7 Ways to Be Mom's Favorite
We’re willing to bet your mom has made you hundreds of breakfasts. This Mother’s Day, return the favor and spoil her with a beautiful brunch, complete with sweet and savory recipes and delightful decor.
Related: 14 New, Lighter Comfort Food Ideas
Ham and Egg Crepe Squares
Add a touch of elegance to your brunch spread with these smartly folded breakfast crepes that are filled with Black Forest ham and baked eggs.
4 Simple Crepes
8 slices black forest ham
4 large eggs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Chopped fresh chives
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 4 crepes on a rimmed baking sheet. Place 2 slices ham on each crepe. Crack 1 egg into center of each; fold edges toward center. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg white is set and yolk is still runny, 12 minutes. Top with chives.
Related: 47 Ways to Maximize Space in Your Kitchen
Spring Nests
Capture the spirit of the season in your brunch decor with a birch-wrapped basket filled with a blooming bouquet of spring bulbs.
Materials
8- or 12-inch vine basket
Birch branches
24-gauge brown wire
1. Start with a wooden basket that is 8 or 12 inches in diameter. Gather a bundle of birch branches. Cut off the fine tips, then cut the branches into varying lengths (6 to 12 inches).
2. Using 24-gauge brown wire, secure the end of a branch to the base of the basket. Bend the branch along the basket’s curve, wiring every 4 or 5 inches so that loose ends stick out. Repeat with remaining branches, overlapping them to conceal the basket.
Related: 19 Easy Barbecue Recipes to Make This Season
Lillet Rose Spring Cocktail
Edible flowers float atop this pretty pink drink made of Lillet Rose, grapefruit juice, and gin.
12 ounces Lillet Rose
12 ounces Ruby Red grapefruit juice
6 ounces gin
6 edible flower blossoms (optional; chefs-garden.com)
1. Combine 6 ounces Lillet, 6 ounces grapefruit juice, 3 ounces gin, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled. Strain and divide cocktail among 3 stemmed cocktail glasses, such as Champagne coupes. Repeat.
2. Garnish with flowers. Serve immediately.
Related: 22 Chicken Dinner Recipes in Less Than 30 Minutes
Apricot-Basil Chicken Salad
Slivered almonds, white onion, and celery provide a satisfying crunch in this flavorful chicken salad recipe that tastes great on toasted bread or crackers.
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
5 teaspoons champagne or white-wine vinegar
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 medium white onion, minced (1/2 cup)
1 large celery stalk, diced small (1/2 cup), plus leaves
1/3 cup dried apricots, diced small
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, paprika, and vinegar. Stir in chicken, almonds, onion, celery, apricots, and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
Raspberry Mousse Pie
Creamy, airy, and ready to serve in just 40 minutes, this pretty-in-pink Raspberry Mousse Pie is perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch.
Nonstick cooking spray
7 graham crackers
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce packet)
5 cups fresh raspberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cold heavy cream
1. Lightly coat a 9-inch square metal baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Arrange graham crackers in an even layer in pan, breaking them to fit as necessary. Place lemon juice in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Let sit until gelatin softens, 3 minutes. In a blender, puree 2 cups raspberries until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup, pressing on solids (you should have about 1 cup of puree); discard solids.
2. In a small saucepan, combine raspberry puree and 1/2 cup sugar over medium. Cook until bubbles form at edge. Add gelatin mixture and cook, stirring constantly, just until gelatin dissolves, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature, 20 minutes. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and 2 tablespoons sugar on medium-high until firm peaks form, about 4 minutes. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in raspberry puree mixture until combined. Pour over graham crackers. Smooth top with an offset spatula and arrange 3 cups raspberries on top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours (or up to overnight).
3. Using parchment, gently lift pie out of pan and place on a serving plate. Peel away parchment from sides of pie; trim excess paper with scissors or a sharp knife. Cut into 12 pieces to serve.
Tissue Paper Posies
Craft an ever-blooming arrangement with these easy-to-make tissue paper posies.
Materials
5-by-15-inch sheets of tissue paper
Pipe cleaners
1. Layer 5-by-15-inch sheets of tissue paper, alternating colors. Make 1-inch-wide accordion folds.
2. Wrap 1 end of a pipe cleaner around the center of the folded paper, and twist to secure. Round the edges of the folded paper with scissors.
3. Fan out folds, and gently pull apart each layer of tissue paper to create petals.
Chocolate-Pecan Pancakes
Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast? No one will be able to resist a stack of these fluffy chocolate pancakes drizzled with hot fudge sauce.
1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Hot fudge sauce (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla; pour over flour mixture, whisking to combine. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans; let batter stand until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until a water droplet sizzles; swirl to coat bottom of pan with oil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Spoon four small mounds (1 heaping tablespoon each) of batter into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear in center, 3 to 4 minutes. With a thin spatula, flip pancakes; continue cooking until set, 3 to 4 minutes more.
3. Transfer to a baking sheet; cover loosely with foil; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and batter in three more batches (adjust heat as necessary to avoid overbrowning).
4. Stack 4 pancakes on each plate, sprinkling each layer with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Serve immediately, drizzled with hot fudge sauce, if desired.
More from Martha Stewart:
Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family
Pucker Up: 25 Ways to Get Sweet on Rhubarb
Watch for More:
