A Mother'sDay Memory

There is an old saying, "If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen." To my knowledge my mother never slept in the kitchen but she could have. The kitchen was grand central station while feeding our family of seven. Now the kitchen is filled with grandchildren, family & friends. Like most moms she deserves a special breakfast in bed... especially on Mother's Day.

Breakfast in Bed, is an act that requires some thought and little bit of planning. Begin the morning by serving your mom with a pretty bed tray accompanied by her favorite novel or a stack of magazines that she has been longing to read. Prop up her pillows and bed linens so she is comfy and ready to sip on her pot of coffee or favorite teas. What to serve??? Here's a menu that is easy to make with pretty presentation and delicious! Tried and Tested... Mom Approved.

For the main entree, serve mom a Ramekin Baked Egg Soufflé

Egg Souffle Recipe

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Food Stylist, Recipe Development

This soufflé is filled with fresh whipped eggs, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, mushrooms and organic baby spinach. A slice of Salted Caramel Pecan Coffeecake, Layered Fruit Salad with Lime Pear Sauce, and a warm pot of Vanilla Almond Tea or coffee rounds out this blissful morning breakfast. (Not to worry I have all the recipes on the next few pages).

Warm your mothers heart and make her breakfast in bed. This will be a memory she will always remember.

Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Food Stylist, Recipe Development

Easy Egg Soufflé

Egg Souffle Recipe

Liz Bushong Photographer, Food Stylist, Recipe Development

1-16 ounce small curd cottage cheese

3 egg whites

3 egg yolks + 2 eggs

¼ cup buttermilk

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt and white pepper

1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup diced fresh mushrooms

4-5 organic fresh spinach, chopped

8 slices of smoked bacon- cooked and crumbled.

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.Place cottage cheese in bowl of food processor with steel blade, process until smooth.

3.Pour cottage cheese in separate bowl,set aside.

4.Add egg whites to processor, pulse until foamy,add next 5 ingredients, process.

5.Combine egg mixture with cottage cheese. Stir in remaining ingredients.

6.Grease 8 medium sized ramekins or standard cupcake pan with cooking spray. Pour mixture into pans 2/3 full. Place on baking sheet to bake.

7.Bake 15-20 minutes or until edges are puffed and light brown.

8.Eggs will fall after removing from oven. Stack two together if needed. Yield: 8 servings

Fruit Salad Lime Pear Sauce

Delicious Fruit Salad with Lime Pear Sauce Recipe

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Food Stylist, Recipe Development

2- 15 ounce canned pear halves in heavy syrup- drained, reserve 1 cup

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1-teaspoon butter

2-teaspoon lime juice

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

1-16 ounce canned pineapple chunks, drained

12 fresh strawberries, 6 sliced 6 whole for garnish

1 medium banana, sliced

1-11ounce canned mandarin oranges, drained

3 Kiwi, as garnish- peeled and sliced

½ cup sliced almonds as garnish

Instructions:

1.Drain pears, reserve 1-cup juice. In small bowl, mix 2 tablespoon of juice with 2 tablespoons of flour and beaten egg. Stir until smooth. In small saucepan, add remaining juice, flour, egg mixture. Whisk until smooth and thick, add butter, and stir to blend. Remove sauce from heat.

2.Whip heavy cream with confectioners sugar; gently fold cooled sauce into whipped cream.Set aside.

3.Cut 4 pear halves into vertical slices as a garnish for top of layered salad. Dice remaining halves into bite sized pieces. Reserve the following fruits for garnish, pear slices, strawberries, and kiwi.

4.Layer diced pears, pineapple, banana, strawberries and oranges into large glass bowl, or 6 medium sized glass parfaits or bowls. Spread whipped cream mixture on top of fruit. Refrigerate overnight if desired.

5.Just before serving,arrange reserved fruit and almonds in decorative pattern. Yield: 6

Salted Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

Instructions:

1.Grease and flour 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.Cream sugar and butter in large bowl. Add eggs, extract.Combine flour, soda and baking powder in separate bowl.Alternately add flour mixture, sour cream to butter mixture. Beat until fluffy.

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1-cup butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1-teaspoon baking powder

1-cup sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Filling:

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Caramel Topping:

½ cup butter

6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

¾ cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

½ cup course sea salt- garnish

3.Prepare filling:combine ingredients for filling, set aside.

4.Pour half the batter into prepared pan, sprinkle with filling, add remaining batter.

5.Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

6.Meanwhile in saucepan, combine all ingredients for topping. Stir to combine.

7.Remove coffee cake from oven and pour caramel topping on top of warm cake.

Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Food Stylist, Recipe

8.Broil cake, watching to make sure topping doesn’t burn, for 2 minutes until topping begins to bubble. Add course sea salt as the garnish.

9.Let cake cool completely before slicing and serving. Cut into squares and place on decorative plate or platter.

Yield: 6-8 servings

IN BLOOM Bring sunshine to your tray with fresh tulips

Make a Tray: Line a shadow box with pretty napkin cover with glass from shadow box, add cabinet pulls for tray handles.

All About the Table Magazine-2023- Spring-29

The Sunny Side of Spring

DIY-Daffodil Centerpiece

Fresh Daffodil Centerpiece DIY

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Stylist, Floral Designer

Vase Supplies:

1-4" wide x 7" tall (An empty black plastic protein powder container works great.)

1 medium green rubber band

13-14 standard wooden shims

Wooden Shem's covered with adhesive moss for vase

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Stylist

Faux moss with adhesive back Scissors, clippers, wire cutter

DIY Adding Moss covered Shem's for vase

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Tutorial

Moss Covered Wooden Shem's for Vase

Liz Bushong, Photographer, DIY Tutorial

Vase Materials for Spring Daffodil Arrangement

Liz Bushong, Floral Designer, Photographer

2 stems wired pussy willows

20-25 cut fresh boxwood stems

Bouquet: Flowers

3 stems white hydrangea

3 stems green hydrangea

25-30 fresh daffodil stems

3-5 stems tete-a tete daffodils

3 stems faux or live forsythia

Moss and Boxwood Vase, Supplies for Daffodil Centerpiece

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Floral Tutorial

3-5 stems cream freesia

3-5 tree twigs from yard

How To Make Vase

Cut & cover shims with sticky moss, position rubber band on center of vase, add moss shims under band around vase Place boxwood stems under rubber band around vase, wrap pussy willow stems around rubber band. Make sure you cover the band. Fill vase with water, ready for florals.

Moss covered vase for Daffodil Centerpiece

Liz Bushong, Floral Tutorial

Tutorials

All About the Table Magazine-2023- Spring-32

Spring Daffodil Centerpiece

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Designer-DIY

Spring Table Place Setting

Liz Bushong, Photographer, Stylist, Designer