Mother’s Day is traditionally one of the busiest days of the year at restaurants. Why? Because kids and dads want to “treat” mom to a good meal, but aren’t used to doing the cooking! Well, forget the restaurant this Mother’s Day and show your family’s matriarch you care about her by whipping up a home-cooked treat.

Breakfast:

Chocolate chip pancakes are the perfect start to the day. Small children can help measure and stir the ingredients while dad spoons the batter into the pan and flips the pancakes.  If starting from scratch is a bit daunting, you can alway try a making pancakes from box mix!

Pop some bacon  (video) in the microwave, pour some orange juice and you’ve got a meal fit for a queen!

Lunch:

Once you know how to wash lettuce, making a salad is easy! Kids absolutely love using salad spinners, so make sure they get this job.

Be certain to include mom’s favorite vegetables (children can help chop them, supervised), and top the salad with some Grilled Chicken.

If you want to really impress her, make your own Salad Dressing!

Dinner:

Whip up some Pan-Fried Scallops in less than 5 minutes. Kids will enjoy coating the scallops (à la “shake and bake”), and dad can be in charge of the pan.

Think of how good these would be with Roasted Asparagus in Garlic Sauce! Children can help “snap” the asparagus ends off, while dad is in charge of the oven.

Dessert:

You can’t go wrong with simple, fresh, Apple Crisp. Plus, it’ll make the house smell fantastic.

Tip: Don’t forget to make the table look special for mother’s special day!

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