18 Bodacious Brunch Recipes For Mother’s Day

Ahhh, another exciting weekend gone by. Big hats, muddy tracks and mint juleps, followed by big sombreros, mariachis and margaritas – life is good! This weekend is another biggie you better not forget – Mother’s Day! Celebrate mothers who were there for you through thick and thin with quiet encouragement, a sympathetic shoulder and a firm hand to guide you. Celebrate wives, sisters and daughters who have joined the ranks of motherhood as the years flew by.

Mother’s Day is the biggest day for restaurants according to the National Restaurant Association whose research shows that more than 80 million Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day by dining out! This is exactly why Mother’s Day is the one day of the year where I avoid fancy brunches and the crowds and harried servers that come with it. For those of you who share this sentiment, we’ve put together a scrumptious brunch that includes something for everyone. Sweet and savory, vegetarian and gluten free, luscious eggs, syrupy goodness, scrumptious salads, decadent desserts –  and mom doesn’t have to cook any of it if she doesn’t want to!

Gruyere and Bacon French Toast

 Everyone talks about one of best things to come from blogging is the people you meet and the sense of community – it’s true, no BS. I asked a few lovely California food bloggers that I’ve come to know and call friends to share in a Bodacious Brunch, and look at what amazing dishes they brought to the table! Feast your eyes and click on the name of the dish to take you to the recipe. The best celebrations happen at home where you can party in your own unique style, dine and dance whenever you want, and let the good times and drama begin 🙂

Quench your thirst with a powerful and delicious agua fresca made with the perfect balance of disease fighting prickly pears and vitamin C packed blood oranges. Refreshing over ice on a hot summer day.

Prickly Pear Blood Orange Cooler by Erika of Nibbles and Feasts

Second up, the children and big kids probably need a snack…you’ll have happy campers when they bite into these fresh Strawberry Poppyseed Muffins!

Strawberry Poppyseed Muffins by moi, Priscilla of She’s Cookin’

Delectable spring tart using fresh asparagus over a cheesy, fluffy potato layer, topped with a hint of white truffle oil. Gluten-free and vegan!

Asparagus Potato Tart from Stephanie at Recipe Renovator

Mother’s Day brunch is guaranteed to be memorable with these wonderful popovers that are especially delicious fresh out of the oven and spread with homemade strawberry butter on top! You’ll be asked to make these again and again!

Popovers with Strawberry Butter from Nami at Just One Cookbook

Roasted Pepper Frittata – “A healthier version of Ina Garten’s roasted vegetable frittata”.

Roasted Pepper Frittata from Liz at Liz the Chef

Whole grain wheat berries, strawberries, spinach, and creamy goat cheese paired with  a  tart balsamic vinaigrette make this Spring salad hearty enough for brunch or dinner.

Strawberry Spinach Salad brought by Louise of Geez Louise

Any wonder why this Gruyere and Bacon Stuffed French Toast is Lisa’s go to brunch selection? Savory, sweet, satisfying and simply perfect, it’s now on a restaurant menu in the East Bay!

Gruyere and Bacon French Toast

Gruyere Bacon Stuffed French Toast by Lisa at Authentic Suburban Gourmet

This springtime salad is perfect for brunch  – all the components (including the egg!!) can be made ahead and then assembled just before serving!

Avocado, Tomato and Poached Egg Salad from Nancy at A Communal Table

Valentina’s favorite (sweet) brunch dish of all time — and her mom happens to love it, too! It’s rich, decadent, packed with flavor, and is perfect with coffee and orange juice in the morning.

French Toast Bread Pudding by Valentina at Cooking on the Weekends

Skillet Granola brought to you by Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

A fresh seafood salad with creamy avocado and citrus adds bright flavors to our brunch table.

Avocado Crab Salad from Laura at Family Spice

Champagne and mimosas are a given at brunch, but a few jello shots will liven things up, can refresh your palate for the next round and serve as an additional dessert. What’s not to like 🙂

Strawberry Margarita Jello Shots from Priscilla at She’s Cookin’

Mary’s California Omelet has an unexpected pop of citrus that brightens your palate and complements the creamy avocado and cheese beautifully.

California Omelet with Avocado and Tangerine from Mary at California Greek Girl

These easy biscuits are based on a Depression-era recipe that uses vegetable oil and buttermilk or yogurt instead of butter, which was hard to come by in those lean times. Dressed up with rich Jarlsberg cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions, you’ll never miss the butter (but feel free to slather some on top before you dig in).

Biscuits with Jarlsberg Cheese and Bacon by Erika of Erika’s Kitchen

Chocolate chips hide inside these crisp-outside-soft-inside Belgian-style waffles for maximum chocolate flavor.  That should be enough but when topped with caramelized bananas, this brunch dish is worthy of a Mother’s Day celebration.

Chocolate Waffles with Caramelized Bananas from Jean at Lemons & Anchovies

No brunch is complete without deviled eggs and these deliciously, creamy Avocado Deviled Eggs will convert you forever!

Avocado Deviled Eggs from Mimi of Mimi Avocado.

Dutch Babies are really simple to make, but look pretty impressive, especially right from the oven. Puffy and golden-brown, we like them the best just dusted with powder sugar and sprinkled with a few drops of lemon juice.

Dutch Baby Pancakes by Lana of Bibberche

Meyer Lemon Mascarpone Trifle by Gina at SPCookie Queen

Soooo, what do you think of that spread? Did we leave out any of your favorites? Let me know and I’ll remember it for next year! Thank you to my NorCal and SoCal blogger buddies for contributing to our Bodacious Brunch! As you can see, we love the fresh seasonal flavors of spring: strawberries, avocados, and Meyer lemon and, of course, you can’t go wrong with crowd pleasers like bacon and chocolate!

♥ HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY ♥