10 Ways To Celebrate Mother’s Day, All Under $10

Moms – they sure are special. They love us, hug us, take care of us, listen to us, guide us, laugh with us, cry with us, support us, tickle us, make us sigh………….you get the picture. Since our mothers are so thoughtful and loving, it is time to give some thought to how we will show our love and gratitude on Mother’s Day --- the day designated just for Moms!

The economy is no excuse --- Here are 10 Ways to show your mom you love her and each one is under $10 (and an 11th under $15)!

Mama’s Breakfast in Bed: Apple Cinnamon Make Ahead Breakfast Bake

Loaf of Cinnamon Raisin or Cinnamon Swirl Bread $2.59
Can of Apple Pie Filling $2.89
6 Large Eggs $.65
2 Cups Milk $.50
4 Tabs. Butter $.36
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar $.42

Total Cost: $7.41

Serve with warmed maple syrup. Also, serve with Mom’s favorite juice, coffee, or tea.

Don’t forget to add a little flower (picked from the yard is good) and some homemade Mother’s Day cards to your Mom’s breakfast tray --- Perrrrrrrrrfect!

 
Pack a Picnic Lunch for Mommy: Mom’s Club Sandwiches

Bread or Croissants $1.19
Turkey $1.69
Ham $1.69
8 Slices Bacon $1.25
Cheese $1.00
Lettuce $.20
Tomato $.30
Chips $.99
Slices of Watermelon $1.39

Total Cost $9.70 

If the weather doesn’t cooperate, keep in mind that you can have a special picnic lunch with your mom on the floor of the great room or on the porch --- it’s the time and fun which are important in packing a picnic lunch for Mom!!


Simple Salad Supper for Mom: Mama’s Cobb Salad Supper

Romaine Lettuce $. 79
Avocado $.89
Bacon $1.25
Chicken $2.99
Tomato $. 79
Eggs $.60
Red Onion $.33
Black Olives $. 65
Sprinkle of Cilantro $. 20
½ bottle Dressing $.89

Total Cost: $9.38

Set the table with items you already have at home, adding some candles and even some flowers you pick outside – maybe everyone can dress up a little for mom also – wow!


A Heartfelt Toast to Mom: 4 Shirley Temples coming right up

7Up Soda for 4 $.42
Grenadine Syrup $.48
Cherries $.60
Orange Juice $.63

Total: $2.13

Try the Shirley Temple with a twist – it’s really pretty and delish and fun to make and serve and toast Mom. However, it doesn’t really matter if you toast with this Shirley Temple -- it’s the toast itself that will be memorable to your mom --- milkshakes are fun to toast with too!


Homemade Sweets for the Sweet Mama:

Mom’s Marbled Brownies

Duncan Hines Brownie Mix $.89
Eggs $.33
Cream Cheese 3 oz. $.60
Oil $.42
Butter $.36

Total: $2.60

Signature Strawberry Cupcakes

Duncan Hines Cake Mix $.99
Eggs $.33
Oil $.42
Can of Frosting $1.29

Total: $3.03 plus more for decorating tops

You can tint the marbled cheese mixture pink for mom, and you can tint the cupcake icing and place candy or icing to spell out your love for mom – or top with strawberries or a chocolate strawberry - yum!

Mom’s Salsa Garden

In the garden section of Jungle Jim’s, select the plants below and place together to make the ingredients for a “Salsa Garden” for Mom under $10!

Cilantro plant $2.50
Bell Pepper plant $1.29
Serrano (hot) pepper plant $1.29
2 tomato plants $2.58

Total $7.66

Use a container from home and add a package of tortilla chips to the garden or purchase a biodegradable planter from the Jungle for under $2.00 --- all together still under $10!

Mama’s Pasta Garden

In the garden section of Jungle Jim’s, select the plants below and place together to make the ingredients for a “Pasta Garden” for Mom!

2 tomato plants $2.50
Italian Parsley plant $2.50
Sweet Basil plant $2.50
Oregano plant $2.50

Total: $10

To wrap, place plants in one of mom’s pasta pots or pans adding a package of spaghetti from the pantry --- it’s the thought that counts, and she’ll love it!!

You can also do a “Scarborough Fair Garden” if your mom remembers the Simon & Garfunkel song --- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme --- the perfect herbs for roasting!!!


Treasure Teapot of Love Notes for Mommy

Ok, this teapot is $14.99 in the pots and pans section of Jungle Jim’s, but you could utilize any container or chest or jar of your choice --- look around because you may just have something at home to use. My children did this for me for my Christmas present this past year, and I love to open my treasure chest to read their loving words. The idea is that the children write a note of love or thank you to Mom (Dad can write for them if they are too young) and you put the notes in the treasure chest – in this case, the pink teapot! Mom not only feels appreciated and loved on Mother’s Day, but every day of the year --- all just a note away!!! Lots of love for pennies of cost!

Chocolate for Mom, and a Good Cause too!

For $8.97 total, select three of these delicious all natural chocolate bars from Endangered Species Chocolate ($2.99 each) for Mom and tie up with a pretty bow! 10 percent of net profits donated to help support species, habitat and humanity, so Mom can indulge in decadent chocolate while benefiting a good cause --- awesome!

Good Fortunes for Mama 

Fortune Cookies have always been a big hit at our house – fun to read and fun to eat. Jungle Jim’s sells both original and chocolate fortune cookies in bulk. I purchased a bag of 36 delicious fortune cookies for $1.33. You can buy a bag of chocolate fortune cookies for $1.21. So, at $2.54 total, you’ll have money left over to purchase a cute container to store them and give to Mom.

If you are adventurous, you can steam open the fortune cookies, write your own message to Mom and fold the cookie to its original shape. I told my son Bo about this as his fiancée Shana loves fortune cookies. He steamed open a fortune cookie, wrote “there’s a diamond ring in your future”, folded it back, and brought it to the restaurant with him. The waiter presented the fortune cookie to Shana – she opened it -- then my son went down on one knee to propose to her --- how sweet was that!!!!

Last, but not least, how about……………

Mommy Time-Out

Yes, it’s the kids’ turn to put Mom in “time-out.” Make sure you find a place she can relax and enjoy herself even if it is just for an hour or two. Make sure she has a cold or hot beverage of choice, a special snack, and a good book or magazine to read – maybe she’ll even doze off during time-out! Total Monetary Cost: 0 or whatever you wish!

Giving some thought to what your Mom really likes will help you make her day extra special --- with love!!!!

Recipes

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bake

1 1 lb. loaf of Cinnamon Swirl or Cinnamon Raisin Bread
21 oz. Can of Apple Pie Filling
6 Large Eggs
2 Cups Milk or Half & Half
4 Tabs. Butter, melted
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ Tsp. Cinnamon, ground

Cinnamon Sugar: 1 tablespoon of sugar with one ½ scant teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Remove crusts from bread and discard. Cut up the bread in cubes or tear into pieces and place one half of the bread in a buttered 13” x 9” baking pan.

Top Bread with can of Apple Pie Filling.

Add remaining bread over pie filling.

Beat the eggs, whisking in the milk, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over bread cubes, pressing down to make sure all bread cubes are covered.

After pressing down to cover all bread, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake covered 25 minutes – then remove foil cover and bake another 20-30 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
(If you like, you can brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.)

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares. Serve with syrup.


Mom’s Club Sandwiches 

8 Slices of Bread or 4 croissants split in half
16 Thin slices of turkey
16 Thin slices of ham
8 Bacon strips
8 Thin slices of cheese – mom’s choice
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Condiment of choice -- see mom

Arrange on 8 slices of bread or 4 croissants cut into 8 halves lettuce leaves and slices of tomato topped with slices of ham, turkey, and cheese, and 2 slices of cooked crisp bacon per sandwich. You can add your mom’s favorite condiment: mayonnaise, mustard, butter, or even a specialty condiment like raspberry grain mustard or pesto mayonnaise --- just ask Mom.

For you picnic, wrap each sandwich individually. Pack chips and slices of fresh watermelon – first of the season and on sale at the Jungle – and away you go!!

Mom’s Cobb Salad

1 head Romaine Lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
3 Hard-boiled eggs, shelled, chopped
8 Crisp Bacon slices, crumbled
2 Cooked Breast of Chicken Meat, cut into pieces
1 Avocado, chopped
1-2 Tomato, chopped
¼ Cup Red Onion, slivered
½ Cup Black Olives, sliced
¾ Cup Bleu Cheese, crumbled
2 Tab. Cilantro, chopped (optional)
Salad Dressing of choice

You can make one large salad for four or four individual salads. The beauty of the Cobb Salad is not only the wonderful balance of flavors, but the presentation of the ingredients displayed separately on the plate --- you can arrange the ingredients in rows on the plate or in triangle shapes (think slices of pie) on a round plate. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro if you desire – it’s own sale and has a refreshing taste! Serve with salad dressing of choice – the Wishbone brand is on sale.

Shirley Temple Classic

6 oz. Lemon-Lime flavored carbonated beverage (like 7-UP)
1 drizzle of Grenadine syrup
1 maraschino cherry

In a tall glass, pour soda over ice and add grenadine, allowing it to drizzle to the bottom. Stir if desired. Add cherry on top. Serves One.

Shirley Temple with a Twist

½ Cup Orange Juice
½ Cup Lemon-Lime flavored carbonated beverage (like 7-UP)
1 Tab. Grenadine Syrup
1 Maraschino Cherry

In a tall glass, combine orange juice and soda. Stir. Pour grenadine in and let it sink to the bottom for a layered look. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a straw for stirring. Can add ice. Serves one.

Marbled Brownies

Following the directions on the Duncan Hines Double Fudge Brownie Mix package on the side – tint the cream cheese mixture with pink food coloring for Mom if you like. Bake according to directions on the package. You can also serve these brownies with a dollop of ice cream on top and some hot fudge sauce.

Ingredients Needed Include: Pkg. of Duncan Hines Double Fudge Brownie Mix, 3 oz. Cream Cheese, 3 tablespoons of Butter, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 3 large eggs (separated), 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of water. (can tint cream cheese mixture with food coloring if you want)
One 8 x 8 pan – 8 – 16 servings

Strawberry Supreme Cup Cakes with Pink Icing

Following the directions on the boxed strawberry cake mix, after mixing ingredients, fill the cupcake liners with batter and bake according to directions on the box. Cool and remove from pans. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Tint the icing with pink food coloring and top with pink sprinklers or a sliced strawberry or a strawberry dipped in chocolate. You can use additional icing to write letters or words on each cupcake telling your mom how much you love her.

Naturally, you know what your Mom likes to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner --- these are only simple, inexpensive ideas and recipes to get your own creative juices flowing. Again, you can give the perfect gift just by giving it some thought and giving it with love.

Happy Mother’s Day to ALL!!!

Jungle Jim’s Margie Potts
Mother of Seven Children
Nana of One
And Sorta Mom to many others – ha!