I have paired up with Martha Stewart once again to help me celebrate with a few of my Mommy friends, so the table is set & in a few hours we will be having an early Mother’s Day Brunch while our little ladies are still at school.  I thought it would be nice to spend a few hours together, minus the kiddos, to relax & enjoy each others company.  Often times, play dates are constantly interrupted by yells of “Mom!!” so a little quiet time with friends is much needed… and maybe a mimosa or two.
To amp up the celebration factor, I have dressed up our patio with some simple flowers, linens and can we just talk about these plates?!  The black brushstroke bordered dinner plates & these pale blue appetizers with painterly zebras from the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy’s are now my go to summer party plates.  Btw… there are also Flamingos & Ostriches too.  
And rather than a standard white table cloth, I ended up using an extra polka dot sheet we had in the linen closet.  Plus, it is easy to just throw in the wash after we are done. 
I am planning to serve my favorite Warm Mushroom Arugula Salad.  Not only is it delicious, but it is super easy to make.  All you do is sauté your favorite mushrooms in a little butter & olive oil & after they are cooked through, toss in a few tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar.  Then you simply spoon the mushrooms & the sauce over a bed of arugula.  Top the salad with some prosciutto & fresh parmesan & you are done!  You can serve it immediately, or let it sit a little while.  The arugula is sturdy enough to not get soggy.  
I also made these Giant Kitchen Sink Cookies!!!

These cookies have (almost) everything but the kitchen sink!  I loved making these for my girlfriends, because with a group of little kids there is always one who doesn’t like nuts & the other doesn’t like raisins.  Now, we get to indulge in a huge cookie filled with tons of yummy ingredients with no one complaining of any one ingredient!  
These cookies are a sneak peek of one of the recipes from Martha’s new season of her PBS show, Martha Bakes.  Here is the recipe… they are so so good.
GIANT KITCHEN SINK COOKIES
from Martha Bakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup coconut chips
1 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate 
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup pecans, toasted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Place butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Mixin vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. With mixer on low, gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well combined. Add oats, coconut, apricots, dark chocolate, cherries, and pecans; mix on low until just combined. 
4. Arrange ¾ cup balls of dough on prepared cookie sheets, about 3 inches apart. Use the palm of your hand to flatten into 4-inch rounds. Bake until golden brown, rotating cookie sheets halfway through, about 16 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Items Used //
And btw… Macy’s has extended their Friends & Family Sale, so all of the items used are an additional 25% off with the code FRIEND.  But the sale ends today!
xo – Kristin