Culinary Corner with Beth Hoover

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY,
ALL YOU WONDERFUL MOMS!

Mother's Day is a time of celebration for Mom.  It's a time for breakfast in bed, family gatherings in her honor and crayon scribbled "I Love You's."

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.  During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday," which honored the mothers of England.  In 1907, Ana Jarvis from Philadelphia began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day in the United States.  By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state.  President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the second Sunday of May.

Celebrate Mom by preparing breakfast for her with these delicious, easy-to-make breakfast foods.  These culinary delights are recipes that older children can prepare for Mom with the help of Dad or another adult supervising them in the kitchen.  Both casseroles are best made the night before and baked the next morning.  The fruit dip should be made the day before for full flavor; cut the fruit the morning you're going to serve it.  Of course, the drinks should be made at the last minute but chill your glasses earlier in the morning.

---

BRUNCH ENCHILADAS

• 3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions
• 10  8" flour tortillas
• 2 cups (8oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 6   eggs, beaten
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine ham and onions; place about 1/3 cup down the center of each tortilla.  Top with 2 tablespoons cheese.  Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13X9X2" glass baking dish.  (It's a tight squeeze but they will all fit in the dish.)

In a bowl, combine flour, cream, eggs and salt until smooth.  Pour over tortillas.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Uncover; bake for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake for 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Yield: 10 enchiladas

---

ORANGE PECAN FRENCH TOAST

• 1 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 tbps light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 12  (3/4" thick) slices French bread
• 1 tsp  grated orange zest
• 1 cup  orange juice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tbps granulated sugar
• 1 tsp  ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp  vanilla extract
• 3  egg whites
• 2  eggs
• 1 tbp  confectioners sugar (for dusting)

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, melted butter and corn syrup.  Pour into a greased 13X9X2" glass baking dish and spread evenly.  Sprinkle pecans over the sugar mixture.  Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the dish so they are in a snug single layer.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, egg whites and eggs.  Pour this mixture over the bread, gently pressing on the bread slices to help absorb the liquid.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the cover from the baking dish and let stand 20 minutes at room temperature.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.  Dust with confectioners sugar before serving. 

Yield: about 12 servings

---

QUICK & EASY FRUIT DIP

• 1 pkg  (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 jar  (7oz) marshmallow creme
• 2 tbsps frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Cream together the cream cheese, orange juice and confectioners sugar.  Mix in marshmallow creme.  Chill at least four hours.  Serve fruit dip with fruit of your choice.  Suggestions:  fresh strawberries, bananas, pineapple, watermelon, etc. 

Yield: about 2 cups

---

ORANGE SMOOTHIE

• 1 can  (12oz) frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1-1/2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 15 cubes ice

In a blender, combine all ingredients.  Blend until smooth; pour into chilled glasses and serve. 

Yield: 6 servings

---

FROSTY MOCHA DRINK

• 1 cup  milk or half-and-half cream
• 3 tbsps instant chocolate drink mix
• 2 tbsps instant coffee granules*
• 2 tbsps honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 15 cubes ice
• aerosol whipped cream or whipped topping

In a blender, combine all ingredients except whipped cream.  Blend until smooth; pour into chilled glasses; top with whipped cream and serve. 

Yield: 4 servings

Cook's Note: *If you love strong coffee, use 2 tablespoons coffee granules.  If you like a milder coffee flavor, use 1 tablespoon.

---

Wise Motherly Advice . . .
 
 Always change your underwear;
you never know when you'll have an accident.
 Don't make that face or it'll freeze in that position.
 Be careful or you'll put your eye out.
 What if everyone jumped off a cliff?  Would you do it, too?
 You have enough dirt behind those ears to grow potatoes!
 Close that door!  Were you born in a barn?
 If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
 Don't put that in your mouth; you don't know where it's been!

 

For more great recipes, visit our past issues then click on Culinary Corner.

Please direct any questions or comments you may have regarding Culinary Corner to: bethoover@aol.com.

© 2008 Good News Tucson™

l Table of Contents l Comment on this article l