Dat Candy: Mother’s Day traditions (with recipes, of course).

Good morning. It's Mother's Day. To celebrate, my mother and I will practice three of our favorite traditions:

1. Arguing About Cooking. Is that enough salt? Should you really be using that pan? (Yes, this pan rocks). Did you cut that onion with a Lincoln Log or is it supposed to look destroyed? These jabs fly for hours, but never get in the way of us making and then enjoying something delicious—like this hanger steak.

2. Losing In Backgammon. More like, getting so consistently obliterated in backgammon that you're uncertain whether your mother's day job is actually her main source of income. Although getting nowhere closer to winning, I've learned that rum punch makes rampant defeat easier on the soul.

3. Giving Her Something She Loves. Sounds boring, but nothing makes my mom happier than high-quality linens. These sheets from Hawkins are some of my favorites. Hopefully she likes them.

Whether today or some following Sunday, you deserve brunch. A waffles to start, lobster rolls for mains, and gin spritzes throughout type of brunch. Something that makes morning laughter easy and mid-afternoon naps required. A meal that marries Ina's flavors with Uncle Buck's enthusiasm. In other words, any of these 20 brunch recipes.

Lemony Cream Cheese Pancakes With Blueberries

The BLT Benedict

Spring Salad With Asparagus & Soft-Boiled Eggs

Spring Sangria With Strawberries & Mint

For those with fond memories of afternoons spent measuring, mixing, and baking with their mothers in the kitchen, our most recent Recipe Drop—featuring Nea and her mother, Tove, baking Swedish Checkerboard Cookies—is exactly what you need. You can watch the delightful video here.

More on snackable sweets: Earlier this week, Amanda teamed up with Auzerais Bellamy—founder and CEO of Blondery—to make Joy Cho's Mochi Banana Bread.

Lastly, for practical tips on how to simultaneously reduce your grocery bill and food waste, Test Kitchen Manager Alison's new video, Thrifty Tips for a Greener Kitchen, is *precisely* what you're looking for.

The impending arrival of long summer nights promises barbecues, outdoor dinner parties, and poolside feasts. According to Julia, our head of social and video, there's one salad that works best for these situations:

"This pasta salad with salami and tomato vinaigrette is unbeatable!"

I agree. I especially agree because she's my boss. But you, you'll agree because she's right.