Mother's Day Special
by Cathy Brown
es, it’s Mother’s Day again. You know MOM. The one who loves you UNCONDITIONALLY!
In other words, NO MATTER WHAT!
I know you all want to do something really nice for mom. But at the same time, you might not want to go out to eat and fight the throngs of people taking THEIR moms out. And it’s going to be a beautiful day in the Lowcountry and you’re going to want to spend it on the beach or on the river or maybe even in the backyard. How about a picnic? Any mom would LOVE to have a picnic lunch outdoors. I know I would. What kind of picnic lunch could you whip up that would make mama proud? Well, I’ve made it easy for all of you NON-chefs.
Believe it or not, there are really good ready made products out there, that with just a little bit of time, would make a picnic lunch fit for a queen. Try these menu ideas and I can guarantee that MOM and GRANDMOM will absolutely LOVE you for it. You will make lots of points here.
PS. Somebody copy these to my family... PLEASE!!
Shrimp Cocktail with Cocktail Sauce – I know that you can catch these guys all day long, but if you don’t have a boat or you’re not into shrimping, you can buy them already cooked and peeled in the freezer section at the Seafood Dept. at any Grocery store. (Don’t buy the easy peel ones. Mom just wants to pick them up and eat. Tails are ok) Pack them frozen so by the time you get there and lay them out, they’ll be thawed and icy cold. Dip them in some prepared cocktail sauce. (Also in the Seafood Section).
Home Baked Cookies
Notice I didn’t say homeMADE. In the dairy case, Pillsbury and Toll House have giant cookie dough cookies ready to just put on a cookie sheet and bake. You can pick from Oatmeal Raisin to White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. EASY!! And GOOD! Mom will never know you didn’t make these from scratch. Or she won’t let on anyway.
Assorted Sandwich Wraps These are the most difficult of the tasks, but easy enough that even the youngest of the group can help. These are just a few examples. You can use whatever ingredients you choose. Recipes follow. If you really can’t put these together, some stores have some ready-made in the deli section. (Don’t buy subs, make sure they’re wraps)
Add to the above some chips and fresh fruit and veggies. You can buy the fruit already cut up and bags of baby carrots and broccoli/cauliflower are washed and ready to eat in the Produce section. Pick out mom’s favorite beverages and you’re all set! Just grab them off the grocery store shelf and put on ice.
Now all you need are some pretty paper plates and napkins, also at the store. A PICNIC FIT FOR A QUEEN! Oh, and don’t forget the card.
Turkey/Hummus Wrap
2 Spinach Herb Wraps (down the ethnic food aisle)
3⁄4 c prepared Hummus Dip (in the deli section)
20-30 Fresh Spinach leaves
8 ozs. Deli turkey, sliced thin
Spread 1⁄2 the hummus on each wrap. Top with Spinach leaves and turkey. Loosely roll and serve.
Chicken Pesto Wrap (My personal favorite)
2 Sundried Tomato Basil Wraps
1⁄2 cup prepared Pesto (in the refrigerated section, usually near dairy)
3⁄4 c Kraft shredded Italian Cheese
8 oz. Tyson cooked Chicken Strips, thawed. (in the frozen foods)
Spread 1⁄4 c pesto on each wrap. Top with 4 oz. chicken strips and 1⁄2 the shredded cheese on each. Roll and serve.
Smoked Salmon Wrap
2 Plain Wraps
8 ozs. Cream Cheese
4 ozs. Smoked Salmon
2 T Capers
Chop Salmon and mix with cream cheese and capers. Divide the mixture in half and spread on each wrap. Roll and serve.
Special thanks to Lori Anthony for her willingness to use her amazing photographic talents and to Mary, who graciously and trustingly opens her special closet of “props” to me.
Please e-mail me and let me know how mom liked her special day. You can print this article and these recipes from my website
www.SouthernLifestyleGroup.com/Cathy
