Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Delightful Mother's Day Ideas

Mom water-skiing
FD728B7D-E148-43B4-9752-DE8866DCA837-1

Spring Violet and Blackberry Latte

Kick off Mother's Day with a colorful and delectable Spring Violet and Blackberry Latte. Making your own signature latte is both easy and fun, offering a unique twist to the morning's first cup. Start with a base of rich, freshly brewed espresso, and then whisk in steamed milk infused with my easy recipe for blackberry syrup.  You could also buy violet syrup online. Both Monin and 1883 make a delicious violet syrup. Top your iced latte with a few washed violet flowers from the garden. You can also use the native violets for a cute little bouquet for mom. 

 

Black Berry Syrup

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water

Instructions

  1. Rinse blackberries

  2. Place blackberries and water into a blender until liquefied

  3. Strain this blackberry liquid with a fine colander into a small sauce pot

  4. Add sugar and stir over medium high heat until mixture bubbles and sugar dissolves

  5. Let simmer about 3 minutes on low heat

  6. Let cool completely

  7. Pour into your container of choice

Blackberries and honey

Easy and Elegant Breakfast

Spanish french toast - Torrijas

I had the pleasure of baking with a chef in Spain that taught be to make her family’s Torrijas,  or Spanish French toast. This recipe is traditionally served at Easter but can  be made any time of the year. I used Ozery breakfast buns but you could also use brioche or Italian bread soaked in a rich mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, fried to perfection. Rolled in cinnamon and sugar, these thick slices of French toast are best served warm with some fresh fruit.

Torrijas (Spanish French Toast)

Ingredients

  • 1 orange
  • 3 cups whole milk (or dairy free milk)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 tbs. honey
  • 1 tbs. granulated sugar
  • 6 slices stale Italian bread or Ozery apple breakfast buns
  • 2 eggs
  • Good Quality olive oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar for coating
  • 2 tbs. ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Infuse the milk: Use a vegetable peeler to peel a thin, wide strip of lemon or orange peel (or one of each). Scrape off any of the bitter white piths with a paring knife. Add to a medium saucepan the milk, honey, sugar, and one cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then take the pan off the heat and let cool to lukewarm, about 30 minutes. Stir the milk occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Remove the cinnamon stick and citrus peels.

  2. Soak the bread: Arrange 6 thick slices of stale bread in a single layer in a large, shallow dish or a small, rimmed sheet pan. Pour the cooled milk over the bread slices. Let rest until the bread has soaked up all of the milk, about 30 minutes.

  3. When the bread has soaked for 30 minutes, get ready to cook. Line a large plate with paper towels. Beat 2 eggs in a wide, shallow bowl. In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan (about 2 to 3 tablespoons).
  4. Coat and cook the torrijas. Working with one slice of bread at a time, gently remove the bread from the dish and dip both sides in the beaten egg. Work carefully as the soaked bread might break apart easily.
  5. Fry the bread. Immediately place the coated bread in the hot oil to fry. Cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden. Transfer to the lined plate. Continue with the remaining slices of bread, coating and frying one or two slices at a time depending on the size of the pan.

  6. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and toss the fried slices in the mixture.
    Top with fresh fruit and honey or maple syrup.

 

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream For Mom

IMG_2850-1

No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen or FRESH strawberries, thawed at room temperature for 10 minutes
  • One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
  • Optional Mix-ins: handfull of chocolate chips or yogurt covered pretzels (crushed)
  • 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, chilled

Instructions

  1. For the ice cream: Pulse the strawberries in a food processor until you achieve pea-size chunks. Add the condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Pulse to combine; remove to a medium bowl and set aside.

  2. Whip the cream with a mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes.
  3. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.
  4. Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, and freeze, covered, until thick and creamy, like soft-serve, about 2 hours.
  5. Swirl in any desired mix-ins with a spoon. Continue to freeze, covered, until solid but able to be scooped (about 3 hours).

 

 

Leave a comment

Read On

Mini Cheese Herb Breads

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday because it’s all about the things most important to me:...