by Guest Columnist & KosherEye Friend, Eileen Goltz
Oy vey, it’s Mother’s Day again, time for the annual “honor your mother” dilemma. Flowers and Candy? Candy and Brunch? Brunch and a Present? Present and Mushy Card? Phone Call and Jewelry? The options (and opportunity to really to really mess up) are endless. This is where I, as your trusty guide through all things “present” and culinary can really help you out.
My advice, ah hem...DO EVERYTHING YOU’VE BEEN PROMISING TO DO BUT NEVER GOTTEN AROUND TO and feed her AND CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS. Simple effective advice and guaranteed to make the mom, step−mom, mom−in−law, grandmother or the woman in your life, who is like a mother to you, weep for joy and rejoice in the knowledge that her “to do” list has been emptied. Presents and meals are all well and good, but trust me on this, showing her your love by DOING what’s important to her means way more than all you can eat at a buffet and a “world’s best mom” charm bracelet.
Need suggestions? Clean out the (in no particular order) closet, garage, basement, attic, and throw away or give away all the “stuff” that has been annoying your mom for years or decades. Change the oil, rotate the tires, fix the broken (fill in the blank here), weed and till the garden, plant the flowers, wash her car, make up with (if you can or at least call a truce) your brother or sister or uncle or cousin or whom−so−ever the rift is causing her pain. Odds are you don’t even remember what the fight was about and the ability to forgive is a gift that keeps on giving. In other words, think and do what she has told you she wants, what she doesn’t have time to do, or what you know she needs done but can’t do herself. Of course if you’re giving her a car, or new washing machine or a trip to Hawaii, forget all of the above paragraphs and go for it.
As for the food aspect of the day, taking the mom out of the kitchen is always a good idea. You can fight the surging mass of humanity that is looking for the best buffet ever or create a wonderful lunch brunch, at home, with ingredients that you have on hand (or a quick run to the grocery). I’m going to give you a couple of absolutely super-delicious recipes that even those helping hands as young as 4 or 5 can participate in and know that their presence and participation are an integral part of the best present ever, as are unconditional love, and the willingness to clean up the mess mom usually does the other 364 days of the year.
- Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Casserole
- Raisin Bread Bake
- Apple Lasagna
- Kid Friendly Cinnamon Rolls
- Potato, Salmon and Spinach Casserole
About the Author
Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher food writer who was born and raised in the Chicago area. She graduated from Indiana University and the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. She lectures on various food-related topics for various newspapers, magazines and websites across the U.S., Canada, and South Africa as well as the OU Shabbat Shalom Website. She is the author of Perfectly Parve Cookbook (Feldheim) and is a contributing writer for the Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Group, Chicago Sun Times, Detroit Free Press and Woman’s World Magazine. You can visit Eileen's blog at CuisinebyEileen.com.