Mother's Day gift idea - give her celebrity jewelry, make her a star!

Mother's Day gifts are one way to honor her - and that's a good thing - she deserves it. How often do we think of our Mom with a limited view - she cooks for us, cleans for us, carpools for us - she keeps our family running. But would Mom like to view herself as glamorous? Does she have a secret desire to be a Star? What about a Mother's Day gift that speaks to her inner Star? Celebrity jewelry for her Mother's Day gift is just the thing!

A handmade Mother's Day gift treat

For your Mother's Day gift to Mom how about a yummy batch of cupcakes with a chocolate surprise inside? Cupcakes have gotten to be really glamourous - and one of the greatest things about them is that each one in a batch can be different - and each one can have a surprise hidden inside. Actually I don't recommend surprises like rings or jewelry or money in your cupcakes - you just never know when someone might swallow them - but there are wonderful food surprises you can put in your cupcakes. One of the easiest ways to jazz up your cupcakes and make each one a surprise is with bite-size chocolates.

If you're a food purist please check out my earlier post on making cupcakes - there is a great "from scratch" recipe and a video showing how to make beautiful decorations with buttercream frosting. Go here

This post is about making beautiful and delicious cupcakes when you're short on time. This is a personalized Mother's Day gift idea. I suggest a cake mix - and honestly, it was many years before I would use a cake mix - but Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker have good ones. Especially when you're going to add other ingredients - so get a favorite flavor cake mix - and mix up the batter.

And while you're shopping head over to the candy aisle and pick up some bags of your favorite bite-size chocolate candy - snickers, reese cups, milky way, herseys, - go wild!

Also those metallic cupcake papers will help make these look perfect.

I will say, however that I do have a difficult time finding a ready made frosting that I like - I can always taste something artificial so my choice here is to take a little extra time and make a really wonderful icing. So here is favorite, easy to make and good.

INGREDIENTS
5 1/3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
3 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add in cocoa, salt and boiling water, stirring until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. If frosting seems too thick, add water. If it seems too thin, add powdered sugar.

After the cake batter is mixed - pour a little batter into each cupcake paper - about 1/4 way full. Now for the fun - put bite-size candy into each cupcake (leave room for more batter) and then fill with batter leaving about a 1/2 inch from the top of the paper. Each one will be a chocolate surprise.

After the frosting you could add another bite-size chocolate to the top for decoration. Now you have a batch of chocolate surprise cupcakes for your Mother's Day gift. I just hope Mom shares them with you!

Want another option for Chocolate for Mother's Day? Check out Hotel Chocolate.

Mom will love it that you took the time and love to give her a handmade Mother's Day gift.

Chocolate for Mother's Day gifts - fantastic idea!

Let's get serious about GREAT Mother's Day gifts. What says "I love you, Mom." "You're the best Mom in the world" "I'm so lucky you're my Mom." What says that because it is the most loving, considerate, exciting gift a Mother could ever receive? CHOCOLATE! I don't think I know a woman who doesn't get excited about chocolate.




And these days, there is wonderful gourmet chocolate that is available at the click of your mouse. Sure, it's not a gift that lasts (well, maybe on the hips it does), it's not a gift that Mom will have for the next so many years - but it is a wonderful choice for a fun gift for Mother's Day that is sure to make her happy, happy!

I'm not sure that men can really appreciate how most women feel about chocolate - so let me be the expert advisor here - Chocolate is a great choice!

One of my favorite's is Dan's Chocolates - luscious, great variety, novelty chocolate items great for gifts (hint, hint) - and make sure your Mom enjoys her Chocolate Mother's Day gift completely guilt free. If you're lucky maybe she'll share with you.