photo by bschmove

Mother’s Day traditions often include a meal out. You don’t want mom to have to think about cooking, and you want to pamper her on her special day. Showing you care doesn’t have to be a large expense. This year, instead of a crowded restaurant, family members can chip in and prepare a special meal for her at home. Add coffee or tea to round off the following brunch plan.

Breakfast Lasagna

10 slices bread
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
8 eggs
3 cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups spaghetti sauce, warmed

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch pan. Trim crusts from bread, and cut into cubes. Crumble sausage into a large skillet. Add onion, mushrooms and peppers. Cook until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are soft. Place half the bread cubes in a prepared pan. Add a layer of half the sausage mixture, and top that with half the cheese. Repeat layers. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Evenly pour into the pan with layered ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes so bread soaks up egg mixture. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes, and cut into squares. Drizzle with warm spaghetti sauce before serving.

Skinflint Scones

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup mix-ins (I use 1/4 cup white chocolate and 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips. You can use nuts, Craisins, etc.)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into the dry mixture. Add your mix-ins, and stir. Combine the wet ingredients, and then blend into the dry mixture until it forms one big ball, being very careful not to overmix. It should be fairly sticky. Using your hands, pull it apart into eight biscuitlike mounds and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 11 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden. If desired, top with an icing made from confectioners’ sugar, additional vanilla and water. — Kim, New York

Fruit Kabobs

Apples, bananas, seedless grapes, pineapple chunks, cantaloupe, kiwi, sliced honeydew, strawberries
yogurt

Wash and cut fruit into chunks. Slide pieces of fruit onto wooden skewers, and create your kabob by putting fruit in any order. A uniform pattern looks best. Do this until the skewer is covered from end to end. Leave space on both ends to handle kabobs. Serve with yogurt.

Punch

1 (12-ounce) can frozen orange-juice concentrate
1 (46-ounce) can sweetened pineapple juice
1-3/4 cups lemon juice
2 cups granulated sugar
1 gallon water

In a punch bowl, combine orange-juice concentrate, pineapple juice, lemon juice and sugar. Stir in water.

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