In honor of Mother’s Day around the corner, my gorgeous mother has been feeding me the
most delicious foods you’ll ever have, almost every day for the past seventeen years. And today I am
going to list some of my favorite dishes she repeatedly makes. Everyone deserves a mom like her, with
those talented hands cooking the tastiest foods.
Now it’s hard to pick your favorites out of so many choices, however I will compile a list of seven
different meals that I find myself coming back to over and over again. And Mom, if you’re reading this,
all your cooking is spectacular and amazing, but please make these more. I love you!
#1 Chicken Divan
Starting off strong with my favorite food, chicken
divan. For years, I have asked for this delectable meal
every birthday and every celebration I could think of. The
dish includes a scoop of rice with a cheesy-broccoli-
chicken casserole layered on top. The casserole is
combined with the perfect flavors and almost a crumbly-
crusty edge enhancing your tastebuds. Usually, my mom
pairs the dish with a side of honey roasted carrots or
roasted asparagus, while I help pair it with a random
concoction of drink. I’ve had chicken divan in other
households, and let me tell you, nothing will compare to
my mom’s recipe, something about it is so heavenly.
#2 Minestrone Soup
Any minestrone soup is a good minestrone soup, however about four
years ago I had the best minestrone soup, and nothing has compared to it
since. That summer we had spent time growing a luscious garden full of all the
ingredients needed for this soup. And all I’m saying, homegrown and
homemade food is better than any food any restaurant could
ever offer. And to pair this meal, my mother made this
delicious buttery pull-apart bundt bread with homemade
strawberry jam. Nobody can resist buttery bread, let’s be
honest.
#3 Hawaiian Haystacks
Hawaiian haystacks, although simple, are one of the best meals. It pleases
everyone and you can top it off with anything you want. Now my favorite way to make
a Hawaiian haystack includes lots of rice, a modest scoop of chicken gravy, shredded
cheese, chopped pineapple, diced black olives, sometimes peas, and topped off with
most delicious foods you’ll ever have, almost every day for the past seventeen years. And today I am
going to list some of my favorite dishes she repeatedly makes. Everyone deserves a mom like her, with
those talented hands cooking the tastiest foods.
Now it’s hard to pick your favorites out of so many choices, however I will compile a list of seven
different meals that I find myself coming back to over and over again. And Mom, if you’re reading this,
all your cooking is spectacular and amazing, but please make these more. I love you!
#1 Chicken Divan
Starting off strong with my favorite food, chicken
divan. For years, I have asked for this delectable meal
every birthday and every celebration I could think of. The
dish includes a scoop of rice with a cheesy-broccoli-
chicken casserole layered on top. The casserole is
combined with the perfect flavors and almost a crumbly-
crusty edge enhancing your tastebuds. Usually, my mom
pairs the dish with a side of honey roasted carrots or
roasted asparagus, while I help pair it with a random
concoction of drink. I’ve had chicken divan in other
households, and let me tell you, nothing will compare to
my mom’s recipe, something about it is so heavenly.
#2 Minestrone Soup
Any minestrone soup is a good minestrone soup, however about four
years ago I had the best minestrone soup, and nothing has compared to it
since. That summer we had spent time growing a luscious garden full of all the
ingredients needed for this soup. And all I’m saying, homegrown and
homemade food is better than any food any restaurant could
ever offer. And to pair this meal, my mother made this
delicious buttery pull-apart bundt bread with homemade
strawberry jam. Nobody can resist buttery bread, let’s be
honest.
#3 Hawaiian Haystacks
Hawaiian haystacks, although simple, are one of the best meals. It pleases
everyone and you can top it off with anything you want. Now my favorite way to make
a Hawaiian haystack includes lots of rice, a modest scoop of chicken gravy, shredded
cheese, chopped pineapple, diced black olives, sometimes peas, and topped off with
Chinese noodles and coconut. However, you can add anything you want to the bowl, and it’ll turn out
fantastic.
#4 Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers are honestly underrated with how
delicious and “healthy” they are. I say healthy in quotes
because it’s still a burger, it’s just better than beef. Ground
turkey has less saturated fat than ground beef, which makes it
better for you. My personal opinion, I hate normal beef
burgers, but could eat turkey burgers almost every day. And
especially how my mom does it, it’s nothing special, it’s just
made with love.
#5 Philly Cheesesteaks
I have loved Philly cheesesteaks ever since I can
remember, and I know you’re supposed to put melted cheddar
cheese over top, but in our family, we love melted provolone
cheese on top, which is pretty common among other places.
Originally the sandwich includes grilled onions and/or peppers
lied over top, but as my mother knows, I hate grilled or cooked
onions and peppers. Now don’t get me wrong, I love them
raw, but other than that, it ruins the taste. If you have never
had a Philly cheesesteak, you need to go to Moochie’s right
away, they have the best. (Not dissing my mom here)
#6 Barbacoa Street Tacos
Back to when I said chicken divan was my favorite food for years, once I got over
that phase, my favorite food soon became authentic street tacos. And although it’s
hard to replicate if you’re not a small taco truck on a crowded street, it’s still delicious
to make on your own. Every time my mom makes them, the smell wanders around the
house tempting to you to steal a little when she’s not
looking. I’m using barbacoa as a broad term because
any street tacos are delicious.
#7 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Ironically, I just recently had this dish, and it will
always be such a classic for me. When I make a
grilled cheese alone, it’s a hit or miss on whether I perfect it, but when
my mom does it it’s always golden brown and scrumptious. When we
were kids, she would sometimes add lunch meat and mustard to the
sandwich, and ever since then I have always dipped my grilled cheese
into mustard. You can’t judge the grind unless you’ve had it, trust me.
And don’t get me wrong, I love tomato soup the most, but that’s not
#4 Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers are honestly underrated with how
delicious and “healthy” they are. I say healthy in quotes
because it’s still a burger, it’s just better than beef. Ground
turkey has less saturated fat than ground beef, which makes it
better for you. My personal opinion, I hate normal beef
burgers, but could eat turkey burgers almost every day. And
especially how my mom does it, it’s nothing special, it’s just
made with love.
#5 Philly Cheesesteaks
I have loved Philly cheesesteaks ever since I can
remember, and I know you’re supposed to put melted cheddar
cheese over top, but in our family, we love melted provolone
cheese on top, which is pretty common among other places.
Originally the sandwich includes grilled onions and/or peppers
lied over top, but as my mother knows, I hate grilled or cooked
onions and peppers. Now don’t get me wrong, I love them
raw, but other than that, it ruins the taste. If you have never
had a Philly cheesesteak, you need to go to Moochie’s right
away, they have the best. (Not dissing my mom here)
#6 Barbacoa Street Tacos
Back to when I said chicken divan was my favorite food for years, once I got over
that phase, my favorite food soon became authentic street tacos. And although it’s
hard to replicate if you’re not a small taco truck on a crowded street, it’s still delicious
to make on your own. Every time my mom makes them, the smell wanders around the
house tempting to you to steal a little when she’s not
looking. I’m using barbacoa as a broad term because
any street tacos are delicious.
#7 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Ironically, I just recently had this dish, and it will
always be such a classic for me. When I make a
grilled cheese alone, it’s a hit or miss on whether I perfect it, but when
my mom does it it’s always golden brown and scrumptious. When we
were kids, she would sometimes add lunch meat and mustard to the
sandwich, and ever since then I have always dipped my grilled cheese
into mustard. You can’t judge the grind unless you’ve had it, trust me.
And don’t get me wrong, I love tomato soup the most, but that’s not
accessible 24/7. Now, tomato basil is the best soup to have with a sourdough grilled cheese sandwich.
Grilled cheese is definitely the number one comfort food for me.
There are hundreds more meals I could definitely call my favorite, but if these came to my mind
first, they obviously have a very special place in my heart. My beautiful mother is a fantastic cook and
I’m so grateful to be able to come home to fresh homemade dinner just about every night. I wouldn’t
want it any other way. I would full heartedly recommend finding the recipes on all these dishes and
trying them yourself, it’s so worth it.
There are hundreds more meals I could definitely call my favorite, but if these came to my mind
first, they obviously have a very special place in my heart. My beautiful mother is a fantastic cook and
I’m so grateful to be able to come home to fresh homemade dinner just about every night. I wouldn’t
want it any other way. I would full heartedly recommend finding the recipes on all these dishes and
trying them yourself, it’s so worth it.
