SIMPLE, FRESH IDEAS FOR YOUR NEXT CELEBRATORY MEAL

Mother’s Day brings families together. It also marks the arrival of spring—the perfect opportunity to serve fresh, colourful dishes! This year, why not celebrate spring’s arrival with a festive weekend meal? Looking for something easy and unique? Just be confident, choose fresh, simple ingredients you already love, and give them a little extra oomph!

FOCUS ON FRESHNESS

A sunny meal would not be the same without some added freshness. Think refreshing, colourful fruits and vegetables. This will give your meal a summery feel!

Colourful fruits and vegetables = guaranteed freshness

1- Spotlight on dips!

We’ve all heard of Feta in Greek salad. Why not turn it into a dip?

Serve Feta cheese as a dip with this 5-ingredient recipe!

Directions:

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan. Add 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and bring them to a sizzle (about 2 minutes).
Making sure not to burn the garlic, remove from heat. Set aside.
In a food processor, blend about 225 grams of cream cheese and about 200 grams of Feta cheese (one tub). Add garlic and half a lemon (juice and zest), and blend until combined

Voilà! You’re done! Set on a platter and season with olive oil and herbs, to taste.

It’s a quick, easy, and unique way to rediscover this tasty cheese. Rich in calcium, it’s great for kids too!

2- Bocconcini salad

When you think of summer, you also think of salad and veggies, fresh from your garden. Looking for a good side dish? Try a simple Bocconcini salad with garden-fresh tomatoes and fine herbs, like our tomato, Bocconcini, and basil salad. Click here for the recipe. This Italian cheese salad keeps well in the fridge . . . a great reason to make more! The aromas are even more abundant when served the next day.

3- A new take on smoked salmon!

If you want to change things up and revisit the classic smoked salmon, how about turning it into rillettes? The Fumoirs Gosselin smoked salmon is an Eastern Township favourite. Their artisanal recipe is inspired by a unique hot smoking process. It’s an excellent local product for you to enjoy!

In a food processor, blend the tub of Fumoirs Gosselin smoked salmon (about 200 g). Add 2 tablespoons of your favourite mayo, half a bunch of chopped chives, and half a teaspoon of dry mustard. Set aside.
Next, in a pan, fry the garlic cloves with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Add garlic to the salmon mixture and mix.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and... enjoy your delicious rillettes!

Serve with gluten-free rice crackers or bread for a truly unique happy hour. P.S. Don’t expect there to be any leftovers!

4- Watermelon granita

With its bright colour and sweet taste, watermelon is the epitome of summer. Forget the traditional sliced melon platter… Why not serve it as a drink instead, like a delicious Italian granita?

For a most refreshing cocktail:

Mix half a cup of sugar, one and a half cups of water and 24 mint leaves in a medium-sized pot. Boil 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool. Next, remove the mint leaves.
Dice half of a ripe watermelon (about 225 g) and put in the blender with a few drops of honey, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and the cooled off water-sugar mixture. Blend until smooth.
Pour your creation into an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Once 3 hours have passed, stir the mixture well and pour into a second mould. Freeze 5-6 hours. Scrape every 30 minutes or so to separate the granita. Serve in a chilled glass and top with mint leaves!

Ending on a high note

5- A unique, quick dessert

If there’s one fruit that’s especially delicious in Quebec in summer, it has to be strawberries. Refreshing and comforting, strawberry shortcake is synonymous with summer. If you don’t have the time or the will to bake, La Fabrique Ricardo has you covered with a simple, quick, ready-to-serve dessert. Ricardo’s delicious Strawberry cake is made from real strawberries and cream. It’s light and sweet—the perfect ending to your meal. You can store your leftovers in the fridge for your afternoon sugar cravings, or freeze it if that works better for you!

TWO MUST-TRY RECIPES FROM TROIS FOIS PAR JOUR FOR MOTHER'S DAY

Marilou of Trois fois par jour

1. Send her a Quebec-made gift by mail

Those who are used to shopping online know this already, but if you’re an e-shopping beginner, you might be surprised to learn how easy it is to have items shipped to someone else’s house. Simply enter your billing information, and in the shipping section, put your mother’s address.

During this period of confinement, why not search the web for a Quebec store? Supporting the local economy is easier than you think, and you can surprise your mom without seeing her in person!

2. Have dinner together thanks to Zoom!

Cook your Mother’s Day meal ahead of time, and then set a dinner date with your mom, telling her she doesn’t need to make a thing. Shortly before said date, drop off a portion of the meal to her doorstep. When comes the time to connect for dinner, tell her to open the door to her house and collect her dish. She’ll just have to warm it up, and you can eat together.

The Zoom app is wonderful for virtual meetings, and it’s so easy to use!

3. Create a lip dub

Now that you have the time, why not create a lip dub? Take your mother’s favourite song and look up the lyrics online. Next, contact those who matter most to her and send each person a section of the lyrics, so they can film themselves singing or lip syncing a line or two.

A simple montage is all it takes to create a clip that brings together all of her loved ones for a special Mother’s Day wish.

4. Get her a magazine subscription

A magazine subscription is always a winning option. It’s a year-long gift! P.S.: I hear Trois fois par jour is great! ;)

5. Cook together… virtually

Take advantage of the store’s delivery service to have a recipe’s ingredients delivered to your mother. You can then use an app to cook together, remotely.

Here are two great recipes to make with your mom this Mother’s Day! Happy Mother’s Day to all!

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