Early Mother's Day Celebrations

It's still a week away, but Mother's Day Celebrations have arrived with a vengeance. First, the kiddos have been busy for two weeks at school preparing for our special Mother's Day Tea on Friday. Everyday they come home and say "we can't tell you what we did today because it's a secret!" Though, then Bud will add, "Yeah, I can't tell you about the [magnets, story, etc etc] because it's a secret." Sis will try to shush him to no avail. It's all very sweet. And so we are all wrapped in anticipation for the big event this week, even if the kids aren't so sure about "tea," ignoring my repeated assurances that we're apparently having lemonade! Sis is most interested in the little cakes. Of course.

And then, this weekend, we went to NYC to celebrate Mother's Day with Ma. The kids painted her a handprint bouquet about which they were very proud. "I'm just like an artist," Bud kept repeating as he carefully painted green stems. Sis was more concerned about color choices, trying to get the full spectrum from pink to purple. (It came out so well we're hoping to reproduce it for the other moms in our family. All of them. :) ). The day itself included beach time, where Sis buried my feet and hers several times and Bud constructed a large sand dragon and I made drip castles and mountains and enchanted forests. It was a whole magical world that Bud was loathe to leave. But lunch--all sorts of yummy grilled things ("Yay! Chicken on the bone!!!")--and then the ice cream man beckoned.

Lastly, though it was not officially in observance of Mother's Day, I went to a delightful brunch yesterday with a big group of my mom friends (while Mama took the kids to a birthday party, no less! Yes, I owe her). The group of us don't get together much anymore so it was fun to see everyone (though, I think I ended up talking to the people I see the most. Which was fine. It's never enough!). And we sure can cook--upside-down pineapple biscuits, German-baked eggs, chocolate monkey bread, a mango-bean salad, and a colorful fruit salad, etc etc etc. So of course, I'm gathering the recipes, since everyone wanted them. I'll be adding them below as I get them.

So, by the time the real Mother's Day gets here, we might be all partied out. Which is okay. Sitting around doing nothing much is a treat too!

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B's Pineapple Upside-Down Biscuits

• 1 (10-ounce) can crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 10 maraschino cherries (I couldn't find these, so I skipped them!)
• 1 (12-ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease 10 cups of a muffin tin. Strain the can of crushed pineapple, save juice for later. Combine the pineapple, sugar, and butter, and mix well. Divide the pineapple mixture among the muffin cups. Place a cherry in the center of each muffin cup, making sure cherry hits bottom of cup. Place 1 biscuit in each cup on top of sugar and pineapple mixture. Spoon 1 teaspoon reserved pineapple juice over each biscuit. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool for 2 minutes. Invert the pan onto a plate to release the biscuits. Serve warm.

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B's Brownie Cookie Bars

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2/3 cup flour

3/4 cup butter melted

1 egg

nuts (optional)

Bake in 8x8 square baking dish at 350 degrees for 35/40 minutes.

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Chocolate Monkey Bread

2 rolls store-bought buttermilk biscuits (or homemade bread dough)

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray Bundt or similar pan with cooking spray.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa in a large zipper bag or bowl. Cut buttermilk biscuits into quarters. Shake or toss biscuit quarters in the sugar-cinnamon-cocoa mixture. Distribute them evenly in Bundt pan. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips (note: you can also try to stuff 1-3 chips in each quarter of dough. But this is time consuming. The chips don't burn and the bread is not messy if you just sprinkle, especially if you do one layer of dough and then chips and then dough and then chips again).

Melt butter and brown sugar on stovetop or in microwave. Pour over dough in Bundt pan.

Bake approximately 30 minutes or until dough is puffy and brown--check for doughy, uncooked bits and continue cooking in 5 minute increments until done. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto serving plate. Pull apart to eat.

Mommy Hungry

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J's Stuffed Bread

(Cooked on Pampered Chef Large Bar Pan)

(2) Pillbury French Loaves (the refrigerated dough tubes)

(2) cups cooked broccoli

Pepperoni

Mozzarella Cheese

Take dough out of packaging and slice down middle, opening the tube into a long, flat surface.

Stuff as desired (I did broccoli and cheese)

Pinch up the seam and lay, seam side down, on bar pan.

Repeat with second loaf.

With two loaves lying next to each other, twist/braid/interlock as desired, always trying to keep the seam side down.

Coat final creation with LIGHT EGG (sorry about today!) for a golden/crisp look.

Bake as directed on label, adding approx. 5-10 minutes for it to bake through the ingredients.

Thanks!

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J9'sHam & Cheese Brunch Squares (Pampered Chef)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups (8 ounces) grated Colby & Monterey Jack cheese blended, divided
1 package (22.5 ounces) frozen toaster hash brown patties, thawed (10 patties)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 eggs
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces thickly sliced deli ham
4-5 green onions with tops, divided (1 cup sliced)
3 plum tomatoes (I forgot to add these…and didn’t miss them)



1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly brush large stone bar pan (cookie sheet 9x13) with oil. Grate cheese. Crumble hash browns over bar pan; press gently into an even layer. Sprinkle half of cheese evenly over hash browns. Bake 13-15 minutes or until crust starts to brown and cheese is melted.
2.Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth using whisk. Gradually add eggs and black pepper; whisk until smooth. Coarsely chop ham, slice green onions, reserving ¼ cup of the tops for garnish. Place ham and remains green onions in pan to cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until hot. Stir ham mixture into egg mixture.
3.Remove bar pan from over. Pour egg mixture over crust. Return bar pan to over; bake 6-8 minutes or until center is set. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half lengthwise, scrape seeds out and dice. Remove bar pan from oven; top with remaining cheese, tomatoes and reserved onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Cut into squares.

Side note: I have made this the night before. I cooked the hash browns in oven, let it cool. Then poured the egg mixture on and put in fridge overnight. It has to cook about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

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Black and white bean salad with Mango and cilantro

Ingredients

3 sundried tomatoes (in oil) and then chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup of cilantro
1 shallot minced
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1/2 cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans of black beans (15.5oz)
2 cans of navy beans (15.5 oz)
1 ripe mango diced (not too ripe)
1 medium cucumber peeled, seeded and diced


In medium bowl combine tomatoes (including sundried), cilantro and minced shallot stir in vinegar, then gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified, season with salt and pepper.

In large serving bowl combine beans, diced mango, cucumber. Pour dressing over bean mixture and set aside for 30 minutes unrefrigerated. Serve at room temperature.

ENJOY!