She will appreciate not having to cook on Mother’s Day. However, you’ll also want to make sure you’re prepared to clean up after yourself as well. It’s Mom’s special day so there’s no reason to make her clean up after the meal. She’ll really appreciate that you’re letting her relax and enjoy her special day without cooking and cleaning.

First of all, think about the foods your Mom loves for breakfast or lunch. You may also want to consider serving extra special foods she wouldn’t normally eat. Your goal is to prepare a meal Mom will enjoy and remember for years to come.

Start with freshly squeezed orange juice. If Mom drinks alcoholic beverages, you may want to add the fresh orange juice to ice cold champagne to make a Mimosa. Of course, you can also make a non-alcoholic version using sparkling grape juice.

Toast bagel halves, spread cream cheese on them and then top the bagel halves with a few thinly sliced pieces of smoked salmon. You can top them with capers, red onions or lemons if you want a traditional garnish. Try diced tomatoes or minced chives for a different taste to this classic brunch item.

Pancakes are also a good choice if you’re serving brunch, here’s how to make pumpkin spice pancakes from scratch. Crepes are another good brunch menu item. Either can be prepared to be sweet or savory. Traditional maple syrup is wonderful as a pancake topping but fresh fruit with whipped cream would also be delicious.

There’s no better time in the day to have pizza. Make a breakfast pizza with sausage and eggs to go with a great cheese. This may become a favorite brunch item that is requested year after year.

Healthy Brunch Casserole
A breakfast casserole makes an easy and delicious brunch that can be prepared the night before and baked in the morning. Try this Easy Baked French Toast or the following recipe.

8 slices of wheat bread
Egg substitute to equal 12 eggs
8 slices of smoked turkey breast meat, diced
1/4 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon Watkins seasoning salt
Watkins cooking spray

Instructions: Spray a large baking dish with the non stick cooking spray. Break up the bread slices into small pieces and layer in the bottom of the dish. In a small mixing bowl mix together the egg substitute, seasoning salt and the milk. Pour over the bread. Sprinkle the turkey over the top. Add both types of cheese evenly over the entire dish. Cover the dish and refrigerate over night. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cover and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until firm and cooked through.

Once the main part of the meal has been served, don’t forget a healthy final dish. Many mothers love fresh strawberries any time of the year. When you want something special but healthy and delicious, slice up fresh strawberries and kiwi. Sprinkle with a little sugar plus 1/2 teaspoon of Watkins Original Double Strength Vanilla and gently mix. They will make their own sauce. Serve the fruit with “fancy” cookies such as biscotti, ladyfingers or Amaretto and garish with a dollop of real whipped cream. Your mother will love the combination of the vanilla fruit and cookies.

Set the table to with your family’s best dishes and silverware. Chances are these dishes aren’t used that often so why not use them to celebrate Mom? You can also find fresh flowers from the garden (with Mom’s permission) or buy a bouquet which can be split up between several small vases. Mom will love the extra effort you’ve made by using some of these Mother’s Day brunch ideas or coming up with ones of your own.

I have to admit turkey is one of our favorite homemade soups, maybe because I only make it a couple of times a year. We really should roast a turkey more often so I can make soup!

Ingredients for a simple, basic soup:
1 turkey carcass
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 – 3 tablespoons Watkins chicken soup base
3/4 teaspoon Watkins pepper
water

Instructions: In a large kettle or stock pot place leftover turkey carcass and cover with water. On high heat bring water to a rapid boil. Lower heat, cover and allow to simmer for an hour or so. I like to let it simmer for a couple of hours.

Remove pot from the heat and allow stock and bones to cool enough to handle. Strain broth into large pot or bowl. Reserve strained broth. Be sure to save any pieces of turkey meat before emptying strainer. Remove any turkey meat that remains on the carcass, discard bones. Cut meat into bite size pieces.

Return reserved broth back to a kettle or pot. Add unions, carrots and celery stirring to mix all ingredients together well. Bring to a rapid boil Add black pepper, chicken soup base to taste and optional ingredients such as corn, barley and lentils if desired (see below). Bring back to a rapid boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Taste and add more soup base if needed. Add turkey meat bring to a boil and turn off heat. If adding frozen peas (see below) add them now.

When I make meat and broth based soup I generally add everything except the kitchen sink, so I end up with a thick soup that’s almost a stew, filled with lots of vegetable and grains. If you fancy this type of soup or want to add more nutrition here are some more ingredients to add.

Choose one or more of the following additional Ingredients for a heartier soup:

1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup small pasta or noodles
2 parsnips, diced
1 cup kernel corn, frozen or canned
1 cup green beans, frozen or canned
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup frozen peas (I like to add these at the very end)
1 -2 cups roasted turkey meat, diced
leftover turkey gravy

I generally add only one grain, rice or barley or the pasta, not all of them.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon Watkins baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon Watkins ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon Watkins purest ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups milk (2% or skim)

1 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned

2 beaten eggs

2 tablespoons Watkins Original Grapeseed oil

Directions: Measure all dry ingredients and place in a large bowl. Mix together until well blended.

Directions: Measure all dry ingredients and place in a large bowl. Mix together until well blended.

In another mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients. Mix wet ingredients together with a wire whisk until fully combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir only until combined. It’s important that you don’t over-mix the batter, yes it should be lumpy!

Preheat a non-stick skillet or cast iron griddle on medium heat. If you aren’t using a non-stick pan, spray with cooking spray or add a teaspoon or two of oil to the pan, so pancakes don’t stick.

Using a ladle, pour about ½ cup of batter to the skillet per pancake. Allow to cook until bubbles form on top and edges look dry, then flip and cook on other side. Cook for a couple minutes more until browned.

Serve with maple syrup or your favorite pancake toppings. Makes about 12 pancakes.

Basic Pancake Recipe

If you prefer regular pancakes here’s the recipe!

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

2 eggs (beaten)

2 tablespoons Watkins original grapeseed or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla

Directions: In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until blended. Add milk, beaten eggs, oil and vanilla, stir until just combined. Preheat lightly greased griddle or frying pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan per pancake. Cook until pancakes begin to bubble. Flip once and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve with maple syrup, jam or fruit. Makes approximately 8 pancakes

It’s not hard to make pancakes from scratch! This recipe has been added Real Food Wednesday list on Kelly the Kitchen Kop’s blog.
How do you like your pancakes?

Place desired number of eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Immediately cool eggs in cold water to prevent the yolks from turning grey.

Thanks to Megan for the beautiful egg photo, click the image to see more of her photos.

Whole Wheat Garlic Croutons
3 medium slices day-old whole wheat bread, or your bread of choice
1 to 4 tablespoons Watkins grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon Watkins garlic granules, or to taste

For Herb Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins parsley
Watkins Basil
Watkins Minced Green Onion
Watkins Marjoram
Watkins Thyme

For Spicy Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Chili Powder
Watkins Cilantro

For Dill Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Dill and parsley

For Greek Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Oregano
Watkins Parsley

For Rosemary Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of Watkins Rosemary, crumbled

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the bread into small cubes, you can cut off the crusts if you want. Place the bread cubes into a bowl. Drizzle bread with the grapeseed oil, sprinkle on garlic granules and herbs if desired and toss to mix.

Spread the seasoned bread cubes onto a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Tip: Use the smaller amount (1 T) of grapeseed oil to keep the calorie count down on your croutons. While grapeseed oil is the healthiest available all oils have the same calories.

Watkins grapeseed oil comes in three flavors; original unflavored, garlic and parsley and citrus cilantro so you can use the one that will enhance the flavor of your croutons.

What type of croutons are your favorites and what do you use them as a garnish for?

Here’s how to cook long grain rice:

1 cup white long grain rice
1 & 1/2 cups water

Place rice and water in a 1 quart sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover with a light fitting lid and cook for twenty minutes. (see tips below)

If you prefer a healthier whole grain version, here’s how to cook brown rice:

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water

Follow directions above but cook for 45 minutes or until rice is tender.

Tips for cooking, serving and spicing up rice:

• Watch the rice carefully, as soon as it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and cover with a lid.
• Don’t remove the lid before the suggested cooking time is up, you are basically steaming the rice so if you lift the lid, you let out the steam and the moisture. It will take longer to cook and may become over done or died out on the bottom of the pot.
• Don’t stir rice while cooking, after it’s cooked you can gently fluff it with a fork if you like.
• If you find your rice isn’t fluffy or is too sticky, try washing it first. Rinse the rice with cool water, several times or until the water doesn’t look milky. My mother always washed rice before she cooked it, I do as well depending on the variety.
• Need more rice? Simply double or triple the rice and water, keeping the same ratio and use a larger sauce pan.
• Cook extra, it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Re-heat cooked rice in the microwave, or add a couple tablespoons water to reheat on low in a pot on the stove top. Cooked rice is perfect for making fried rice, adding to casseroles, salads, rice pudding and more.
• Spice up your rice by adding 1 teaspoon Watkins chicken or beef soup base along with the water, then cook as usual.
• You can also add more flavor by adding some herbs and spices before cooking; try cumin, curry powder, garlic, omelet and soufflé seasoning, onion, sage, or tarragon.

If you follow the above tips, with practice you’ll be cooking and serving perfectly done rice every time!

The easiest method of cooking salmon is to simply season it with a little lemon pepper or fish and seafood seasoning; pan fry the steaks or fillets at medium-high heat in a little grapeseed oil. Cook for about 5 minutes per side or until the flesh has changed a lighter color and no longer looks opaque. The flesh is very delicate so take care when turning the pieces so the fish doesn’t break or fall apart.

As a general rule for each inch (2.5 cm) thickness it takes 10 minutes to cook fresh salmon, you’ll need to allow 12-15 minutes per inch if it’s partially thawed and 20 minutes per inch if the fish is frozen. You’ll need to add 5 minutes to total cooking time if salmon is wrapped in foil (see below).

How to Cook a Whole Salmon

The easiest way to cook a whole salmon is to bake it in the oven or cook it on the barbecue. Lay the whole salmon on a large piece of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with Watkins cooking spray. The foil needs to large enough to wrap around the fish to make a sealed package. You may also use parchment paper if you are baking it in the oven. Season the fish with fish and seafood seasoning or the herbs and spices of your choice (see below) as well as slices of lemon or a 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Cook for the time indicated above or until the fish is done.

Other spices to use with salmon are basil, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, chili powder, curry powder, cloves, dill, marjoram, oregano, tarragon and thyme.

The secret to moist, delicious salmon not to overcook it, and a sprinkling of just the right, good quality spices!

First husk the corn, this is simply peeling off the leaves and corn silk that cover the vegetable.

Place the corn on the cob in a large pot along with 2-3 inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until the kernels have changed color, they’ll turn a darker yellow. Pretty easy right?

If you are having a barbecue you can cook your corn right on the grill. Place the husked cobs on a medium hot grill, then turn cobs every 5 minutes until it done on all sides. Some people say to soak the corn in water for half an hour before you grill it but I’ve never bothered. You can wrap the corn with a dab of butter in tin foil and grill it as above.

Serve your corn on the cob with butter, flavored butter, regular or butter salt and black pepper!

The secret to great corn on the cob is to cook freshly picked corn, the husks and silk should be green, not dry. The kernels should be plump and milky went pierced with your finger nail.

Preheat a large cast iron or heavy bottomed fry pan or dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon or two of cooking oil like Watkins grapeseed oil. Sprinkle the pot roast liberally with onion and garlic granules and black pepper to taste. Brown the seasoned roast on all sides in the preheated pan, remove roast and place in roasting pan, or set aside on a plate if you are using a dutch oven. De-glaze frying pan (or dutch oven) by adding about a cup or water and 1-2 teaspoons of Watkins beef soup and gravy base, stir and scrape pan while heating to a boil. Return roast to dutch oven or pour pan juices over roast in the roaster. Cover and place in a 350 deg F oven for 2 – 3 hours. About an hour before the roast is done, add some peeled carrots and potatoes cut into large chunks, you can also add some onions, garlic or parsnips too if you like. Cover and place back in the oven. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the wonderful smell of your dinner as it’s cooking. When the vegetables are tender, remove roast and vegetables from the broth that formed. Make gravy by thickening the broth with about 1/4 cup flour, taste and add some salt & pepper if needed. Serve slices of pot roast with vegetables and gravy poured on top of all.

How To Cook Pot Roast In A Slow Cooker

A slow cooker is a great appliance to use for cooking a pot roast. After browning place the roast, pan juices and vegetables into the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 4 -5 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours. Serve as above.

Pot roasts are economical as they are the cheaper cuts of beef. The meat is less tender and has less fat however many people feel it has a better flavor. This moist cooking method tenderizes the meat and makes a flavorful meal. You’ll find all the spices and seasoning to make the best pot roast ever in the Watkins online catalog.

Prepare beets by cutting off the tops leaving a half inch of the stem, wash well but do not scrub, take care not to cut or damage the skin before cooking as the color will leach out. Place whole beets in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook until done. The time will vary depending on the size of your beets. After 15-20 minutes you can test small beets for tenderness by piercing one with a knife, larger beets will take longer. When beets are tender, drain and cover with cold water until they are cool enough to handle. Gently rub each beet with your fingers, the skin will slip right off, discard the skins and top bits. Slice, dice or leave the cooked beets whole if they are small, serve and enjoy. This sweet vegetable tastes wonderful garnished with a sliver of plain or herb butter.

Beets can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge until just before serving time, reheat over low heat with a couple of tablespoons of water and a bit of butter or grapeseed oil in a heavy bottomed pot or in the microwave.

What’s the right spices to use with beets? To perk up and ehance the flavor of your beets try a pinch of allspice, a sprinkle of black pepper or cinnamon, some caraway seeds, chives, dill, ginger, horseradish or parsley. To make pickled beets you’ll need pickling spices. I recommend that you use the best pure spices and herbs or organic herbs and spices.