champagne doesn’t hurt.)
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Who, us? We’re putting (cool) back in to the crazy, upside down world of modern parenting. All about raising fun, fashionable, active little thinkers with a strong cuppa coffee on the side.
Takes the Cake. You may know Mary Alice from her reality tv days or from her work at Charm City Cakes, but around this little slice of internet, we adore her for her wit. We love a mom with the two must-have senses for parenthood: common sense and a sense of humor.
