Some moms love to cook. But every so often even they enjoy a day off from their routine. So this Mother’s Day, give your mom a break from kitchen duty, even if it’s only for one meal. She’ll love whatever you make.

Most kids love to help in the kitchen; even toddlers scamper onto a kitchen stool to get their hands into the makings. The intention of this Mother’s Day menu is to give even the younger members of the family a role in preparing the meal with some adult supervision.

The key to preparing dinner for mom is to keep her out of the kitchen or she’ll insist on being head chef. So prepare the appetizer, pour her a glass of her favorite evening beverage, give her a cooking magazine so she doesn’t feel left out, and let her enjoy the late afternoon on the patio while the rest of the family is busy in the kitchen. All recipes serve four people.

Prosciutto-wrapped Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe
10 slices of prosciutto
Toothpicks

Cut a cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice half of the cantaloupe into one-inch wedges and remove rind. Wrap each wedge with a slice of prosciutto, and secure with a toothpick. Place on a platter and keep chilled until serving time. Reserve the other cantaloupe half for later use.

Baby Spinach Salad with Pecans, Strawberries, and Asparagus with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

1 package baby spinach
½ cup pecans, broken in pieces
¾ cup sliced strawberries
15 stalks asparagus

Asparagus is simple to prepare. Each stalk easily breaks off at about two inches from the bottom. The more tender part of the stalk can be cut or snapped into two-inch pieces for the salad. Put about ½ cup of water and ¼ teaspoon salt into a small skillet, and bring it to a boil. Place the cut asparagus in the skillet and cook for two minutes. They will only be partially cooked. Drain and set aside to cool.

Rinse spinach, discarding stems and unusable leaves. Place spinach in a salad spinner and spin dry. In salad bowl, toss together spinach, pecans, strawberries, and cooled asparagus.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Smoked Paprika

8­–10 medium red potatoes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven 425°F. Wash potatoes and cut into bite-size pieces. Place potatoes in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil. Toss until well coated. Sprinkle smoked paprika, salt, and pepper over potatoes and toss again. Pour potatoes into a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish and place in center of oven. Roast potatoes for 45 minutes or until tender. Stir a few times during the cooking process.

Grilled Pork Chops with Rosemary and Lemon

4 boneless pork chops, about one-inch thick
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves or one tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil

Place garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, and fennel seeds in a small food processor or blender. Pulse until ground medium-fine. Pour into a small bowl. Make lemon zest, then add zest, juice, and olive oil to the ground spices: whisk until combined. (Note: the best tool to zest a lemon is a Microplane zester, an extremely sharp, elongated instrument that is used to scrape the outer skin of citrus to produce fine flakes of peel.) Place pork chops in a shallow casserole dish; sprinkle with salt. Pour olive oil mixture over chops and rub in on both sides. Grill pork chops over medium-hot coals until the center is no longer pink but juicy, about 8 to 10 minutes per side. Pork chops may be cooked on the stovetop or in the oven if weather does not permit outdoor grilling.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons pomegranate juice (available at Trader Joe’s)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil

Pour pomegranate juice and honey in a small glass measuring cup. Microwave for about 15 seconds to dissolve the honey. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until combined well. Add vinaigrette to salad, toss, and serve.

Angel Food Cake Tossed with Fresh Fruit and Yogurt

1 store-bought angel food cake
8 ounces vanilla or lemon-flavored yogurt
2 cups mixed fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and bananas

Cut cake into bite-size pieces (this can be done ahead of time and covered to stay fresh). Place in a serving bowl. Add fruit and yogurt, and mix well. Serve immediately.