Your Mom's Day Checklist

 it is Mother's Day tomorrow - a time when ads and kids test out their culinary skills. Yet is there enough bread for a family brunch of French toast?Or enough chicken for her favorite barbecue? is there even enough Dawn for the dishes?

One thing the dads or older kids - like the tweens and teens is making sure that there are the right ingredients in the kitchen. French toast is just milk soda bread fried in butter. The mixture is a custard made with whole eggs milk, cinnamon and vanilla  extract.This is what gives the bread  that custardy coating and unique flavor. Is there enough butter or plant butter to fry the slices along with saving some to put on top with maple syrup. Also the same goes for the milk. it goes fast in a house full of kids and there should also be enough for French toast. Make sure there is enough maple syrup too. As for pancakes do you have enough flour and baking powder to make fluffy stacks of them? Eggs are another all important ingredient. They;re part of a pancake mix but they can be turned into delicious Eggs Benedict for mom's breakfast in bed. Keep in mind that everyone may also want their own Eggs Benedict too. A dozen eggs will suffice and there should be some left over. Scrambled eggs for a  small group is usually four to five eggs. The same goes for Sunnyside up ones too.

What about Mom's barbecue. have her favorite wings and drumsticks been marinated yet?Id not get to it. Most marinades take overnight to really kick in.Do you have enough olive oil or soy sauce for the base? What about the extras  - such as orange, lime or lemon juice? Are there scallions cut or ginger grated? The next question is what about her favorite sides? Aluminum foil is all important in grilling.Is there enough. Another must check is the grill itself. Has the grates been cleaned and the ash tray emptied? Is it ready for the first barbecue of the season? has the charcoal been bought or the twigs and branches gathered?Do you have the macaroni and mayo for a favorite salad? Is there enough celery for it? Do you want to try a fun variation of one of classic recipes.(although it pays to tell her in advance. Subbing in one ingredient for another may be too much of a surprise).make sure that outdoor eating has outdoor utensils too. Check to see if you have enough forks and knives along with paper plates and plastic bowls. if not you still have time tonight or tomorrow morning to buy them.

A good Mother's Day begins with well planned prep. Make sure you have everything you need. It's Mothers Day tomorrow. Make sure her day is ready without any last minute mistakes.

Sweet Treats For Mom

 With Mother's Day Sunday, it's time to think of tasty treat's she'll enjoy not just for the day but also for the week following. You could try your hand at making macarons to homemade fudge and peanut brittle it could have the fruit or the season or her favorite chocolate. Whatever you decide it'll be a sweet, memorable gift.

Moms adore fancy treats and sweets.If you;re good at bread making try brioche or croissants. The original brioche was puffy little rolls baked in individual tins with papers much in the same manner as cupcakes. Since they are a bread they will require yeast for rise along with six large eggs. These give them that classic golden yellow crumb and burnished bronze colored crust. You'll also need a stick and half of butter(preferably a good European one like Kerry Gold) for that rich flavor. As for flour stick with a regular one . You can make a whole wheat version of you want but the flavor won;t exactly be the same as the French ones. From there it;s just brushing the tops with an egg wash and baking. Croissants also have the yeast for rise along with plenty of butter.It;s basically creating layers by folding and rolling and then shaping into crescents. Macarons are another sweet Gallic treat made by using almond flour.  and both granulated and confectioner's sugar.The filling is usually buttercream but you can also do a jam one if you;d like ,especially if you;re making chocolate ones.

Candy is always a fun gift on Mother's Day.Instead of a box with the usual boring assortment. try making a pan of fudge. This is always a treat and it's so easy to make. It;'s just a blend of chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. You can add walnuts or almonds if you want. For a bit of color throw in a handful of mini M&M's. A marshmallow fudge is another fun candy. Try Martha Stewart's that;s also made with real butter too. The addition of Kosher salt brings out the flavors too. peanut brittle may seem old fashioned but homemade brittle is a true treat indeed.it's a combination of granular sugar mixed with corn syrup cooked into a sticky liquid. After the syrup is cooked for twenty minutes butter is added a long with the baking soda. This is what gives the candy that bubbly airy mouth feel. The peanuts are added last. Many home candy makers prefer unsalted but salted works just as well too. Break into pieces and put in a pretty tin for a lovely Mother's Day gift.

Mother's Day is all about tasty treats. Bake her something. Make her homemade candy. She'll appreciate anything.

A Very Buggy Dinner

 Cicadas will be a problem this year  to many gardeners. Yet they might be a new ingredient in this Spring and summers' harvest dinners. Surprisingly these pests can make for some pretty good eating.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Tejal Rao wrote about these critters in yesterdays' New York Times Food section.It is an edible bug much like grasshoppers, crickets and even -ewww-  termites. Around the world it's considered normal to eat them in a variety of different ways. here in the US not so much. American tend to sensationalize or trivialize it, seeing bugs as a source of cheap protein. They're OK if you're on a camping trips and you've run out of food.Yet some chefs here in the States will be happy thanks to the double season of them in the Midwest and Southeast. There will be a whopping trillion (!!!) of them within the next six weeks. Surprisingly they're a cousin of a lobster and can be prepared in much the same way according to Tad Yankowski, an entomologist at Missouri Botanical Gardens. People who have shellfish allergies are also advised not to eat them. He himself enjoys them in a scampi, claiming anything you can do with shrimp you can also do with cicadas.

Other enthusiasts feel the same way. Joseph Yoon, a bug enthusiast is going to forage big time for an event that features  hasn't happened since 1803, featuring two regional broods. Mr. Yoon is also a chef that offers up all sorts of insect dishes at his business Brooklyn Bugs.He combines cicadas with ramp to create Kim chi. The insects are left whole and intact in their cracking shells.They're then slowly infused with a spicy fermenting juice.After they're served with tofu and warm rice.He also fries them to make tempura, folds them into Spanish tortillas with potato and onion and bakes them with cheese into casseroles with cicada stuffed pasta shells.what do they taste and feel like to those wanting to try them? According to the entomologist Mr. Yankowski they're sort of like a tiny soft shelled crab a crunchy shell with a soft meat interior.The flavor is slightly woody thanks to a steady diet of sap from tree roots. This happens because they spend most of their lives underground. Foragers need to get them while their young and meaty otherwise their exoskeletons will grow, leaving them more with a shell.

Cicadas are not for everyone.If you;re into trying bugs, then go and forage. If not just admire them for their lacy wings and big orange eyes.

The Classic Mother's Day Dish Redone

 There will be  a lot of French toast made this Sunday, The American variation of the famed French pain perdu is a Mothers' Day classic right up there with macaroni necklaces and handmade cards. yet imagine doing it just a tad differently for a truly memorable holiday.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark gives her spin on it in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.French toast has been around, way before the French used stale bread to create a tasty dish.The Roman Apicius had a recipe for it using wine and honey to an Anglo-Norman cousin which was served with almond milk.There is also a Spanish version called torrejas made with cinnamon and syrup. There are modern variations that include peanut butter and condensed milk, French toast with a streusel topping and even ones with pears, pumpkin spice and pecans.If you want the perfect French toast make sure you use stale or dehydrated bread .Fresh bread is too spongy and it would dilute the egg mixture with moisture.Most recipes call for frying the bread but why go to all that trouble. Baking it works better.it may not give you that crispy buttery crust but  it will become crunchy and caramelized with a sprinkling of sugar.

Her two recipes are baked French toast with different flavors. Those who love the earthy mellowness of brown sugar should try her sheet pan version. What bread should you use. Anything that strikes your fancy.It could be croissants for a light airy bite or challah for rich one. Regular white bread or pain de mie can also be used. The first recipe is soaking the bread in the egg ,milk and cinnamon mixture on the pan itself.The bread should be allowed to soak from anywhere from four hours to overnight. It's then sprinkling the brown sugar on the sheet pan and over the slices,Bake in a 375 degree Farenheit oven for twetty-five to thirty-five minutes.The tops should be golden brown and puffy. The other recipe calls for heavy cream lemon and Gran Marnier to create a lemon souffle type recipe .Whole milk and heavy cream are also added. lemon sugar is first created by mixing lemon zest into white sugar. A dash of nutmeg is also added for flavor The egg ,cream and dairy are added to this.It's poured over slices of toasted challah and baked ina  buttered casserole dish. Set in a 375 degree oven for twenty to thirty minutes.

These are great recipes for Mother's Day.It's nice to have a classic dish but even nicer when it's updated. Try for a great Mother's day brunch or even a light supper.

From The Ocean To The Grill

 The grilling season usually starts out as a salute to anything from the turf. Yet what about the surf? The ocean  - streams and lakes give up some tasty morsels to be grilled.

Shrimp is always at the top of any griller's list.The best bet is buying large shrimp because they're the easiest to marinate skewer and place on the cooking grate. Smaller ones could fall through. They're an easy cook  - only five to seven minutes on each side and they're done. Should you use a marinade or a dry rub on them. Marinade is the better way to go. Many home chefs opt for a simple garlic butter one in which garlic  infused melted butter is brushed on the shrimp.You can also try an herbal butter one thats' rich with chives and oregano.  For a different spin , try a Vietnamese style marinade that combines fish sauce with soy sauce . lime juice and  a pinch of sugar. There's also paprika garlic and chili added to  sesame oil base. Another tasty grill is scallops.Like shrimp these can be marinated in a variety of different ingredients.Try them in a simple Italian style one that features lemon juice, olive oil and various spices such as oregano and rosemary. Lime juice and olive oil. Some enthusiasts want to try grilling a lobster. The best bet is grilling the tails in the shells as opposed to grilling the whole lobster. It takes five minutes grilling on the flesh side and one to two minutes on the shell side.

Many grillers  love to put salmon steaks on the coals. A good salmon steak is one that has been seared with a crispy skin and tender but bright orange pink inside. Salmon can be a bit bland tasting on it's own so its important to have a good marinade for it. Soy sauce is always a good marinade base. You can add fresh orange juice and ginger to it. Olive oil is another good marinade base. Add some lemon juice and freshly ground pepper for a lemon pepper taste. Another popular fish tuna is a great outdoor char. Make sure the tuna steaks are thick for proper grilling. A light lemon marinade works the best with iu.If you have fishermen in your circle then you've probably been the recipient of a few trout. This  fresh water fish is good on the grill too.They should be boneless and filleted. Some home chefs just bread them for a crunchy bite. Trout is usually cooked for five minutes on one side and then flipped and cooked for a minute or two more. You could also just brush the meat with olive oil and lemon to bring out the sweet fish flavor.Surprisingly cod is another fish that can be cooked on the grill. It should just be brushed with butter because of it's strong flavor. 

Try surf for your next barbecue.It's a nice chageoff from turf. There's a wide range of delicious fish and shellfish to place on those coals.

Do You Want Elaborate Or Effortless

 Entertaining is not easy . You can create a simple meal but lose the wow factor.You can try for a more elaborate table but its;' more labor intensive  in the kitchen. Imagine if you can have both together. It's perfect for a great dinner party.

The Sunday New York TImes created this inset with recipes that can start and end a meal. It's the perfect keeper for those wanting to have those outdoor dinner parties now that the weather is warm. The effortless one allows home chefs to spend time with guests as opposed to being in the kitchen.it starts with an herby  feta and yogurt dip.these can be served with pita chips or crudites, It can be made in a big bowl or served in individual ramekins for each guest. The main course is olive oil salmon How you flavor it is up to you Try smashed garlic or rosemary.A mash up of chives olives and even anchovies can also give the fish some zing It;s served with a dill and basmati rice mix called sheveed polo. The salad is light and fresh too -  it 's a sesame cucumber and avocado tossed together with a sweet and tangy sesame dressing. The dessert is an easy bake too. Think strawberry spoons bread with smashed strawberries baked over a buttery cake. The drink of choice is a refreshing non alcoholic dirty lemon tonic.

The elaborate menu has great recipes too and relatively easy to make.it's basically classic recipes that are sure to please both chef and guests.It starts with a classic shrimp cocktail that;s spiked with celery seeds,  and any kind of chili powder , from cayenne , sweet paprika and gochugaru. The dipping sauces id the classic red shrimp cocktail one but there is also garlicky dill butter and curried honey mustard. The main course is roasted orange chicken.Tangerine or clementines can be used to give the chicken that zingy citrus flavor. Delicious roasted mushrooms cooked with braided black lentils and parsley croutons. The salad is an Herby tomato salad with  a ramarind maple dressing. Fried shallots give it extra crunch and flavor. The dessert is an elaborate and decadent Baked Alaska. Fresh strawberries and blueberries are paired with vanilla ice cream.It;s covered with a rich Swiss meringue that has a kick of Kirsch, the German cherry liqueur. What the perfect drink with this meal? The classic 50.50 martini that has equal parts gin and vermouth.

Whatever you choose whether it;s effortless or elaborate this menu is perfect. Create a Spring dinner party with these recipes. Enjoy their easiness and deliciousness.

A South Of The Border Twist

 Tomorrow is Cinco De Mayo and that means an abundance of good Mexican food. Yet any dish can benefit from a little salsa, or a slice of avocado.it's just adding a Mexican twist on things.

Beans can easily be spiced up with a variety of different spices.I made an all bean chili dish that had chili spices in the,.This is what I got on my Lidl haul and thought it would be a fun and easy dish with Lidl's instant rice. Cumin and cayenne are what give Mexican food it's unique flavor. You can easily use these in a day rub for chicken or beef. You could also create a carne asada. which is a mix if any kind of citrus juice with a splash of soy sauce. Rich spices such a as cumin, paprika  and chili powder are added for more flavor. Olive oil is added for smoothness. A typical marinade time for carne asada is around twenty four hours.

Adding anything with avocados to a dish s always a good thing. I cannot resist Lidl's Avocado Fritters.These are tasty breaded strips that can easily be air fired

The photo is  a bit dark but you can see the fries Yet avocado can also be added to a ciambatta with tomatoes and onions .This is a recipe from the famed British chef and baker Mary Berry.Adding avocado gives a creaminess and balance to an other wise tangy sandwich. You could also add a layer of guacamole to any chicken or turkey sandwich too for something different. Salsa, another Mexican classic can be mixed in to any tomato sauce or bruschetta for a zingy twist on Italian classics.

It's Cinco de Mayo.Yet the Mexican influence can be used all year round. Try adding a dash of chili powder a slice of avocado or a splash of salsa to any  dish.