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Mother's Day Brunch; Why head to a restaurant when you can give mom the benefits of a home-cooked meal?

By Tom Saaristo, Source: Tribune Media Services

Instead of taking your mother to a restaurant for Mother’s Day brunch made with a week’s worth of restaurant leftovers for which you’ll pay handsomely, step up and make brunch for her. You can do it. You’ll save cash — even after buying sparkling wine and fresh crab — and earn mom-points for creating something from your heart. She’ll know how much you care, but never guess how easy these beautiful dishes were to make.

Tangerine Mimosa

The secret to a great Mimosa is in the quality of the juice.

Ingredients

1 gallon tangerine juice, chilled

1 750 ml bottle Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Method

Pour tangerine juice into a champagne flute to one-third full. Top with champagne. Garnish with tangerine slice or fresh strawberry.

Easy & Beautiful Finger Sandwiches

The great thing about these little guys is that you get four finger sandwiches with one whole sandwich.

Watercress & Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Cheese with Black Sesame Crust on Whole Grain

Ingredients

1 cup fresh watercress

4 tablespoons cream cheese

3 sun-dried tomatoes, diced fine

4 tablepsoons black sesame seeds

2 slices whole grain bread, crusts removed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Method

Wash watercress well and cut off stems. Dry in a salad spinner or in a clean kitchen towel. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and diced sun-dried tomato. Spread cream cheese mixture over a slice of bread. Distribute watercress evenly over cream cheese. Butter second slice of bread and press buttered-side of bread down on watercress. Cut sandwich into four fingers or triangles. Spread black sesame seeds evenly on a plate. Press cut sides of finger sandwiches into sesame seeds and place on plate; sesame seed side showing.

Smoked Salmon & Lemon Compound Butter with Chervil “crust” on light rye

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 slices light rye bread, crusts removed

Zest from one lemon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 ounces smoked salmon

1 paper thin slice Vidalia or red onion

1 teaspoon caper berries

4 tablespoons fresh minced chervil

Method

In a small bowl, combine butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine. Butter one slice of bread with 2 tablespoons of butter. Repeat with remaining butter and slice of bread. Arrange salmon neatly on one slice of bread. Top with sliced onion and sprinkle with caper berries. Top with second slice of bread, butter-side down. Cut sandwich into 4 fingers or triangles. Spread minced chervil onto a small plate. Press cut side of finger sandwiches into chervil and place on service plate with chervil side showing.

Cherry Chicken Salad with Paprika “crust” on French bread

Ingredients

1 fully-cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded

1/4 cup tart dried cherries

1/3 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

2 teaspoons raspberry vinaigrette

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 slices French bread

4 tablespoons paprika

Method

Combine chicken, cherries, mayonnaise, and raspberry vinaigrette in a medium bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Spread chicken salad evenly over one slice of bread. Top with the other slice and press to adhere. Cut sandwich into fingers or triangles. Place paprika onto a small place. Press cut side of finger sandwiches into paprika and place on service plate with paprika side showing.

Spicy Crab Cakes

My blue crab cakes are rich and spicy and a true treat for the shellfish-loving mom. Look for pasteurized blue crab at the seafood counter at your favorite store or online. When buying online, make sure you are dealing with a reputable seller and that they are packing and selling only fresh crab.

Ingredients

1 small red onion, diced fine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow bell pepper, diced fine

1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced (see Cook’s note)

1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

2 teaspoons herbs de Provence

1/2 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 lb back fin blue crab

Olive oil or unsalted butter, for frying

Method

Sauté onion in butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper and continue to sauté until onion is translucent and bell pepper and jalapeno are cooked through and beginning to brown around edges. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl make the “sauce” that will bind the crab cakes by combining mayonnaise, Dijon, bread crumbs, Old Bay, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix thoroughly and then whisk in the egg. Add crab meat and gently fold into sauce. Use your hands to form the crab cakes into patties about the size of a hockey puck. Place on a plate lined with waxed or parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator 2 to 4 hours. Chilling will aid in keeping crab cakes from falling apart.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil or butter to a large sauté pan. When the oil begins to shimmer, or foam from butter has subsided, add cold crab cakes. Brown cakes on one side, 7 to 9 minutes, turn over and brown other side. Remove crab cakes from pan

to a plate lined with paper toweling. Arrange cakes on luncheon or dinner plates and serve with Asian Pear Slaw.

Cook’s note: If mom isn’t a fan of heat, omit the jalapeno, or control the heat by removing as many of the ribs and seeds as you wish. Be mindful that each pepper will vary in heat depending on age and Mother Nature. If you’re mom loves heat, use her favorite chili keeping in mind other family members and friends.

Asian Pear Slaw

This fresh fruit slaw has lots of flavor, no mayonnaise, and is the perfect foil for the rich and spicy crab cakes.

Ingredients

2 naval oranges

1 Asian Pear, washed and peeled

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, toasted

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Slice top and the bottom off the oranges. Remove peel by using a sharp knife and starting at top, slice down side of fruit towards bottom, removing as much of the peel and as little of the fruit as possible. Work around fruit to remove entire peel. Holding the peeled fruit in your hand over a shallow bowl, slice between membranes towards center of fruit, releasing just the suprêmes into bowl. Continue working around the fruit. Once all suprêmes have been removed, squeeze what is left through a strainer to collect the juice.

Core Asian pear and julienne into matchsticks; add julienned Asian to the orange suprêmes. Dress with olive oil, oregano and black sesame seeds. Toss to combine and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Fresh Raspberry Sour Cream Tart

The prettiest and easiest “cheesecake” you’ll ever make is a smooth and creamy tart, punctuated by sour cream and plump tart raspberries.

Ingredients

For the crust:
8 graham crackers, broken into pieces
1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted


For the filling:
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Special equipment: 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom

Method

 Heat oven to 375°

Put crackers and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to coarse crumbs. Drizzle in the butter and process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until crust is firm to the touch, 8 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in sour cream, lime juice and vanilla extract. Spread filling in cooled crust. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours; can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled. Arrange raspberries over filling. Whisk jam in small bowl to loose consistency. Drizzle over berries. Serve immediately or chill up to 3 hours.

Perfect Tea

Ending your Mother’s Day brunch with the perfect cup of tea shows your mum you’ve got class. This easy method guarantees a perfect cup every time.

Method

Fill a tea pot with hot tap water and set aside. Put a kettle of water on stove and bring to a rolling, whistling boil. Empty tea pot and add 1 tablespoon favorite tea leaves and add one for the pot. Pour boiling water over the tea leaves, cover and steep 4 minutes. Pour tea into tea cups through a strainer. Serve with simple syrup, milk and lemon wedges.