Mother's Day is right around the corner. I have no idea where I'll be this year. My younger son finishes finals hundreds of miles away the day before. I think he'll need help getting all of his stuff home so it's possible I'll be on the road.
For those of you not spending Mother's Day in a car, I hope you have something great planned. And since I'm not putting together my own celebration this year, I may as well help you plan yours.
So here it is, a celebration all in one place. I've put together a collection of 50 Mother's Day recipes from breakfast to dinner and everything in between.
I broke this post out by meal groups: breakfast, lunch, cocktails (a very important food group in my opinion), dinner, sides and desserts. Each group has it's own collage of pictures so you can see how the recipes turn out.
Whether you have time to prepare a more complicated dish or are in a hurry, there's something for everyone. For each meal group there are options that can be at least partially prepared ahead, recipes that are mostly made that day but are quick and easy, and options that require but are well worth a little effort. Whatever you choose, you're bound to impress.
Breakfast
Prepare ahead
1 - Mocha Breakfast Muffins are delicious muffins you can make the day before. To serve warm, just pop into the microwave for about 20 seconds.
2 - Maple Glazed Mandarin Poppy Muffins can also be made the day before. They're bursting with fruit and finished with a hint of maple.
Quick and Easy:
3 - Crab Benedict Breakfast Rollups are a light but substantial breakfast treat. They need to be made when eaten, but look like they take more effort than they do.
4 - Bagel Crisp Brunch Sandwiches are reminiscent of Sunday afternoon brunch. They're quick to assemble and a delicious crunchy treat.
Worth the effort:
5 - Baked Individual Pancake Puffs are a beautiful breakfast treat. They require more effort, but you'll really amaze when you serve these puffs.
6 - Pistachio Cream Cheese French Toast is made with thick french bread slices, stuffed, pistachio crusted and pan fried.
Lunch
Prepare ahead:
1 - Warm Chicken Pockets can be prepped ahead of time, then put together at lunch time. Serve with Broccoli Slaw, which can be made the day before.
2 - Taco Stuffed Potato Skins have many components that can be made ahead as well. Serve with fresh homemade Pico de Gallo, which is best made a day in advance so the flavors have a chance to marry.
Quick and easy:
3 - Sour Apple Challah Grilled Cheese can be assembled and served hot in a matter of minutes. Serve it with made ahead Greek Pasta Salad and lunch is served.
4 - Curried Chicken Salad Wraps are an easy lunch roll up packed with flavor. You can make a loaf of Veggie Bread ahead, but it's best served warm.
Worth the effort:
5 - Stovetop BBQ Pork and Apple Pizza takes a little more effort but is both pretty and full of flavor. Serve it with Spicy Pasta Salad, another make ahead side dish, this one has a bit of a kick.
6 - Grilled Taco Chicken needs to be marinated and then grilled. It takes more time than effort but is juicy and flavorful. Smoky Cornbread is a perfect side dish.
Cocktails
Prepare ahead:
1 -Berry Sangria is mixed together and refrigerated overnight. To serve, just add the ginger ale to this refreshing cocktail.
2 -Raspberry Orange Margaritas are a cocktail I like to make by the pitcher. Put it together in the morning, refrigerate and they're ready to serve.
Quick and easy:
3- Tornado Cocktails are easy to make. Mix the ingredients and serve.
4- Brunch Cocktail is just the thing for any special occasion.
5 - Iced Coffee Cocktail is the perfect afternoon blender drink, and can be served three different ways.
.
Worth the effort:
6 - Strawberries and Cream Cocktail is made with fresh berries and topped with a dollop of ice cream. This drink could be a dessert.
7- My Mai Tai is a long time favorite. Many people make a version of this drink, but mine is the best!
Dinner
Prepare ahead:
1 - Grilled Marinated London Broil is my beef selection. Marinate up to two days ahead of time then grill, slice and serve.
2 - Crockpot Fruited Pork Roast can be put into the crockpot late in the morning, then left to cook until it's time to slice and add the veggies.
Quick and easy:
3- Peachy Chicken, although better if marinated longer, can actually be made in 30 minutes. It's light, fruity and flavorful.
4 - Easy Grilled Halibut is another light meal that can be made quickly. Marinate the fish, grill and serve.
Worth the effort:
5 - Smoky Orange Cornish Hens take some time and effort, but they aren't any more difficult than roasting a chicken and they make a very impressive meal.
6- Baby Back Ribs need time for the rub to flavor the meat and they need to slow roast for hours. The end result is a flavorful meal everyone will love.
Side Dishes
Veggies
Prepare ahead:
1 - Festive Pea Casserole can be completely assembled in the morning and popped into the oven to accompany any dinner you choose.
2-Karen's Poppy Dressing can be made ahead and works well on salad ingredients of your choice.
Quick and easy:
3 - Squash Casserole is simple to assemble and has all of the bright flavors of fresh vegetables.
4 - Pralined Snap Peas and Carrots is a beautiful side dish that's made in minutes in the microwave.
Worth the effort:
5 - Brussels Sprouts with Pignolis and Proscuitto takes some prep time and cooking time, but is the perfect dish for a special occasion.
6 - Eggless Caesar Salad is just as good as you'd find in any restaurant. Any dinner will be enhanced by this salad.
Starches
Prepare ahead:
7 - Cheddar Mac Squares are a favorite side dish. Mine can be made ahead, sliced into squares and reheated for serving.
8 - Easy Cheesy Potatoes is a casserole that can be assembled in the afternoon and popped in the oven for dinner.
Quick and easy:
9 - Popovers are made simply by whisking a few ingredients, cooking in a hot oven and resisting the urge to open the oven while they cook. These light buttery treats will be a hit with everyone.
10 - Garlic Knots are quick to make when start with refrigerated bread sticks. They're a flavorful addition to any dinner.
Worth the effort:
11 - Sweet potato Cups with Maple Butter take time to prep and time to make. The flavor and presentation make the effort worthwhile.
12 - Tzimmes is a slightly sweet casserole of potatoes, fruit and vegetables. There's some prep time required but this flavorful dish is really not difficult.
Dessert
Prepare ahead:
1 - S'More and Strawberry Skewers are a favorite because kids love helping dip the strawberries and the marshmallows. When you're ready to serve, just skewer and you're done.
2 - Strawberry Cheesecake Lemonade Squares need to be refrigerated before serving so they're perfect for making ahead. These little squares are such a refreshing end to a meal.
Quick and easy:
3 - Caramel Apple Angel Cake looks impressive but is really quite simple if you start with a bakery angel cake, making this an easy dessert alternative.
4 - White Brownie Parfait is really two desserts in one. The White Brownies are a delicious treat, but kick it up a notch by adding fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Worth the effort:
5 - Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge is a recipe I first developed for Valentine's Day but what says "love you, mom" more than dark chocolate and raspberry fudge hearts?
6- Spring Fever Cookies will take some time to put together, but they're a work of art when done. And they taste as good as they look.
7 - Berry Bar Sundaes are a delicious treat. Use fresh berries to make the bars, top with ice cream, whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Delish.
As always, if you make some of my recipes, be sure to share a picture and your thoughts with my Facebook Community.
I love to hear from you.
❤ Hope your Mother's Day is delicious ❤
Previously posted on Baking In A Tornado: Mother's Day All Day: 50 Recipe Roundup
and BlogHer as Fifty Recipes: Mother's Day All Day
Karen is a former Director of Social Service and Retail Buyer, now adjusting to a semi-empty nest. She blogs and shares recipes at BakingInATornado.com.
Karen's been featured on websites including BlogHer, The Daily Meal, Mamapedia, BLUNTmoms, Scary Mommy, GenerationFabulous, Treat a Day, Foodie Network, Wellnez TV, Midlife Boulevard, and BA50. She's a BlogHer Influencer as well as a contributor to The Culinary Content Network and Felicity Huffman's What the Flicka. Karen has been published in the Life Well Blogged series and co-authored the book The Mother of all Meltdowns.
For updates, visit her blog at Baking In A Tornado
and her facebook community at Baking In A Tornado FB