Growing up, my Mom was not the primary chef in our home, that was Dad. Instead, my Mom would turn the table setting into a game or write a song about the weather, that’s my Mom. Sometimes, when my Dad would come home late, she would rally my sister and me to make dinner together. The outcome was never your ordinary dinner because this was… the Silly Banana Cafe.
We would pull down a cookbook, crack it open, and pick the fun and funniest food we could find. Naturally, this led to mashed potato volcanoes erupting with cheese or meatballs with spaghetti smiles. When my Dad arrived home, we would always greet him with a towel over our arms to our wonderful cafe. Attempting to hold our breath and not burst out laughing. We’d pour everyone’s glass full with the house specialty (fruit juice and seltzer) and dig into our whimsical dish. Always fun and funny, that’s my Mom.
For our large family gatherings, my Mom always leads the breakfast charge. She piles into the car with whatever crew she can rally and whisks them away to the local bagel shop. Like a candy store, we all lean on the glass case making calculated decisions: 2 poppy bagels, 3 everything bagels, cream cheese, white fish… on and on. We always return home triumphant with paper bags overflowing with breakfast magic.
While our family is still scattered, I was beyond excited to virtually host my Mom in the SideChef Culinary Studio and cook my bagel recipe together for Mother’s Day. These 4 ingredient bagels come together in one bowl, are fun to make, and so satisfying to eat. Although they aren't “real” bagels with yeast and a baking soda bath, this simple recipe still produces a chewy and tangy interior with a golden crispy crust. Pretty impressive if you ask me. The best part is getting to top your bagel with creative flavors: classic sesame, funky sea salt and rosemary, spicy jalapeno and cheddar, because you CAN have it all. Whether you serve your mom breakfast in bed or video chat to cook them together, there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate Mother’s Day this year!
