PROVIDENCE – I admit it; I’m spoiled. For the past 18 months or so, virtually every dinner I’ve consumed at home has been lovingly prepared and served – all compliments of my college-bound son. All I’ve needed to do is go grocery shopping and clean up the kitchen after a delicious meal.

For most of my married life, though, the daily question was, “What am I going to make for dinner?”

It’s my theory that no mother should have to ask that question, much less make a meal, on Mother’s Day, which this year falls on Sunday, May 13. Why not save these recipes and cook up a meal every mother might love?

Recipes

All recipes serve 6

Gazpacho

Ingredients

1 cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled

2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded

4 tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes

1 red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

In a food processor, pulse each vegetable separately – the consistency should not be too fine.

After processing each vegetable, put mixture in a large bowl, and then mix in tomato juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.

Let sit so flavors can emulsify.

For a stronger flavor, prepare soup two days in advance.

Shredded carrot salad tossed in orange ginger vinaigrette

Salad Ingredients

6 whole carrots peeled, washed and shredded or 4 bags of shredded carrots

1/2 red onion diced

Vinaigrette Ingredients

1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 whole orange, preferably a navel orange, or 1/4 cup orange juice

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon honey, optional

Vinaigrette Method

In a large bowl, squeeze lemon and orange; then whisk in vinegar and oil until emulsify. Add salt, pepper and ginger. If you want sweetness, whisk in the honey.

After blending all ingredients, refrigerate until needed.

Combine carrots and onions and toss in dressing. Refrigerate until needed.

Steamed stuffed white fish

Ingredients

6 tilapia fillets

1/4 cup of white wine, optional but strongly recommended for flavor

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 lemon

1/2 loaf sliced bread, rough chopped into small pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, diced

2 Granny Smith apples, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

Pam or other vegetable oil spray

1/8 teaspoon paprika

Kosher salt to taste

1/8 Sazon seasoning

Stuffing Method

Melt half the butter in sauté pan, and sauté onions, garlic, diced apples and carrots.

When vegetables are softened, place them in a bowl and add bread and egg, and the remaining seasonings.

Use your hands and blend all ingredients together.

Set aside in the refrigerator  until you are ready to stuff the fish.

Tilapia Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 8-inch-by-8-inch square baking pan with non-stick spray and squeeze lemon, and add wine and water into pan.

Take each fillet and pound until thin so that each is only slightly thicker than paper.

Take a golf-ball-size amount of stuffing and place on top of fillet.

Roll the fillet and set aside in baking pan.

When all the fish are stuffed, rolled and set in the pan, take the remaining butter and dot the fish with it.

Cover and bake for 20 to 35 minutes.

Serve immediately

Roasted potatoes with rosemary and roasted sweet peppers

7 medium potatoes

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

1 sweet red bell pepper, diced or 1 jar roasted peppers

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 tablespoon rosemary

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs, dried

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop potatoes into big cubes (4 – 6 pieces per potato) and place in pot of cold water.

Bring water to a boil and partially cook the potatoes, about 10 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and place them in cold water to stop the cooking, and then drain again.

In a big mixing bowl, mix together the potatoes, diced onions, peppers, oil, salt and all other seasonings and mix together.

If the potatoes are not well coated with oil, add a bit more oil.

Place mixture on baking sheet pan or cookie sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are soft and golden brown.

Sautéed Brussel sprouts with dried cranberries

Ingredients

1 pound Brussel sprouts, washed, cleaned and halved

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

1/4 cup oil

2 tablespoons garlic

Salt to taste

Method

Bring a pasta pot of water to a boil. Drop the Brussel sprouts into boiling water for about 5 minutes or until they are bright green. Take them out and immediately place in ice water to stop cooking process.

Heat oil in a sauté pan and add garlic and onions.

Cook the vegetables until they are soft, and add cranberries.

Add the Brussel sprouts to the mix and sauté everything together for 7 minutes.

Keep warm until ready to eat.

Menu and recipees from Georgina Sarpong, Alliance ECC chef.  Contact her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .