If you really want to show mom how much you care on Mother’s Day, treat her to the ultimate indulgence: breakfast in bed.

Whether it’s an elaborate multi-course feast or simply coffee and a bakery muffin, it will make her feel like royalty.

“It’s not just the food,” says Amy Houts, mother of two and author of “Cooking around the Calendar with Kids: Holiday and Seasonal Food and Fun.” “It’s being pampered and not having to get up.”

Although her youngest child is now in college, she fondly remembers past Mother’s Days, when her children were younger, waking to the pleasant sounds of coffee brewing, the aroma of pancakes on the griddle and the voice of her husband directing her daughter.

“I remember feeling so special that they were doing it for me,” she says. “It’s getting the care that we are so used to giving.”

And breakfast in bed doesn’t have to stop with Mother’s Day. It can brighten any day.

“I get breakfast in bed all the time,” says Marcena Carter.

She runs the Nunning House Bed and Breakfast in St. Joseph, with her son, Caleb, 14, and partner, Eddy Lett. Although Ms. Carter is the primary cook for the guests, they all take turns cooking and serving breakfast in bed to each other.

“When I’m awake and my mom’s still in bed and my dad’s making breakfast,” Caleb says, “I take it up to her. If it’s on the weekend and the guests get breakfast, she’ll bring some up to me.”

When Caleb does the cooking, he likes to make pancakes. Mrs. Houts says pancakes also make a good recipe for fathers and children to do together. Children can measure the ingredients and older children can ladle the batter onto the griddle. You can dress them up with sausage, making pigs in a blanket, or create your own cinnamon apple syrup for a personal touch.

Or get fancy with strawberry French toast, suggests Sheri Caldwell, a registered dietitian with the Hy-Vee store.

“It has a really nice tropical flavor,” she says. “And it’s an easy recipe for dad and kids to make.”

Fresh strawberries and orange juice top toasted Italian bread dipped in coconut. Although it has a rich coconut flavor, there are only 311 calories per serving. (Get a free recipe card from the Hy-Vee bakery.)

For a gourmet splurge, indulge mom with a orange-laced French toast casserole, created by Paula Deen. It’s a very rich, make-ahead dish using Italian bread layered with cream cheese, cinnamon and heavy cream, topped with caramelized bacon. And it would make a great choice for those dads who need a couple of cups of coffee to get going in the morning, because you put it directly in a cold oven straight from the refrigerator and bake for an hour.

Even if you’re all thumbs in the kitchen, you’re not off the hook. FruitandVeggieGuru.com has some no-cook suggestions for a light breakfast or healthy side dish. For example, frozen orange juice can be transformed into an orange banana smoothie by blending it with a banana and milk. Try a make-ahead fruit salad, with a colorful combo of pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries and peaches or nectarine. Or make a mango yogurt parfait by layering alternating mango with vanilla yogurt and topped with granola for a satisfying crunch.

Whatever you fix, presentation is paramount — especially to early morning sensitivities. So when serving the breakfast, don’t overload the tray.

“Smaller portions make a prettier presentation,” Mr. Lett says.

He also recommends dressing it up with a cloth napkin and a small vase of flowers on the side. Add a few slices of fresh orange as a garnish, a Mother’s Day card with a few gushy sentiments, and finally, the key to every mom’s heart — a small piece of the richest chocolate to finish off the meal.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com.

RECIPES

Multi-grain pancakes

1½ cups white flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons wheat germ

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1¾ cups milk

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat griddle on medium-high (400 degrees) while mixing batter. Children can measure dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs, milk and butter or margarine. Stir with a wooden spoon until large lumps disappear. (Small lumps are OK.) Pour about 1 tablespoon oil onto griddle and spread with a pancake turner. Ladle onto griddle in approximately 4-inch circles. (Older children might be able to ladle batter onto griddle.) When the edges are cooked, but before bubbles pop, turn pancakes. Cook briefly on flip side. Keep pancakes on a platter, covered with a cloth towel to keep warm, until all batter is cooked. Serve with your favorite filling or topping. Makes one dozen pancakes.

— “Cooking Around the Calendar with Kids” by Amy Houts (cookbook is available at Border’s book store in St. Joseph, Maryville Hy-Vee Store and C & G Education Station in Maryville, Mo.)

Cinnamon apple syrup

4 cooking apples, pared, cored and sliced

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

Prepare apples. Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until apples are soft. Serve on pancakes, waffles, plain cake or ice cream.

— “Cooking Around the Calendar with Kids” by Amy Houts

Strawberry French toast

12 (1-inch thick) diagonally cut slices Italian bread

1 cup light coconut milk or half-and-half

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

In large glass baking dish, whisk together coconut milk, eggs, vanilla and sugar. Dip bread in milk mixture; turn to coat both sides. Leave bread in milk mixture 10 minutes to soak. Meanwhile, combine strawberries with orange peel and juice in medium bowl; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. Coat skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Place coated bread slices in skillet in batches. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place half of the French toast slices on plates; top with half of berry mixture. Top with remaining bread and berry mixture. For a garnish, add a small dollop of light whipped cream and sprinkle toasted coconut on top before serving. Coconut can be toasted in nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray for just a few minutes until light golden brown.

— Sheri Caldwell, RD, LD, Hy-Vee store dietitian (Free recipe card available in the Hy-Vee Store bread department in St. Joseph

Orange-laced French toast casserole with caramelized bacon

1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, sliced into 1/2 inch slices (approximately 12 slices)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 pound bacon, divided

1½ cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoon orange zest

Juice from one orange

8 eggs

8 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

powdered sugar for garnish

orange slices for garnish

For caramelized bacon garnish:

3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 pound bacon

In a medium skillet, cook 1/2 pound of Smithfield bacon until cooked through and just under crisp. Drain on paper towels. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on one side of each slice of French bread. Place bread slices in a greased 9x13x2 baking dish. Layer with cooked bacon slices. Top with another layer of the cream cheese, French bread slices. Blend eggs, milk, cinnamon, zest, orange juice, butter and maple syrup until well combined. Pour mixture evenly over bread. Use a spatula to slightly press layers down to moisten. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Put in cold oven straight from refrigerator and bake at 325ºF for 60-90 minutes or until center is set and edges are golden brown. Casserole may need to be covered with foil midway through baking process. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with Caramelized Bacon Slices (see below) and Oranges. Serve with warm maple syrup. For bacon: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Place sugar in plastic bag. Add the remaining 1/2 pound of bacon to the bag and toss to coat with sugar. Transfer bacon to a baking rack set on the aluminum lined baking tray. Bake bacon until dark golden brown, turning once, about 8 minutes per side. Allow to cool.

— Paula Deen for Smithfield ham