Mom deserves something special on Mother's Day to show how much you care, and for many, that means cooking her breakfast or brunch, either in bed or at an elegantly set table.

Pancakes and waffles are standards, but why not spice it up this year with something a little different?

We're talking personal egg-and-cheese pizzas that come together in about 20 minutes using prepared dough. They're as easy as they are fun to make with minimal ingredients for even the smallest helping hands.

This recipe features sliced mushrooms and two fresh shredded cheeses, but you really can use any ingredients you want; think cooked and crumbled bacon, chopped tomato, olives or finely sliced peppers.

The same goes with the cheese. I couldn't find smoked mozzarella at my store, so I used a combination of regular mozzarella and smoked Dutch gouda. It turned out great!

Be sure to add a divot in the pizza toppings with a spoon or small cup after a first short bake to hold the eggs, or they'll slide right off onto the baking sheet. The second bake, after switching racks, is a fairly quick one — just until the egg whites turn opaque and the yolks are barely set and jiggly.

I added a little crushed red pepper to the pesto oil for an additional kick, and also sprinkled some on top of the finished pizzas. Yum!

Smoky Breakfast Pizzas

PG tested

For pesto oil

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (about 1/2 ounce)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing pans

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

For pizza

1 pound fresh prepared pizza dough or store-bought pizza dough, cut evenly into 4 pieces, at room temperature

All-purpose flour, for dusting

6 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), or a mix of regular mozzarella and shredded smoked gouda

2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mixed wild mushrooms

Crushed red pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

Process basil, oil, and garlic in a food processor until smooth, about 25 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl; season with salt and black pepper to taste, and set aside while you make pizzas.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with racks in upper third and lower third positions. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with oil.

Dust 1 dough piece with flour, and place on a lightly floured work surface; stretch into a 7-inch circle. Transfer to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.

Sprinkle dough circles evenly with mozzarella, pecorino, and mushrooms, leaving a 1/2 -inch border for the crust. Sprinkle pizzas with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Bake in preheated oven until crusts are puffed and starting to brown, 7-9 minutes.

Remove pizzas from oven. Using the back of a spoon, make a small well in center of each pizza. Crack 1 egg into each well.

Return pizzas to oven, rotating pans between top and bottom racks from previous bake. Bake at 450 degrees until egg whites are set, but yolks are still runny, 5-7 minutes. Serve with basil oil.

Makes 4 pizzas.

— adapted from foodandwine.com