I’d smile at rum.  Coy… but not really coy.

I’d say hello to vodka.  I’d wave, and smile with teeth.

I’d totally make out with gin… tonic and lime everywhere.

But bourbon.  I’d marry bourbon… as long as bourbon understands that I often stay up until 3 am writing silly blog posts, with a scarf on my head, a shaky leg, and post-it notes everywhere.  But I have a feeling that bourbon understands me.  I’m not too worried.

Little itty bitty kitchen peek.

What is pleasantly cropped out of this picture is my cat in the kitchen sink attacking the dirty kitchen sponge.

Livin’ classy.

I’m fairly certain that we’re approaching the time of year when it’s reasonable to drink uncanny amounts of sweetener in cold, black tea.

It seems only natural to add fresh mint, muddled orange and bourbon.

This cocktail is simple, uncomplicated, refreshing, easy to drink, and a really lovely celebration of mid-spring.

You know it’s going to be summer soon, right?  There are short dresses and summer heels in my future. Oh man.  I need tan lotion and tea.

What do mothers want for Mother’s Day?

Breakfast in bed?  Flowers?  Jars of honey?  Hand sewn pot holders?

Crown of daisies?  Wads of cash?  A high five?

Gum?  Altoids?  Pet goldfish?

I’m hoping the answer is lunch with tea sandwiches and cocktails…. cause that’s what’s going to happen for my mom.

I’m making lunch.  I’m setting the table.  I’m using the fancy linens.  I’m also doing the dishes.  I should buy flowers too… someone remind me.

I think my mamabear is most stoked about the clean dishes… let’s be real.

Wait… have you ever had Green Goddess dressing?

Green Goddess dressing is packed with fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, and bound with some sort of yogurt or mayonnaise.  Fresh herbs?  It’s so delicious.

These tea sandwiches are inspired by that dressing.

I feel silly giving you an exact recipe for a simple tea sandwich.  Can I just throw your inspiration your way?

Soak it up and pass it on to your mamabear.

I chopped up a tablespoon each of fresh mint and fresh basil.

I mixed the fresh herbs into 2 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter.

Also!  A dash of salt a pepper.

In a separate bowl I stirred together softened cream cheese with about 1/4 cup of fresh chives and a bit of lemon zest.  Black pepper too!

Thinly sliced cucumbers, carrots (shaved with a vegetable peeler), and spinach (not pictured).

Sandwich guts!

Cream cheese chive spread spread on one side of crustless white bread.

Herby butter slathered on the other side of crustless white bread.

Cucumbers, carrots, and spinach are stacked.

Not too heavy.  These are delicate suckers.

Breads are pressed together and sliced in four.  Eat ferociously.

Pinky up.

I love my Mama.  

The older I get… the more I love my mama.  

The farther away I get from being a bratty, insufferable and ungrateful teenager… the more I appreciate my mama.

Phew… I didn’t make it easy on her.  Can I make up for those obnoxious years with brunch?  I’m pretty sure it can’t hurt.

The key to making mama a Mother’s Day brunch is this:  make brunch aaaaaaaand do the dishes.  Sure, mama’s like brunch, but I think what they like even more than the food is seeing us kids clean up the kitchen after ourselves.  It’s key.  It’s shows our dear mama’s that they raised us right… cause they did.

Make brunch.  I totally think you should.

You might start off with this super clever quiche. 

I’ve even got a crustless quiche recipe for you.  Now you really have no excuse not to make breakfast.  

Salad at brunch.  Mom’s like salad… it’s kinda their thing.  Trust me on this one.  

A homemade Caesar Salad?  Kinda mind blowing delicious.  

Let’s keep dessert light and delicious.  I love Blackberry Granita with lightly whipped cream.  It feels dainty and delicate and is still super simple and delicious.  

I think mama’s like it too.

Just don’t forget about the dishes.  It’s important.  Just think about how many bottles and diapers our moms washed for us.  Yea… so no complaining.  

When it comes time for a little human to call me Mom, there are several things I hope for.  Here are a few of those hopes:

I hope that I’ll no longer run screaming from the room at the sight of a spider.  Mom has to take care of the spider… that’s sort of part of the deal as Mom, right?  Maybe can I always get away with saying, “Let’s go get Daddy to take care of that spider.”  I hope that works.

I hope that a deep affection for pickles and pancakes, though not necessarily on the same plate, is hereditary.

I hope that I have as good a pair of Mom Hands as my mom.

Most importantly, I hope that I create as patient and loving, supportive and hilarious a family as was provided for me.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who have the patience and care to raise new, happy, and lovely people in the world.

Here’s some dreamy Raspberry Lemonade, and all sort sof recipes that you might consider making for your mom and family this weekend.

This gorgeous Raspberry Lemonade is absolutely the perfect drink to have chilled in the refrigerator all summer long.  Consider it The Real Deal Pink Lemonade.  An absolute dream, and worth the two easy steps it takes to make.  You’ll have enough raspberry sauce to add to the lemonade, swirl into ice cream, and  drizzle on top of Milk Chocolate Pudding.  Super yum!

Cinnamon Raisin Pull Apart Muffins

Pink Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

Lemon Souffle Pudding

Amazing Apple Crisp

Mocha Rum Cake

I’ll be the first to admit that I had some pretty ugly teenage years.

Sure. I had awkward limbs, a face full of acne, and was otherwise unfortunate looking, but I’m talking about what an utter brat I was for a solid two (plus) years.

Did you go through some seriously bratty years?  Just say yes.  We’ve all been there, right?  If you try to tell me you were a perfect angel, I just won’t believe you.

I seem to remember the distinct feeling that I knew everything there was to know about the world at the ripe old age of fifteen.  I thought most everything was beyond “annoying”, and I used that word… to death.  If eye rolling were an Olympic sport… gold medal… me.

I also had this obnoxious habit of assuming that everything that belonged to my mother, somehow also belonged to me.  From her favorite stationary, to her hidden stash of chocolates and the entire contents of her jewelry box, I acted as though it was all up for grabs.  Terrible, right?  Only when I was out in the world trying to save up my pennies to buy myself a nice box of tea, or my favorite rose lotion, did I realize that my mom deserved to have her treats without my mittens all up in them.

While I can take my obnoxious teenage years back, I suppose my real penance will come when my own teenage daughter pillages my valuables.  Until that joyous time, here’s what I’m going to do:  I’m going to give one of you a jar of beautiful French Lavender Honey.

Leave me a comment in this post and tell me this:

Tell me how your mom is spectacular, despite your possible teenage indiscretions.

I know a lot of you are moms, tell me what makes it all worthwhile.

I’d really like for this lovely honey to go to a Mom… it is, after all, Mother’s Day.  Maybe that means you’re a hard working Mom and need a tea and toast break.  Maybe that means you win this honey and give it to your Mom as a “thanks for being awesome” gift.

Comments close Thursday at midnight Pacific Standard Time and the winner will be chosen by the Random Number Generator.  Happy Mother’s Day!

I was notorious in my family for being the child that could only be comforted by my mother.

Most playful family weekends, the scene went something like this:  I’d be in the backyard playing with my little sister, my dad and Scamper, the family dog on our creaky, rusted and awesomely fun swing set.  My favorite move was to swing as high as I could, count to three with my sister and jump out of the swings onto the grass.  Sounds innocent enough, but I was always getting my little girl fingers stuck in the chains of the swing as I dismounted.

I’d hit the ground and look at my dad with the silent cry face… the face kids give their parents before the completely lose it and burst into tears.  My dad would invariable come over and try to talk me out of losing it, but I was already halfway into the ugly cry by then.  It was then that no one but my mom could handle the cajoling and kissing of my finger.  I’d run into the house, screaming like a maniac and clutching my (not even bleeding) finger, looking for my mother who had found just a few moments peace to take a shower or a short nap.  I’d force myself into her lap, lift the offending, pained finger, and wait for the mom comfort to blanket me.  So good.

Come to think of it, that swing set caused as many injuries as it did smiles.

Come to think of it, jumping off the swing set is always worth the hurt finger.

Come to think of it, this pudding has much the same healing qualities as my mom’s lap.

Milk Chocolate Pudding … holy wow!  It’s super simple, brilliantly satisfying, and you can have it as is, or doll it up with lightly sweetened cream and easy homemade raspberry sauce.  Are you thinking what I’m thinking?  Mother’s Day treats?  Yea… I thought so.