Top 10 Affordable Gifts for Mother's Day

If mom loves to cook, she should appreciate any one of these Kitchen Gadgets Under $15 That Really Work.

This beautifully photographed book (I wish there were more of Bob Fink's great images) is written in down-to-earth language by Gale Gand, mother of three, James Beard Award winner, pastry chef and co-owner of Tru Restaurant in Chicago. The recipes can be used for any meal of the day, not just brunch.

If you don't have time to bake mom a homemade nut roll, Bubba's Home Baked will step in and do it for you. Read this review of Bubba's walnut, apricot, prune and poppyseed rolls.

Homemade wines, cordials and liqueurs are a tradition among Eastern Europeans. Poles love strawberry cordial, blueberry cordial, and rhubarb cordial, to name a few. With this homey book by Helen S. Wright (Kessinger Publishing, 2005), a reprint from 1933, you can go two ways -- make wines, cordials and liqueurs for mom as a gift, or let her have some fun, too, by giving HER the book!

Babkas get their name from the Polish word for "grandmother" because, some say, the cake resembles the full, swirling skirts of an older woman. But Polish Babkas are different from Jewish Babkas in their shape and fillings. Both, however, are delicious. No time to bake? Try one of these that can be shipped overnight, if desired.

These dainty little cakes enrobed in fondant and decorated with royal icing flowers are so feminine-looking -- perfect for a feminine holiday like Mother's Day! They're a bit of a chore to make from scratch, so let someone else do the work for you and open the door to spring.

Marzipan -- sweetened almond paste -- is a favorite among Europeans across the board. Hand-molded into fanciful shapes, miniature fruits and pretty flowers, it's an edible garnish that will bring back memories for many moms.

If you don't live near an Eastern European deli, and you don't make your own kielbasa, you may be missing out on the varieties of sausages Poland has to offer. Mom or grandmom may still remember them if they were born in the Old Country. Here's a chance to savor them again.

Honey was a tonic to my maternal busia. She would take one heaping tablespoonful a day to ward off any illness. It seemed to work. The only time I remember grandma being sick was when she had trouble with a pesky gall bladder. Despite bee colony collapse disorder in the contiguous United States, Hawaii isn't having a problem, so their organic honeys are lower in price. So affordable, in fact, you won't feel guilty using it to make Bee Sting Cake.

This is just plain fun. The cap can also be imprinted with the words "pierogi," "strudel," "kielbasa," and more. Aprons and T-shirts are also available. So, next time mom and grandmom make one of the aforementioned delicacies, they can wear their caps. Alternatively, next time they need a little nudging to get out the rolling pins, YOU can wear it.