(Chandler West~Chicago Sun-Times) Photo styling by Judith Dunbar Hines.
In years of teaching people to cook, I have had wonderful kitchen experiences. The best is the beaming smile of a novice when something that seems difficult is revealed to be doable.
One of those moments can be yours, too. And when it happens, you want an appreciative audience. You want Mom’s approval!
Whether you are a Sunday-only cook, a genuine foodie, or the person in your family who can always be counted on for the grocery-supplied vegetable tray, making a souffle might seem like a daunting, I’ll-never-do-that experience.
But when it is broken down into small steps it is not only possible, but you will be lauded as the child who made her a very special Mother’s Day meal — with your own hands.
You simply have to make a sauce. Whip some egg whites. Combine and put them in the oven for 15 minutes, then smile knowingly when they emerge, top-hat browned, asparagus tips peaking around the edges.
Serve these at brunch with a fruit plate and muffins, or as a first course for dinner, followed by a baked salmon filet and an arugula salad. A chilled bottle of Prosecco makes it festive.
Then step back and accept the praise that will surely come your way for presenting Mom with a suitably impressive offering. She’ll be thrilled that she raised such a great cook!