Surprise Mum with some snacking sensations this Mother's Day. From a Mother's Day Mezze to your very own No.1 Mum Selection Box - these super simple recipes will make her day!

Mother's Day Mezze

A platter packed with mezze faves for Mum and the whole family to share and best of all - no cooking required! Full of hummus pots with various toppings, yogurts with honey and pomegranate toppings, flatbreads, stuffed peppers, olives, falafel, feta cubes, mixed nuts, radish disks, cucumber and pitta.

Serves - 4-8 (any leftovers can be popped in the fridge to bulk out your mid-week lunches)

Ingredients (pick and choose Mum's faves):

Dips:

  • Hummus (original/sweet chilli/red pepper/caramelised onion/Moroccan/jalapeno/pesto)
  • Labneh
  • Tzatziki
  • Chilli oil to drizzle

Yogurt:

  • Greek Yogurt
  • Pistachios roughly chopped
  • Pomegranate seeds/figs quartered/blood orange cut into segments
  • Honey to drizzle
  • Cinnamon to sprinkle

For the rest:

  • Flatbreads/pittas/crusty bread cubes
  • Stuffed peppers/pickled Peppers/Pickled chillies/mixed olives
  • Falafel
  • Prepared couscous
  • Continental meat platter
  • Feta cut into cubes/Cheddar cut into cubes/Gouda cut into wedges or slices
  • Stuffed vine leaves
  • Mixed nuts
  • Halved radishes
  • Sliced peppers and red onion
  • Cucumber fingers
  • Lemon wedges, coriander and parsley leaves to garnish

The Ultimate Breakfast Board

Start Mother’s Day the right way with the ultimate breakfast board. Because where’s the fun in brekkie in bed if you can’t share? Which side are you on?

 

Serves - 4-8 (plus leftovers for brekkie the next day)
Time - 40 mins

Ingredients

For team cooked:

  • 3 tbsps olive oil (1 for sausages, 1 for tomatoes & 1 for eggs)
  • 210g streaky bacon
  • 400g sausages
  • 6 hash browns
  • Vine tomatoes
  • 415g tin baked beans
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 slices of white/brown bread
  • Butter to spread on bread
  • Chopped chives to serve

For team continental:

  • A selection of pastries & muffins
  • 120g continental meats
  • 175g of cheeses sliced or cut into cubes (e.g. Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyere, Manchego etc...)
  • 500g Greek yogurt
  • 100g granola
  • 300g fruit (e.g. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries etc...)
  • Honey to drizzle on yogurt
  • Jam to spread on pastries

Method

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line 3 baking trays (1 large and 2 medium) with baking paper. On the largest tray lay out your streaky bacon in a single layer and season with a crack of pepper, in one of the medium baking trays, add your sausages, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper. In your other medium tray, lay out your hash browns.
  2. Start by popping your tray of sausages in the oven for 30 mins. After 5 mins, add your hash browns. When your sausages only have 15-20 mins left, add your tray of bacon. When there is only 10 mins left, squeeze your hash browns to one side and add your tomatoes to the empty side before drizzling with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of seasoning and returning to the oven.
  3. After adding your tomtoes to the oven, pop your beans in a pan and heat gently over a medium-low heat. While your beans heat, add 1 tbsp oil to a small-medium non-stick skillet pan over a medium heat. Once hot, crack in your eggs and cook until your egg white is set. Season with salt and pepper and scatter with chives!
  4. Pop your bread in the toaster! Remove your sausages, bacon, hash browns and tomatoes from the oven. You are now ready to create your board.
  5. Pop any items such as beans, yogurt, granola, honey and spreads in bowls. Pop your skillet of eggs and bowl of beans on one side and arrange all other cooked ingredients loosely around. Pop all Continental bowls on the other side and loosely arranged pastries, meats, cheese and fruit around.

No.1 Mum Selection Box

Life is like a box of chocolates. If you never know what you’re gonna get - then make sure every chocolate is worth the surprise! This super simple homemade chocolate box is the personal touch anyone would love this Mother’s Day - because who doesn’t love their favourite snacks drizzled in chocolate?!

Serves - One (plus the family if they’re willing share!)
Time - 15 mins plus setting time

Ingredients

  • Mini pretzels
  • Brownie bites
  • Popcorn
  • Mini cookies
  • Fresh fruit (Strawberries, cherries, bananas, orange segments etc)
  • Dried fruit (apricots, dates, prunes etc.)
  • Nuts (walnuts, pecans etc.)
  • Croissant cut into chunks
  • Sweets (Fruit Pastilles, Haribo etc.)

For the toppings:

  • 100g white chocolate
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 100g milk chocolate
  • Caramel sauce to drizzle
  • Love heart sprinkles
  • Chocolate curls
  • Zillionaire sprinkles

You will also need...

  • A shallow gift box for your choccies (heart shaped, rectangular, square, circular etc.)
  • Tissue paper
  • Mini cupcake cases
  • Ribbon

Method

  1. Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Add your white chocolate to a heatproof bowl over a deep pan of simmering water and melt, ensuring to stir as you go (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Repeat for your dark and milk chocolate.
  2.  Use your melted chocolate to dip and drizzle your chosen sweet snacks and finish with toppings before popping on your lined tray. Place in the fridge for 30 mins to set.
  3. With your remaining melted chocolate, add a tsp at a time to your second, lined baking tray and use the back of the spoon to shape into a heart. Repeat with all of your remaining melted chocolate and sprinkle each with toppings of choice before popping in the fridge for 30 mins to harden.
  4. Line your gift box with tissue and then fill with mini cupcake cases. Once your fillings have set, peel away from your trays and divide amongst cupcake cases. Pop your lid on, tie with a ribbon and finish with a personalised note! The perfect gift sure to make the person you love smile this Mother's Day!

White Chocolate & Strawberry Puddles

Puddles and puddles of love coming right up! Make your loved one smile this Mother’s Day with our white chocolate and strawberry jam treats - the perfect post-roast treat, if you can wait until then…

Makes - 10 puddles
Time - 15 mins plus setting time

Ingredients

  • 100g good quality white chocolate
  • 2 tbsp smooth strawberry jam
  • Heart sprinkles to decorate

You will also need...

  • Clear, mini gift bags
  • Ribbon
  • Gift tag

Method

  1. Line one large baking tray with baking paper. Add your white chocolate to a heatproof bowl over a deep pan of simmering water and melt, ensuring to stir as you go (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).
  2. Add your jam to a small bowl and add a 1 tbsp of hot water to loosen and give a good stir until smooth.
  3. Spoon 1 tbsp of white chocolate in one corner of your lined tray and use the back of your spoon to create a ‘puddle’ shape (around 5cm). Repeat with the rest of your melted white chocolate.
  4. Using a teaspoon, drop a little jam onto each puddle and use the end of a skewer/toothpick to swirl into the white chocolate to create a marble effect. Repeat with all puddles before sprinkling with hearts.
  5. Leave on the side to cool for an hour before stacking and wrapping in clear packaging tied with a ribbon and a special note to Mum.

One Tray Roast

Is it even Mother’s Day if you haven’t had some kind of roast over the weekend? Make this one one to remember with this one tray roast. Yep, no tricky timings, no overpacked onions and only one tray to wash up…

Serves - 4 (plus leftover beef to make a beef stroganoff)
Time - 3hrs

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp vegetable oil (2 for beef & 4 for veg)
  • 2.5 - 3 kg beef roasting joint
  • 1kg Maris Piper potatoes very thinly sliced
  • 4 parsnips thinly sliced
  • 6 carrots thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 rosemary sprigs (leaves removed from stalk)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 celery stalks with tops and bottoms trimmed and then cut in half
  • 2 white onions sliced
  • Small bunch thyme leaves removed from stalk
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 750ml beef stock
  • 3 heaped tbsp beef granules

Method

  1. Remove your joint from the fridge 30 mins before cooking. Pre-heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Whilst coming to temperature, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to a large, non-stick pan over a medium-high heat, season your beef generously all over with salt and pepper and add your beef joint to the pan. Cook for about 10 mins, turning with tongs until evenly browned all over before removing and popping to one side.
  2. Throw your potatoes, parsnips and carrots into a large bowl, drizzle with remaining oil and add your garlic, rosemary, bay and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until all your veg is coated and set to one side.
  3. Take a large, deep roasting tray and place your celery stalks horizontally next to one another in the centre of the pan before scattering over your onion- this will be the bed that your beef sits on. Sit your beef on top.
  4. Arrange your potato, carrot and parsnip disks in compact rows around your beef. Mix together your thyme and mustard and brush all over your beef.
  5. Pour in your stock and season again with salt and pepper. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes per 500g plus 20 minutes (rare- 50°C-55°C ), 25 minutes per 500g plus 20 minutes (medium- 58°C -65°C ) and 30 minutes per 500g plus 20 minutes (well done- 70°C-75°C ). Check halfway, baste the beef in a little stock and cover with foil if the veg and beef is starting to catch.
  6. Remove from the oven and ladle out any juices into a small pan. Cover your beef and veg with tinfoil to keep warm and rest whilst you make a speedy gravy. Heat your juices in the pan, add your granules and loosen with water to get to your preferred thickness.
  7. Place your roast beef and veg centre of the table, slice and serve with gravy for a one-tray roast mum is sure to love! Remember to keep any leftover beef for a mid-week leftover beef stroganoff recipe!

Leftover Stroganoff

Got some left over roast beef too good not to eat? Whizz up the a nostalgic fave post-Mother’s Day with rigatoni pasta and a rich and creamy, beef and mushroom stroganoff. Is it dinner time yet?

Serves - 4
Cook time - 25 mins

Ingredients

  • 400g Rigatoni pasta
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 large white onion thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms sliced
  • 300ml beef stock
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 200ml soured cream
  • 900g leftover roast beef cut into strips
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Small bunch parsley roughly chopped

To serve (optional)

  • Crusty bread

Method

  1. Boil salted water in a large pan for your pasta. Add your pasta and cook for 9 -11 mins.
  2. Whilst your pasta cooks, heat your butter in a large, non-stick pan over a medium heat and add your white onion, garlic and paprika, cooking and stirring for a few mins until softened and translucent.
  3. Add your mushrooms and fry for a few mins until softened before adding your beef stock and mustard and simmering for 5-10 mins.
  4. Stir through your soured cream and beef, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer before draining your pasta, adding to the pan and stirring through.
  5. Stir through your parsley and lemon and serve into bowls with crusty bread wedges for a throwback tea that is super simple to create.