Rice often gets relegated into the "side dish" category, which is the food equivalent of always playing wingman while flashier, more winsome ingredients get to chat up the cook. Today, we're showing a little love for this humble grain. Here are ten of our favorite dinners where rice gets to be the star.

Planning a Mother's Day brunch this weekend? Hooo-boy, have you hit the jackpot! These strawberry-sour cream scones with their crunchy brown sugar topping should definitely be on your list. If your brunch is edging into lunch, go for a colorful table and serve our beet and tahini dip alongside plates of carrot ribbon fettuccine. Plus, no brunch is complete without a champagne cocktail, and this mint julep version is sure to hit the spot. Take a look through all our recipes from this past week for even more ideas.

Regardless of the season, my go-to dessert when people come over to visit has always been ice cream. However, I have a handful of friends who've recently gone dairy-free, so I've been creatively challenged when thinking about something other than sorbet, sherbet or fresh fruit to serve to my old ice cream homies when they stop by in the evening. Now I have a few new ideas.

What was happening this time last year? Glad you asked! We had cocktails of both the fresh spring variety and of the non-alcoholic sort. We had cornmeal-lime cookies to nibble and guacamole to make. We had a cute puppy to love and a very good reason to make a huge pot of rice. Want to hear more? Here you go!

Is there anything more fun than s'mores? For me it brings back nostalgic childhood memories, the warmth of friendship around an open campfire. But there's no reason you can't enjoy them now, too! Try one of these eight takes on the classic and remind yourself why melted chocolate is oh-so-great.

I absolutely love the smooth chicness of anything matte black, particularly in the kitchen. With so much that's already bright and shiny in that room — stainless steel appliances! Shimmering tile! Glossy ceramic plates! — I find matte textures a welcome diversion. They're understated yet still glamorous. Here are a few matte black kitchen and dining things I've had my eye on lately, from a simple faceted vase to a mind-blowing Bertazzoni range. (Guess which one I will not be purchasing anytime soon.)

Still wondering what to give for Mother's Day this year? You might be too old to hand out paper-and-crayon IOU coupons for dinners and shoulder rubs, but a homemade, heartfelt gift is always special — and budget-friendly as well. How about a jar of bright lemon curd, some pretty strawberry-granola bark or a framed family recipe card? Here are instructions for making these gifts for Mom, as well as many more.

I love brunch, you love brunch — I think we're all on board for a good weekend brunch, yes?! The one problem with brunch, however, is figuring out how to make it without having to get up at the crack of dawn to start cooking. This is why we're bringing you a round-up of all our favorite make-ahead brunch recipes today, just in time for Mother's Day — or whatever plans you may have next weekend.

A little something for everyone this week. If you're celebrating Cinco de Mayo, how about a batch of crispy, cheesy quesadillas and some pork tacos with salsa verde? If you're in the mood for spring, we have two desserts that will hit the spot: a rhubarb crumble pie and a creamy coconut-rhubarb tart. And if healthy eating is your aim, try a warm blueberry bran muffin for breakfast and herbed baked halibut for dinner. Lots of choices here, and all of them are good ones.