MOTHER'S DAY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

I know that when I grew up the times were much more laid back. My mother didn't have a regular job because she was a housewife raising five children. I believe that most women during that time period didn't mind not having an outside job and probably preferred it.

Breakfast in bed. She's worth it!

If mom had a job title it would have been one as a "majordomo" a.k.a. master of the house. She held that position from 8 am until 6 pm when my father came home. She had a household budget and had to stick to it. Most of the time we were angelic little children and not much trouble. What she did best was cook honest home cooked meals.

It's the little things she'll remember

Every year on Mother's Day we would make mom breakfast. Breakfast in bed if we didn't make too much noise. If we woke her up early we served her in the kitchen. Most of us were adept at making breakfast so it really wasn't a big deal. Mom appreciated the fact that we made breakfast for her. I think. More often than not breakfast consisted of omelets, scrambled eggs, or eggs-in-the nest, bacon, or sausage, orange juice and coffee. 

Cut grapefruit half into segments

For gifts of appreciation, it was a Mother's Day card, a flower, or flowers, and in the early years a bottle of cheap ($1.00 a pint) lavender toilet water. 

Add pat's of butter. Hey it's once a year!

Anybody can make a reservation. Eating out on any holiday is great, if you don't mind long lines, unruly children, crowded and noisy restaurants. Let's not forget the possibility of questionable food quality.

Sprinkle top with brown sugar and place into the broiler

If your egg making skills aren't up to Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, why not consider a Continental breakfast. In a hotel a Continental breakfast buffet usually consists of an assortment of hot and cold dry cereals, sweet rolls, croissants, jams and jellies, assorted juices, milk, cream, coffee and tea. You might even have scrambled eggs and toast, or pancakes.

Out of broiler with maraschino cherry garnish

My mother introduced me to broiled grapefruit halves one year. Broiled grapefruit takes the fruit offering's of a Continental breakfast to a new level.

or a Blackberry, if you prefer

INGREDIENTS
2 whole Grapefruit (pink, ruby red, or plain)
4 teaspoons Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (divided)
2 teaspoons Butter (cut into 4 pieces) optional
4 whole Maraschino cherries* (drained)
*You may use any fruit to cover the center of the grapefruit.
DIRECTIONS
With your ovens broiler pan on the center position, turn on the broiler. Cut each grapefruits in half. Using a small serrated knife, cut the individual sections so that they can be removed easily with a spoon. Place each grapefruit half into an oven proof deep ramekin.
Once you have sectioned the halves, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the cut tops of each grapefruit half. Place a small pat of butter in the center of each grapefruit half. Place the ramekins in the broiler, leaving the door open enough so that you can watch the grapefruit so that the tops don’t burn. Broil for until the butter is melted and sugar is starting to  brown and caramelize.

Lobster Benedict

Remove the ramekins from the broiler and place a drained Maraschino cherry or other fruit in the center of each grapefruit half. 

It's the thought that counts

© TMelle 2013