Unlike most of our holidays — Thanksgiving, for example, which demands a turkey dinner — Mother’s Day can be interpreted in many different ways. You can, for example, take Mom out for a fancy brunch or dinner, or give her a “spa day.” You can give her baskets of flowers or a new nightgown or — as the TV ads keep suggesting — a diamond necklace.

Or you can honor Mom with the traditional Mother’s Day breakfast, cooked by The Kids with maximum mess in the kitchen and delivered along with sprays of bright yellow dandelions clutched in tiny, grubby hands. The best thing about the Mother’s Day breakfast is that it doesn’t preclude a fancy restaurant dinner or a spa day. Nor does it suggest that flowers, a new nightgown or jewels are inappropriate.

The point in making a breakfast for Mom is that you should aim for something absolutely delicious, from-scratch and “special.” Pancakes from a mix don’t cut it, but the Corn Hotcakes with Blackberry Syrup from “Summer Gatherings” by Rick Rodgers (William Morrow, 2008) sure do. They are as pleasing to the taste buds as to the eye, and timid cooks can rest assured that Rodgers is one of the most reliable cookbook authors around; his recipes always work. The Yogurt Parfaits with Chocolate Granola and Bananas from “Chocolate Epiphany” by Francois Payard (Clarkson Potter, 2008) are a showstopper and just perfect for the chocoholic mom. She’ll be convinced that breakfast is, indeed, the most important meal of the day. Looking for a lighter, daintier meal? Serve up the “Scrumptious Scramble” from health-conscious Ellie Krieger’s “The Food You Crave” (Taunton Press, 2008).



CORN HOTCAKES WITH BLACKBERRY SYRUP

For the syrup:

1 pint blackberries or blueberries (see Cook’s note)

1-1/2 cups pure maple syrup

For the hotcakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from 2 or 3 ears of corn (see Cook’s note)

1-1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

vegetable oil, for the griddle

softened butter, for serving

Cook’s note: You can use frozen berries and corn if necessary. Thaw completely and drain off any excess liquid before proceeding with the recipe.

Combine the berries and syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the berries are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 200 F. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a blender, process 1 cup of the corn kernels and the milk until the corn is pureed. Add the eggs and process to combine. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until smooth. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup corn kernels.

Lightly oil a griddle (or skillet) and heat over high heat until very hot (a sprinkle of water will evaporate immediately). Using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake, pour the batter onto the griddle. Cook until the tops of the pancakes are covered with bubbles, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 1 minute. You may have to adjust the heat a little to make sure that the hotcakes don’t burn. Transfer hotcakes to a baking sheet and keep warm until all are cooked. Serve hot, passing the butter and syrup on the side.

Yield: 12 pancakes, or 4 to 6 servings

Recipe from “Summer Gatherings” by Rick Rodgers (William Morrow, 2008)



YOGURT PARFAITS WITH CHOCOLATE GRANOLA AND BANANAS

For the granola:

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1-1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup rolled oats

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup raisins

For the parfait:

1 (32-ounce) container vanilla yogurt

grated zest of 1/2 orange

4 ripe bananas

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Up to 1 week ahead, make the granola: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the nuts in a single layer in a rimmed baking pan and bake until toasty-smelling, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a separate pan at the same time, but start checking after 5 minutes; it burns easily. Transfer to a plate to cool. Leave the oven on.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the nuts, coconut, oats, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa. Toss with your hands to mix. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the honey over the mixture, and mix with your hands until it is well incorporated. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes without stirring. Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the chocolate chips, raisins and the remaining tablespoon of honey. Add the cooled granola and toss the mixture, slightly breaking up the granola. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until needed.

Up to 2 days ahead: In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt and orange zest. Cover and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, peel the bananas and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Melt the butter in a large skillet set over high heat until the butter just begins to brown. Add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is melted. Add the bananas and cook them until they pick up a bit of color, about 1 minute.

Place a spoonful of warm bananas (the equivalent of half a banana) at the bottom of a tall glass. Spoon 1/2 cup yogurt over the bananas, and, right before serving, top with a generous spoonful of granola. Repeat for the remaining 7 glasses.

Yield: 8 servings

Recipe from “Chocolate Epiphany” by Francois Payard (Clarkson Potter, 2008)



SCRUMPTIOUS SCRAMBLE

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 medium ripe tomato, cored, seeded and diced

4 large eggs

4 large egg whites

2 tablespoons water (optional)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried

salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the tomato and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the onion-tomato mixture to a bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat together the whole eggs, egg whites and water, if using. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the eggs are almost set. Drain any excess water from the tomato mixture and stir the mixture gently into the eggs. Toss in the dill, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately, or continue cooking to desired doneness.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “The Food You Crave” by Ellie Krieger (Taunton Press, 2008)