40 Special Southern Recipes To Make With Your Mama For Mother’s Day
Being together in the kitchen is the best gift.
No matter how old we get, there are certain recipes that just don't taste the same when we make them ourselves in the kitchen. Recreate the old times with these Southern recipes to make with your mom.
Anyone who has ever tried to master her grandmother's perfectly smooth and sweet caramel cake icing knows the struggle. Some of it is undoubtedly due to nostalgia. Of course it can't taste as good; a memory can't be mimicked. However, what you can do is make new memories surrounding yourself, your loved one, and good food by cooking a classic Southern recipe together in honor of Mother's Day.
We've rounded up our favorite Southern recipes with a unique twist to ensure it's a memorable experience for both of you, whether you try a long-forgotten wacky cake, perfect peach cake, or authentic tomato pie for the very first time. Here are 40 mother-daughter recipes to make this Mother's Day.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
For a fun twist on the classic, give our Lemon Meringue Cheesecake a try. It requires a little work, but it's perfect for spending a whole afternoon with mom.
Heirloom Tomato Pie
This is the only tomato pie recipe worth making with your treasured haul from the farmers' market. Trust us, the parmesan-buttermilk crust is worth skipping the store-bought stuff.
Jalapeno Cornbread Sticks
Cornbread is always welcome on the table, but make it feel new by using an old-fashioned cast-iron corn stick pan and adding a major flavor kick with jalapeños and cheese.
Fresh Peach Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel
This coffee cake uses fresh peaches and pecans to create delicious streusel-topped harmony that you'll both love to snack on all day long.
Tomato Gravy
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
There's a chance that neither of you have made this old-school Southern classic, and you'll be happy to have the experience together. It's usually served over biscuits, pork chops, or grits.
Shrimp Étouffée
Step outside your recipe box with this traditional Louisiana recipe that is basically a Cajun dream complete with fresh shrimp and a brothy sauce that'll make your mouth water from the smell alone.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pretzel Pie
Pretzel pie is an essential part of summertime, especially when it's topped with rhubarbs, which are a longtime-beloved raspberry-colored legume that pairs well with strawberries.
Wacky Cake
Will Dickey; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Also known as crazy cake, war cake, or depression cake, this quirky chocolate cake can be thrown together right there in the baking pan—no mixing bowl required!
Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
If you're hosting a Mother's Day brunch, these updated sausage balls are sure to disappear quickly, so you might want to make a double batch. Cream cheese adds a moist fluffiness to the traditional bites.
Lemon Roast Chicken With Rainbow Carrots
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
For a stunningly beautiful main dish for Mother's Day, look no further than this whole-roasted chicken that is simple and releases rich juices that can flavor vegetables (like these carrots) while the chicken roasts.
Blueberry Banana Bread
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
There are few baked treats more beloved than a slice of fresh-from-the-oven banana bread, but we’ve kicked it up a notch and added juicy blueberries to the mix.
Krispie Cheese Wafers
What makes these cheese straws stand out from the long list of slightly variated (but all very cheesy) recipes is the genius addition of rice cereal. It ensures that you turn out the most crispy, crunchy cheese straw batch.
Coconut Chiffon Cake
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
For those who like to take on a more show-stopping centerpiece for family celebrations, this cake is sure to succeed in both looks and taste. A luscious filling and fluffy frosting make this recipe stand out.
Chowchow
It always comes in handy to have homemade chow-chow in the fridge. It's the most versatile of condiments, and we like to drop a heavy dollop of this perfect relish on everything from pork chops to collard greens.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins
You'll never forget the first time you cook perfectly crisp, golden-fried green tomatoes. This simple recipe gets the job done. Pair with our Comeback Sauce.
Dr Pepper Texas Sheet Cake
We took crowd-pleasing Texas sheet cake and gave it a cola cake twist. Dr Pepper has subtle flavoring of 23 spices, which is perfect for a sheet cake topped with chocolate frosting and pecans.
Deep-Dish Berry Cobbler
Everyone needs to try a new cobbler recipe every now and then. May we suggest our triple-berry cobbler made in a deep-dish for extra gooey fruitiness all around?
Jezebel Sauce
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You'll want to trade in your usual pepper jelly for this sweet, tangy sauce that has a kick. It calls for pineapple preserves, apple jelly, dry mustard, and prepared horseradish. Make sure to pull out the cream cheese and crackers!
Beet Pickled Deviled Eggs
You've both made dozens of classic deviled eggs, to be sure. Spruce up the Sunday lunch with these pickled deviled eggs that gets a pretty pink makeover from beet juice.
Peach Dump Cake
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Dailey
Somewhere between a buttery cake and a luscious cobbler, you needn't stress about this easy-to-make dump cake. It features two shortcut ingredients—canned peaches and yellow cake mix.
Julie Yoste's Mississippi Roast
This best-ever pot roast will change dinnertime forever. The secret ingredient that takes it to the next level? Pepperoncini peppers.
Angel Biscuits
Maybe you've both perfected the buttermilk biscuit or want something decidedly lower maintenance. That's where mini, light, fluffy cast-iron angel biscuits come in.
Pecan Pralines
Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Torie Cox
You'll both feel accomplished after making this classic confection. Be warned: These mouthwatering pralines will fall flat if made on a very humid day. Otherwise, go forth and get to caramelizing.
Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
We're just putting this here to remind you that this ultra-comforting classic is always waiting in the wings to make cooking together feel extra nostalgic.
Coconut-Banana Pudding
Put a twist on your favorite homemade banana pudding with just a tiny touch of coconut extract. It turns out that the flavors of vanilla pudding, bananas, and coconut go so well together.
Beef Tamale Pie
This popular Tex-Mex dish gets an easy skillet makeover that's worth making on any night, especially when paired with homemade guacamole, Austin Diner-Style Queso, and a margarita!
Smoky Creamed Greens
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Greens without ham is like biscuits without butter—just not fully right! This recipe updates your typical smoky collard greens with the luscious texture of steakhouse creamed spinach.
Our Best Jambalaya
Stacy K. Allen, Props: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
If you're not regularly a Cajun cook, get ready to wow the whole family with this authentic jambalaya recipe studded with spicy sausage, fresh shrimp, and chicken. Make sure you have extra hot sauce and cornbread for the table.
Kentucky Bourbon Pie
Fashioned after George Kern's Derby Pie, this recipe combines chocolate, bourbon, and pecans for a dressed-up version of pecan pie that's deliciously decadent and perfect for a special occasion.
Key Lime Pound Cake
Dotdash Meredith
Get a taste of the tropics with this glazed masterpiece that's a cross between Key lime pie and Southern pound cake. Consider a festive cooking night with your mother made.
No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie
As far as we are concerned, May is the start of cool dessert season, and this icebox pie is wonderfully refreshing, creamy, and zesty.
Country Captain Chicken
You might not have heard of this regional delicacy before, but it's been a Junior League cookbook staple for decades. You brown chicken in butter or bacon fat before braising in tomato sauce riddled with aromatic spices such as curry powder, nutmeg, and plenty of pepper.
Simple Oyster Stew
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
A favorite seafood stew of the South, oyster stew is meant to be enjoyed with the memories of salty beach breezes in mind. It's a warm, comforting dinner made for casual summer nights.
Hummingbird Sheet Cake
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Jones
Make your baking day even more fun with this fresh take on beloved Hummingbird Cake. It has all the pineappley, nutty flavor in a lower-maintenance sheet pan package topped with dried pineapple rings.
Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal
This simple, six-ingredient recipe gives the crispiest okra without feeling super greasy. As the okra fries in the skillet, you sprinkle it with cornmeal for ultimate crunch.
Pineapple-Ginger Upside-Down Cake
The caramelized bottom of an upside-down cake is enough to make us swoon. This rendition calls for zingy ginger and fresh pineapple, so basically this isn't just any pineapple upside-down cake.
Cornbread Salad
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
One person can take responsibility for the make-ahead cornbread, and the other can start chopping up the other components of this layered salad. This recipe combines many delicious ingredients, including black-eyed peas, bacon, and a gussied-up ranch dressing.
Peanut Butter Bars
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
It'll be hard to go back to any other peanut butter dessert after trying this recipe. The layer of peanut butter-coated cornflakes that sits on the bottom offers a satisfying crunch.
Stuffed Cabbage Soup
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Lydia Pursell
This soup is a sleeper hit. Forget the stuffing and rolling: This recipe is much easier to prepare. It's a comforting stew with lots of broth, tomato sauce, carrots, rice, and, of course, cabbage. You can make a big batch and split it up.
Mini Coconut-Key Lime Pies
Stacy K. Allen; Props: Josh Hoggle; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
These bites of heaven are ideal for a family meal or holiday, since every person gets their own mini tart. The coconut crust is sticky and sweet.
Related: 10 Easy Mother's Day Menus To Delight Every Type Of Mama
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
