Locally Grown: Pamper Mom with a tasty treat By Loretta Haring
Sunday is Mother's Day - which seems to be universally described as either a celebration of motherhood or a day off for the matriarch of the family.
If you want an excuse to eat out, this is as good as it gets. Many restaurants offer special brunches or dinner menus with tantalizing treats for mom. With the added "no clean-up" bonus, it's a gift sure to be appreciated.
The most important thing to think about, though, is mom herself. For a very harried mom, holiday heaven might be a day without the kids, stretched out on a deck chair with a PAMA martini. But another mom might appreciate the opportunity to do something fun with the kids, like making Lazy Daisy Cupcakes, rather than family time being limited to homework, sports and chores.
Mother's Day shouldn't be about money, and it shouldn't be about what is easiest. The kids should be encouraged to take the lead, but dad can always offer a separate token of appreciation for the mother of his children.
Mother's Day is harder for adults who find themselves separated from their mom. Special remembrances or stories about things they are missing make those cards and phone calls more special.
If I had to pick one food to associate with my mother, it would be rhubarb. And while she often turned a tart tongue on me when I misbehaved, that's not the reason she's linked in my mind with this strange vegetable. Rhubarb crisp was one of the first recipes I was allowed to make on my own. Plus, an abundance of plants gave me an excuse to try many different recipes.
Every spring I grab some stalks when it is stocked in the grocery stores and torment my family with this obviously acquired taste.
RHUBARB CRISP
2 pounds rhubarb, sliced about 3/4-inch thick
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup flour; set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine remaining 1/2 cup flour and the butter. Pulse until the butter pieces are the size of coarse oats. Add brown sugar, oatmeal and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over rhubarb.
Bake until rhubarb is tender and topping is golden, 35 to 45 minutes.
LAZY DAISY CUPCAKES
Favorite Brand Name Simple 1-2-3 Cooking for Kids
1 package yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare mix
1 16-ounce container vanilla frosting
Yellow food coloring
30 large marshmallows
24 small round candies or gumdrops
Line 24 standard muffin pan cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare cake mix and bake in prepared muffin cups according to package directions. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire racks; cool completely.
Add food coloring to frosting, a few drops at a time, until desired color is reached. Frost cooled cupcakes with tinted frosting.
Cut each marshmallow crosswise into 4 pieces with scissors. Stretch pieces into petal shapes; place 5 pieces on each cupcake to form flower. Place candy in center of each flower.
If you are seriously kitchen-challenged but want to make something special for mom, here are a couple of very easy options that should be a hit.
YOGURT WITH HONEY AND BERRIES
31/3 cups plain yogurt
2 cups fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
3/4 cup honey
Wash and pat dry the berries. If using strawberries, cut into quarters.
Divide the yogurt and berries among four dessert glasses or bowls. Drizzle with honey and serve.
RASPBERRY CAKES
Better Homes and Gardens
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup lemon curd
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 4.5-ounce package prepared shortcakes
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons raspberry preserves
Fresh raspberries
Small fresh mint leaves
For frosting, in small bowl beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium until smooth. Beat in lemon curd. Add powdered sugar; beat until smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
Place two cakes, well sides up, on two dessert plates. Divide berries, in a single layer, between wells of two cakes. Spoon 1/2 tablespoon preserves over each. Place remaining cakes, well sides down, over filling. Spread frosting on cakes. Serve immediately or refrigerate, loosely covered, up to 48 hours.
To serve, stir remaining raspberry preserves; spoon on cakes. Top with additional raspberries and mint leaves. Makes 2 cakes (4 servings).
Tongues of Fire
Davidsonville United Methodist Church's "Tongues of Fire" ministry barbecue team will be serving barbecued chicken and pulled pork at the church's annual Strawberry Festival, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 24 at the church located at 819 W. Central Ave. in Davidsonville.
Along with the scrumptious meats, baked beans and cole slaw will be available. If you stopped by the church last month for the TOF sandwiches (where they sold out an hour before closing), you know to come early.
With your continued support the Volunteers in Mission Ministry Team can continue to help rebuild homes damaged by natural disasters.
Of course, since this is a strawberry festival, you can also buy strawberry pies, strawberry cheescake pies, strawberry smoothies, strawberry shortcake and strawberries and ice cream, plus other baked goods, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages and drinks. There will be games for younger children with assorted prizes. Proceeds will benefit the Appalachia Service Project, a housing repair mission trip the youth participate in each year.
The TOF team recently participated in the Pork in the Park contest in Salisbury. In only its second contest, the team scored 20th out of 84 teams for its pulled pork entry. TOF also scored 22nd in the Perdue chicken category and 26th with its chicken thighs entry.
