The Best Mother's Day Dinner Ideas for a Homemade Celebration Cook the best springtime dinner ever for the best mom ever. Mother’s Day only happens once a year, and a homemade dinner, whether big or small, is a great way to make it feel special. Even better? It's a spring holiday, which means you can get creative with seasonal produce (asparagus! peas!) and fresh herbs. We've compiled several dishes that would make impressive additions to your table, from salads like little gem with toasted spice vinaigrette to mains such as roasted honey-dijon sheet-pan salmon. You can pick and choose from the categories below to make a menu, or, just pick one dish and keep it simple. The gesture is meaningful all the same. Salads to Start If you’re looking for a lettuce-based salad, you can try our smoky Caesar, which swaps anchovies for canned smoked trout, or this Little Gem salad (pictured) with toasted spice vinaigrette from Aria Adjani—the homemade sourdough croutons add an extra special touch, and leftover spiced dressing can be used as a marinade for chicken or fish. Andrea Slonecker’s broccoli rabe and avocado salad with herby molten eggs, on the other hand, gets the bulk of its greens from the cruciferous vegetable, as well as minced fresh chives and chopped flat-leaf parsley. Seasonal Soups Peas are a spring staple, so pea soup would definitely be a nice seasonal touch. Aaron Bertelsen’s minty version, pictured, is served chilled, so it’s refreshing and quick to boot (ready in 15 minutes). You could also try Carla Hall’s creamy asparagus soup with savory Parmesan shortbread coins—both are “dead simple” to make, she says. Or, go for Naomi Pomeroy's curried carrot soup, finished with a drizzle of tarragon-infused oil. Pastas and Grains Liz Mervosh’s pasta primavera recipe is packed with vegetables—asparagus, carrots, and sugar snap peas, plus fresh herbs. Our lemon risotto is also veggie-forward, studded with asparagus, golden-brown shiitake mushrooms, and savory Parmesan cheese. But if you want something still seasonal with a little meat, try this garganelli with speck, peas, and scallion cream (shown above). The creamy sauce is bright green and garlicky, and the salty speck, mint, lemon juice and zest added at the end add nice contrast. Meaty Mains Although the total time on our roast chicken with hot honey (shown above) sounds long, a good chunk is devoted to letting the honey infuse and pre-seasoning the chicken. Once those are ready, the dish comes together fairly quickly. (Feel free to skip the edible flowers if you can’t find them.) If you’d prefer pork, Alex Hrabovsky’s pork tenderloin recipe is paired with a rich sauce starring pork jus, strawberries, and Merlot. As for steak? Paola Briseño González’s recipe for skirt steak and asparagus is paired with salsa de semillas, a beloved Mexican nut-based salsa. Mains from the Sea We’re big fans of sheet-pan meals (fewer dishes to wash, less mess) and Susan Spungen’s roasted honey-dijon salmon (pictured) is a winner, organized so that you can prep for the next step while the previous step is in motion. Cod with lemony leeks, snap peas, and herbs from Colu Henry is a simple, elegant main course that’s ready in just 35 minutes—there’s also never a bad time for shrimp and grits, and Isaac Toups' take features a chowchow made with mustard seeds, green tomatoes, and red bell pepper. Meat-Free Mains The pasta primavera (above) is meat-free, but if you’re looking for more meatless recipes, try these. Biju Thomas’ veggie main dish (pictured) of cracked new potatoes with fennel raita is quick and yields four servings; sweet potato fans should try Spike Gjerde's sweet potato steaks, glazed with honey and served with Brussels sprouts. And Missy Robbins’ chickpea topping for a spicy pomodoro sauce is healthy, quick, and simple. Don’t Forget the Sides A drizzle of syrupy aged balsamic is the finishing touch for this simple roasted asparagus and mushroom dish (pictured), ready in just two steps. We also love, taking a cue from Maydan in D.C., grilling carrots over charcoal and drizzling them with harissa paste and lemon juice for an extra punch of flavor. If Mom is craving smashed potatoes, try this recipe from Alison Roman, which provides pointers for achieving the perfect crisp texture. Because it's all about keeping her happy.
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