Recipes

Foolproof Mother’s Day Recipes

Mom's chocolate cake

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Fluffy Pancakes

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Recipe by Jamie Tracey

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4–5 tbsp melted butter
  • Optional: maple butter (recipe below)

Directions

  1. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  2. In another bowl, mix egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter.
  3. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. (If batter seems very thin, add 1–2 tbsp flour.)
  4. Beat egg whites to soft peaks (they should hold shape but still look smooth), then gently fold into batter.
  5. Cook on a lightly greased pan over medium-low heat until bubbles form and begin to pop and the edges look set. Flip and cook until golden. (Adjust heat if browning too quickly.)

Quick Maple Butter

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2–3 tbsp maple syrup
  • Pinch of salt (optional)

Directions

  1. Beat butter until smooth and fluffy.
  2. Mix in maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Serve immediately or chill to firm up. (Chill briefly if too soft.)
Turkish Eggs

Turkish Eggs (Çılbır)

Recipe adapted from GiveRecipe.com

Serves 2

Ingredients

Yogurt Base:

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt (room temperature)
  • 1 clove garlic, mashed
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Eggs:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vinegar

Brown Butter Sauce:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes

To Finish:

  • Fresh dill, chopped

Optional:

  • Quick Yogurt Flatbread (recipe below)

Directions

  1. Mix yogurt, garlic, salt, mint, and parsley. Spread onto a serving plate.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Add vinegar, then poach eggs until whites are set and yolks are still soft. I time mine for 4 minutes
  3. Melt butter with olive oil until lightly browned. Stir in red pepper flakes.
  4. Place poached eggs over yogurt. Spoon hot butter sauce on top and finish with dill. Serve immediately.

Quick Yogurt Flatbread

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups warm water
  • 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ¾ cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

Directions

  1. Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix in yogurt, olive oil, salt, flour, and parsley. Knead into a soft dough.
  3. Cover and let rise around 1 hour, until doubled. 4. Divide into pieces, roll flat, and cook in a hot dry pan 2–3 minutes per side until puffed and golden.

Julia Child-Inspired Eggs Benedict

Recipe inspired by ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ by Julia Child

Ingredients

  • 2 English muffins, split and toasted
  • 4 poached eggs
  • 4 slices ham, cut into rounds the size of English muffin, lightly browned
  • Butter (for muffins)
  • Quick blender hollandaise (recipe below)

Optional Topping:

  • 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
  • 3 tbsp parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp cooked ham, minced
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

To Assemble:

  • Butter toasted English muffins.
  • Top with ham, then poached eggs.
  • Spoon over hollandaise.
  • Finish with optional topping, if using. Serve immediately.

Quick Blender Hollandaise

Recipe by Jamie Tracey

Makes ~1 cup

Ingredients

  • 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup butter, melted and hot
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne

Directions

  1. Add lemon juice and egg yolks to a blender. Blend for 10–15 seconds until smooth.
  2. With the blender running, slowly pour in the hot melted butter until thick and creamy.
  3. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Adjust with more lemon juice if needed.
Roast chicken with lemons

Roast Chicken with Lemons

Recipe from ‘Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking’ by Marcella Hazan

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (3–4 lb)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 small lemons

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Pat the chicken dry and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.
  3. Roll lemons on the counter to soften, then prick them all over with a toothpick. Place inside the chicken cavity and close with toothpicks or kitchen string.
  4. Place chicken breast-side down in a roasting pan (no added oil). Roast for 30 minutes.
  5. Turn breast-side up and roast another 30–35 minutes.
  6. Increase heat to 400°F (200°C) and roast for 20 minutes more, until golden and cooked through. Remove from oven when internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  7. Rest briefly (10-ish minutes), then carve. Spoon the lemony juices over the chicken before serving.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Recipe by Jamie Tracey

Serves: 2–4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, (un)peeled and chopped (or baby potatoes)
  • 2–4 tbsp butter
  • 2–4 tbsp sour cream
  • Reserved potato cooking water
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2–3 green onions, chopped (whites and greens separated)

Directions

  1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, 15–20 minutes.
  2. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain.
  3. In a small pan, cook the white parts of the green onions in a bit of butter until softened and lightly golden.
  4. Mash potatoes with butter until smooth.
  5. Stir in sour cream and cooked green onions.
  6. Add a splash of reserved cooking water until creamy.
  7. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the green parts of the onions before serving.
Julia Child's Glazed Carrots

Julia Child’s Glazed Carrots

Recipe from ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ by Julia Child

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1.5 cups of chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Pinch pepper
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp parsley, minced

Directions

  1. Place carrots, stock, sugar, salt, pepper, and butter in a wide pan.
  2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. Boil uncovered, tossing regularly, until the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are tender and coated in a glossy glaze. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Garnished cherry cake

Mom’s Chocolate Cake

Serves: 8–10

Ingredients

Cake:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3 oz (85g) baking chocolate, melted
  • 1 tsp baking soda Ingredients

Icing:

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 6 tbsp boiling water
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 3 cups icing sugar

Directions

To make cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time.
  3. Add baking soda to buttermilk to dissolve
  4. Add flour and salt alternately with buttermilk, mixing until smooth.
  5. Stir in melted chocolate. 6. Divide batter between pans and bake around 25 minutes, until set. Cool completely.

To make icing:

  1. Pour boiling water over butter to melt.
  2. Mix in vanilla and cocoa, then beat in icing sugar until smooth and spreadable.

To Finish:

  1. Frost the cooled cake.

Mom’s Trick:

  1. Optional (but mandatory) Add a layer of cherry pie filling between the cakes, and then dump the rest right on top of the finished, iced cake.