While breakfast in bed will always go down a treat, Mum will really feel like a Queen if she can sit down to a great lunch that's been prepared by the family - and she hasn't had to lift a finger.

She can feel she is celebrating in a world-wide tradition. In more than 46 countries, people honour mothers with a special day, although not necessarily the same date.

The very first celebrations of mothers were held in Ancient Greece during the Spring. Now, in the UK Mothering Sunday is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter).

Emma Marsden, cookery editor of Good Housekeeping, has chosen an easy-to-prepare but delicious menu from the inspiring selection in The Family Cook Book.

Get Dad to prepare a roast chicken, and follow it up with this irresistible banoffee pie which the children could easily make, and enjoy eating.

As a bonus, the banoffee pie serves 14, so that means there should be plenty left over if friends or family drop by later in the day to join in the celebrations.

BANOFFEE PIE

(Serves 14)

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus chilling

Cooking time: 2-3 minutes

Ingredients:

100g (3 1/2oz) butter, melted, plus extra to grease

200g (7oz) digestive biscuits, roughly broken

2 small bananas, peeled and sliced

8tbsp dulce de leche

284ml double cream

1tbsp cocoa powder to dust

Method:

Grease the base and sides of a 23cm (9in) loose-based tart tin. Whizz the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Pour in the melted butter and combine. Press the mixture into the prepared tart tin and leave to chill for two hours.

Arrange the banana slices evenly over the biscuit base and spoon the dulce de leche on top. Whip the cream until thick and spread it over the top. Dust with a sprinkling of cocoa powder and serve.

Variations:

  • Top with a handful of toasted flaked almonds instead of the cocoa powder
  • Mix 25 grams (1 ounce) of chopped pecan nuts into the biscuits with the butter.
  • Scatter grated plain dark chocolate over the cream.