Mother’s Day Starts With Breakfast

Yo, Dad. Pay attention. This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and we’ve got a quick and easy way for you and the kids to make some points with Mom: Make her breakfast.

The meal is foolproof (even the kids can do it) and allows for variations depending on taste. The versatile menu uses ingredients most of us have on hand, at a cost below $5 for four.

The fruit you buy depends on availability, price per pound and personal taste. Seasonal fruits such as strawberries, bananas or apples are good, either alone or cut up and mixed. If strawberries are available at 79 cents or less a basket, try two baskets served rinsed, stem on, to dip in a small bowl of powdered, brown or white sugar.

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Fresh seasonal fruit

Muffin Tops

Almost Souffle

No need to worry about the muffin bottoms. There aren’t any. Cook the dough on a lightly greased baking sheet for crunchy tops. If the eaters are divided--tops versus bottoms--cook the dough in greased muffin tins.

MUFFIN TOPS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup nonfat milk

6 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest, grated

1 teaspoon vanilla

Use spoon to mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices and raisins in one bowl. In another bowl, mix egg, butter, milk, orange juice, and zest and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into flour and lightly mix with spoon to incorporate ingredients. Don’t overmix. Batter won’t be entirely smooth.

Drop by tablespoons on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and just hard.

Remove and serve warm, or else cool, wrap and store at room temperature. Reheat on baking sheets, covered with foil in 350-degree oven 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 14.

This dish is a cinch to make, with room for many variations. It puffs up in the oven, although not as high as a souffle, and then deflates once it begins to cool. Serve it straight from the pan at the table. Make the basic recipe to serve with yogurt, sour cream, fruit, syrup or powdered sugar. Or make it with herbs and cheese for a heartier version.

ALMOST SOUFFLE

4 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons butter

In blender or with fork, beat eggs. Add milk, continue beating, add flour and vanilla and beat until frothy.

In 425-degree oven, melt butter in 8-inch cast-iron skillet or any 2-quart oven-proof dish not more than 3 inches deep.

Remove pan, swirl butter around edges and quickly add egg mixture. Cook 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Variation: Delete vanilla and add 1 clove garlic pressed, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 1/2 teaspoon oregano. To serve, sprinkle with heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or shredded Cheddar cheese.