Cooking for Mum this Mother’s Day

Have a look at these great Mother’s Day recipes and ideas – a little bit of preparation will go a long way!

So, as a mum of two (soon-to-be three), I’m here to offer some insider tips for menu planning. A tiny bit of preparation goes a long way – and I promise the result will be a very happy mummy for the rest of the day!

Perfect Mother's Day breakfast

First, let’s tackle breakfast. Fresh fruit, a glass of fruit juice and a nice cup of tea will get you off to a very good start. Next, I’d recommend some very easy scrambled eggs jazzed up with chopped smoked salmon, which you can stir into the beaten egg before cooking or simply serve next to the cooked scrambled egg with some fresh bread and butter. Another breakfast favourite of ours is Jamie’s one-cup pancakes with blueberries – extra easy because you only need a cup to measure the ingredients, which means no scales. Add a handful of fresh blueberries to the batter, then tumble a few onto the plate when you serve the pancakes, with a little drizzle of maple syrup or a light dusting of icing sugar. If you have any mint to hand, a few little sprigs will make the dish look pretty and add a lovely aroma, too.

If you are taking mum out for breakfast (another nice option) you could bake a little something in advance instead. Cupcakes or muffins are generally easy to make, and you can decorate them in any way you like. You could melt some white chocolate to drizzle over, or top them with a little whipped fresh cream and some fresh fruit. Have look at these simple rhubarb and ginger muffins, which can be made with some pretty pink, seasonal rhubarb. If you wanted to use a different type of fruit, you could use pear pieces instead, and follow the rest of the recipe as it is. There are lots of other cakes, cupcakes and teatime treats that you might like to try, too – take a look here for some more good ideas.

Edible gifts for mum

For a simple homemade gift for Mum, Jamie’s homemade chocolate surprise truffles are really special. Have fun following the recipe but don’t forget that you can be creative with the flavourings – try adding a few drops of orange essence or oil, some chopped pistachio nuts, or simply roll the chocolate truffles in good-quality cocoa or toasted hazelnuts. The “surprise” in the recipe is a pinch of chilli – just be very careful not to add too much! Finish off your handmade gift by finding a pretty box to put them in, lined with a little scrunched-up tissue paper to keep the delicate truffles from rolling around too much.