Whether your mom prefers lighter fare, like fish and seafood, or something a bit more decadent, like steak or pasta, we’ve got tons of great Mother’s Day dinner recipes to help you shower mom with kindness (and flavor!). These Mother’s Day entrées are the perfect centerpiece for any special dinner. Just add some fresh salads, side dishes, and sweets to round out your Mother’s Day menu.

What do you have planned this Mother’s Day? Will you be doing the cooking? We’d love to hear what (or where!) you’re eating and how you’re celebrating this special day. Let us know in the comments below.

Happy Mother’s Day, y’all!

The post Mother’s Day Dinner Ideas appeared first on Paula Deen.

1. Feed her! Whether it’s by taking her out to her favorite restaurant (or one she’s been dying to try) or, even better, cooking a thoughtful meal full of her favorite dishes, it will leave both her heart and her stomach happy.
2. Plan a family photo session or maybe one for just you and her. Get silly in front of the camera, and you’ll have more than just the memory of your day together—you’ll have something tangible to share with her. Plus, as a bonus, you can relive the day all over again when the proofs come in!
3. Treat her to breakfast in bed! Sleeping in and not having to cook breakfast? Most moms can’t think of a better gift!
4. Show mom how much you appreciate her by taking some of the stress off mom’s shoulders! Fill up her gas tank, do the grocery shopping, clean the house—when you handle some of these simple but burdensome tasks like these, she’ll appreciate your appreciation!
5. Experience something new together! Experiences have a way of bonding people together, so take a hot air balloon ride, go to a concert, skydive, or take a cooking class together, and you’ll create memories to last for a lifetime.
6. Every mom has a honey-do list. Consider tackling a big project on the list that she’ll be so thrilled to see completed. We’re talking cleaning the garage, organizing a closet, or maybe even a woodworking project.
7. Plan a party for her and the other special moms in her life—her mom, her sister, her best friend, and, of course, those moms’ children. She’ll adore being surrounded by her closest loved ones.
8. Whisk mom around the town with a day filled with her favorite activities. Soak in some quality time at a spa or a museum together, treat her to a shopping spree, or play a round of tennis with her.
9. Of course, we can’t forget about the old standby! Treat mom to a gift that is thoughtful and special. Don’t just buy another robe or sweater, unless you know she really wants one. Consider buying her something that she wouldn’t typically buy for herself or something that she’s been talking about for a while. Has she wanted new tableware? Does she have an empty place on her wall that she has been wanting to fill? Could she use a day to treat herself? Get personal with it!
10. And last, but certainly not least, be sure to let her know just how special you think she is. You can write her a letter, make a list of all the reasons you love and appreciate her, or turn it all into a craft project. Just be sure the day doesn’t pass without you taking the time to thank her for being such a thoughtful mother.

How will you be celebrating your mom this Mother’s Day? Or what would you like your family to do to celebrate you? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 Ways to Make Mom Feel Special on Mother’s Day appeared first on Paula Deen.

When I became a grandmother and held Jack in my arms for the first time—I can’t even begin to describe how good it felt. It’s a love greater than I could have imagined. I still remember Jamie & Brooke sharing their big news with me. The whole family was gathered around the table on New Year’s Day, full of food and tired from cooking, when they made the announcement. It probably won’t come as any surprise that I flew out of my chair like I was on fire and grabbed the two of them and danced with joy. Truly, I thought I’d be 90 before I had my first grandbaby and, even then, wondered if I’d ever have any more. Never in my wildest dreams did I guess I’d have eleven just sixteen years later!

I think my favorite thing about being their Guinny is that I can just love, love, love them and then head home afterwards. I get to give them unconditional love without having to be the disciplinarian—my relationship with each of them is built on giant heaps of love. Whether I’m just eating ice cream with and watching every miraculous movement of my little babies or crabbing, playing games, or heading to the amusement park with my bigger boys, we just always have fun with each other. You know, had I known having grandchildren was so good, I’d have had them first! But as each baby grows into an amazing young person, it’s wonderful to see how our relationships evolve. Each one of our relationships is different and special in its own way.

Though no matter how our relationships differ, a few things are consistent throughout, and those are the lessons I’m tryin’ my best to impart on them. Of course, I try to teach them about getting in the kitchen and cooking, but the most important lessons are those I pass on outside of the kitchen. I try to teach them about forgiveness, to laugh daily, and to never take themselves too seriously. And above all, I try to teach them to never be ashamed of their ability to show love. Kindness, compassion, and love are what makes life so worthwhile, after all.

Speaking of showing love, it’s funny how things change as we get older, including how we celebrate Mother’s Day. When I was a young mom, I felt fortunate if I got some pretty flowers or if I was treated to a nice lunch, but now, even though I’m of course still a mama myself, I prefer to make the day all about the young moms and my Aunt Peggy. I’d rather do the cooking and hosting and spend my time showering the other wonderful mothers in my family with love than have any fuss made over me, and I’m sure I’m not the only grandma who feels this way. The way I see it, I had my fair share of Mother’s Days, and now I’m ready to let the women doing all the heavy lifting have theirs.

No matter how you’re spending the day this year, I’m wishin’ a very Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas and grandmamas out there!

Xoxo

Paula

The post Being a Grandmother on Mother’s Day appeared first on Paula Deen.

Because of all that they do, moms deserve so much more than just one day of celebration, right? So while we should be showing our gratitude each and every day (and hopefully we all are!), the very least we can do is make Mother’s Day really extra-special, right?

Whether you want to treat her to an at-home spa day, do that chore she’s been dreading, make her a special heartfelt gift, or something else entirely, it’s so important that we take the time to show her how much we love & appreciate all she does for us. But since food is the way to our stomachs, and since that’s something we learned from our moms, we’re starting by treating her to a fabulous Mother’s Day lunch! After all, they’ve packed a million lunches for us over the years and cooked some really wonderful suppers too, so shouldn’t we return the favor every now and then?

If you’re in need of some Mother’s Day recipes, you’ve come to the right place. From shrimp, crab, and salmon, to salads, chicken, and even an incredible tomato pie, with these Mother’s Day lunch ideas, your mom will leave lunch feeling a whole lot of love.

The post Mother’s Day Lunch Ideas appeared first on Paula Deen.

Moms are the sweetest dose of sunshine we can ask for, right? And speaking of sunshine, have you ever noticed that moms and the sun are an awful lot alike? They’re at the center of a familial universe and they keep us all in orbit. Plus, they shine their light to help us grow and keep us happy. So it makes sense that Mother’s Day is celebrated in springtime, a season that welcomes a little more sunlight into our world, after a seemingly endless winter.

So when we think of Mother’s Day, we love the idea of surprising mom with a wonderful, spring dessert recipe, like a fruit-filled Mother’s Day cake or pie or light and bright lemon desserts for Mother’s Day. With a bounty of fresh fruits available this time of year, our grocery sections stocked with chocolate, and nothing but our imagination to limit our dessert fantasies, the options are endless. But to save you from an analysis paralysis, we thought we’d share our 15 favorite Mother’s Day dessert recipes with you.

The post 15 Mother’s Day Desserts appeared first on Paula Deen.

While these candles look intimidating, we promise, they are quite simple to make!

What you’ll need:

Teacups

Metal wick clips

Wick keeper stickers

Pillar wick

Candle wax

Pencil

Scissors

Two metal pans, to make a double boiler

Liquid dye, if desired

Essential oils, if desired

The post How to Make Teacup Candles appeared first on Paula Deen.

A great way to start is by taking over in the kitchen! You don’t even need incredible culinary skills to create a wow-worthy Mother’s Day menu for mom. These easy recipes are all excellent ways to show mom you care. After all, the quickest way to a mom’s heart is by taking over her chores through her stomach. That’s how that old saying goes, right?

While Paula has thousands more easy Mother’s Day recipes that your mom is sure to love, we’ve compiled some great options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, most importantly, dessert. See how easy we’ve made it for you to cook up something special for mom? Simple recipes you don’t even have to look for yourself!

Now treat your mother to a day she won’t soon forget. Happy Mother’s Day, moms!

The post Easy Mother’s Day Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.

I always wanted to have three kids, but as time passed by, I realized that two was a more realistic and manageable number.

To our surprise, God blessed us with three babies all at once… triplets! Bobby and I were incredibly surprised when we found out, and even though we had a rocky start, we’ve been enjoying every single second of the past 8 months.

Being a mom is something that I believe needs to be experienced to be fully understood. Looking into the eyes of little individuals that are the product of your love sparks such strong feelings that I don’t even know how to describe them.

The connection that a mother has with her kids is something that I believe starts from the moment of conception. Amelia, Linton, and Olivia have been teaching me the greatest life lessons since they were in my womb.

They have put things into perspective, and they are a constant reminder of what’s really important in life.

Our hearts are so full that it seems like they could explode at any time! Our babies have given an entire new meaning to the word FAMILY, and they keep bringing light to our lives!

Happy Mother’s Day!

The post Being a Mom appeared first on Paula Deen.

You know, not all meals, like days, are created equally. In our opinion, brunch and Mother’s Day are both standouts, and, lucky for us, they pair perfectly. While we show our moms how much we love her every day, these unsung heroes deserve a special meal and a special day that is all about them—in fact, they probably deserve more than one. So a luxurious Mother’s Day brunch is the perfect thing to show mom our appreciation. Serve any of these Mother’s Day brunch recipes with lemonade, a mimosa, or a bloody Mary, and mom is sure to have one of her favorite Mother’s Days yet!

The post Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.

When my mama passed away, I was devastated. Losing your mama young is always difficult, especially when you have such a close, special relationship. Though I was a married woman, I still needed plenty of motherly guidance, and I am so blessed and so thankful that my Aunt Peggy picked up my mama’s torch and ran with it.

Peggy taught me so many lessons along the way; most importantly, she taught me to follow my dreams. You know, she really was a woman ahead of her time. She went to college at the University of Georgia in a time when women didn’t really go to college, and she truly was an astute businesswoman. Aunt Peggy and my Uncle George were self-employed, and they learned to make their own way. They were very successful and my role models.

From the first day I opened The Bag Lady to today, she has always been my biggest supporter and cheerleader. When I first started, I was so tired and just didn’t think I had it in me. She would come over and spend a couple weeks in the kitchen with me, getting me through the times I didn’t think I would hold up. She’d tell me I could do it, and, boy, was she right.

I don’t know if my mother would have encouraged me to start my own business, but Peggy always encouraged me to take chances and push the envelope—to walk on the edge instead of playing it safe. Even though I could trip and fall, she was smart enough to know that you can’t let a few bumps and bruises stop you from trying. After all, it’s the mistakes that you learn from and truly remember.

Aunt Peggy took me junkin’ for my very first time and introduced me to the joy of digging for your treasure. She showed me you don’t have to go to a store and buy new stuff to have the most beautiful things. You can take old treasures and mix them in and it would be just as beautiful. Peggy sure knows the value of a dollar, and it’s a lesson I’m glad I learned young.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized you don’t have to give birth to a child to love it like it’s your very own. Not all women feel motherly, but, thankfully, there are some women who are born with that extra mother gene. They’re able to take up any child and love and nurture him or her. I’ve been on both sides of that feeling. I’ve learned it myself with Anthony, Michelle, and Corrie, and it’s a lesson I also learned from Aunt Peggy.

I was so blessed to have the sweetest mother in the world for twenty-three years. I was also fortunate that her sister, my Aunt Peggy, realized I was still a work in progress and needed the love and support that only a mother can give. So, Aunt Peggy, I would like to thank you for having the ability to love me like your sister did, like your own daughter.

Happy Mother’s Day,

Paula

The post A Different Kind of Mother appeared first on Paula Deen.