Kókópancakes

 

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Kókópancakes

Adapted from: Alton Brown

Yields: about 10 (I usually double since these are easy to freeze and use later)

2 eggs

3/4 c milk

1/2 c water

1 c flour. all-purpose or a mix including some whole wheat

3 T butter, melted

1-2 T sugar, if you want sweet crepes

1 teas vanilla, ditto

Place the eggs, milk and water into a blender and mix until well combined. The add the flour, butter and extra ingredients, if you are using them. Run blender until all is well mixed and smooth.. You may need to use a scraper to push flour off the sides of the blender. AB recommends letting this sit in the fridge for 60 minutes for greater ease of cooking (less tearing), but Kókó and her daddy often don't wait to cook.

Heat a crepe pan or a small nonstick skillet (or best of all, a ponnukokupanna, an Icelandic pancake pan), over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Butter the pan and use a teaspoon full of batter to test whether the pan is hot enough. It should take 30-60 seconds to cook on one side and fewer than that to cook the second side. Use a quarter cup measure to pour the batter in the pan, pick it up and turn and swirl so the batter slides into a thin covering of the bottom of the pan. When the edges dry slide a thin spatula under and flip the pancake carefully so the other side can cook. AB says he always plans on the first pancake being for the dog so don't get discouraged if your first few are not "beautiful". They will taste good. You can butter your pan between pancakes but I don't always do so. In addition, I prefer vegetable oil to butter. I think butter tastes better, of course, but for me oil is easier to work with. 

These can be treated as crepes but also as pancakes and you can use any topping including macerated fruit or berries. My favorite involves lemon juice and vanilla sugar. Other family members are fans of Nutella, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar, often all mixed together!

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Here's another baked item (but in a waffle iron) made with a vegetable and some whole grain flour. These make your kitchen smell delicious. 

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Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Adapted from: America's Test Kitchen

Yield: five to seven 7-inch Belgian waffles

ATK prefers store-bought oat flour with a very fine grind. They suggest if you don't have access to the flour, grind some old-fashioned oatmeal in a food processor into as fine a meal as you can get, about 2 minutes. They warn that it will be different, more dense. They also warn against using toasted oat flour in the recipe.

I made no adjustments for altitude.

2 1/2 c oat flour

1/2 c AP flour

1 teas ground cinnamon

1 teas baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

3/4 teas salt

1/4 teas ground nutmeg

1/4 teas ground cardamom

1 (15-oz) can unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 1/4 c plain low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt if that is all you have

2 large eggs

1/4 c oil (ATK recommends expeller-pressed canola oil)

1/4 c sugar

1 teas grated fresh ginger (if you like ginger, use more)

Heat your oven to 200F for keeping waffles warm after baking. start heating your waffle iron.

Place both flours, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, salt, nutmeg and cardamom in a large bowl and whisk together.

Measure yogurt in a large liquid measuring cup and add pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugar, and ginger and stir until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth and well combined. If you use Greek yogurt, you'll need to add some milk or water until the texture is like cake batter or a thick pancake batter. 

When ready to bake, brush the iron with oil. Add a scant cup of batter and close the lid, cooking according to manufacturer's directions. Cook until waffles are deep golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven on a cooling rack. 

Notes:

The original recipe found here instructs cooks to reduce the liquid in canned pumpkin by draining on paper towels. This worked well; in fact, too well. I had to add liquid and it was guess work, basing my guesses on what I thought waffle batter ought to look like. I added extra milk several times. The second time I made the waffles, I didn't drain the canned pumpkin and still had to add more liquid to attain the correct texture. 

You can substitute whole wheat flour for some of the oat flour, if needed. 

Add-ins are nice. I've used chopped fresh cranberries, blueberries, nuts, pepitas, and/or chocolate chips. I had to oil the griddle more often with some of the add-ins. 

Skillet Pumpkin Cornbread

Here's a good way to sneak in a bit of extra vegetables. Although the bread actually looks more orange than this photo, don't be surprised that the pumpkin doesn't make a marked change in flavor. I find this quite tasty but it doesn't have the same height as my usual cornbread. One benefit of the added pumpkin is that it keeps the bread moist for several days after baking.

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Skillet Pumpkin Cornbread

Source: NYTimes Cooking

Yields one 9" cornbread

1 c pumpkin canned pumpkin puree

1 c low-fat milk

2 T olive oil

1 T mild honey

2 eggs

1 1/2 c ground yellow cornmeal, ideally stone ground, but not necessarily

1/2 c AP flour

1 T baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

3/4 teas salt

1 T unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400F. Place inside a 9" cast iron skillet or a 2-qt baking pan or a 9" round cake pan.

Place the pumpkin puree, milk, olive oil, honey and eggs in a bowl or large liquid measuring cup and whisk until combined. 

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix but don't overmix.

Remove the pan from the oven and drop the butter in. When it has melted, brush the sides with the melted butter and pour the excess into the batter. Mix it in quickly and scrape the batter into the hot pan. Return to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. 

The original recipe instructs bakers to let the bread cool for 20 minutes. I've not been able to wait that long.

Portuguese-style Sweet Potato Buns

I don't quite know what to call these because they look a little like English muffins (but their inner texture is quite different); they feel like they would make a sturdy burger bun (but the color is unconventional); and they aren't really a dinner roll. Nomenclature aside, these colorful breads were the favorite part of one family meal over the Christmas holiday, especially with the chive butter spread, which I'll include.

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Portuguese-style Sweet Potato Buns

Source: Milk Street

Yield: 8 

If you've got a scale, using it will result in greater accuracy. 

12 ounces orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

2/3 water

3 T salted butter, cut into 3 pieces

1 T honey

1 1/2 teas kosher salt

3 c bread flour (411 grams)

2 teas instant yeast

Cook the sweet potatoes, water, butter, honey, and salt in a small saucepan until the sweet potatoes do not resist when poked with a skewer. Pour all into the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to cool so the heat doesn't kill the yeast. When cool, use a paddle attachment to mix the potatoes until they are smooth. Or you can use a potato masher. 

Prepare a sheet pan by covering the surface with kitchen parchment.

Stir in the flour and yeast and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Run the mixer on low until the flour is mixed in. A dough should form in about 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium high and run the mixer for another minute, for a total of 6-7 minutes.

Move the dough into a greased bowl with a cover to allow to rise until double (about an hour). I'm lazy about doing dishes and re-use my stand mixer bowl, after maneuvering the dough around in the bowl so I can mist the bottom of the bowl with vegetable oil spray.

When the dough has doubled, plop it out onto a very lightly floured counter and divide into 8 pieces of equal size. Tuck sides of each piece into the center and pinch, forming a small ball. Place one ball onto the counter where there is no flour and cupping your hand roll the ball until it is smooth. Place each ball onto the parchment, pinched side down, and press into a 4-inch disk, about a quarter inch thick. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes. 

At about the 15 minute point, start to preheat your oven to 350F (or sooner if your oven is slow to preheat). The oven rack should be in the middle. At about the 20-25 minute point, start to preheat a cast iron skillet, griddle, or a large non-stick skillet. It's ideal (but not imperative) to be able to cook 4 of these buns on the surface at the same time.  After the 30 minutes has passed, when your griddle is hot enough to sizzle drops of water, carefully place 4 buns on the surface, top-side down, and cook for 1-2 minutes until they are golden brown. Flip them over, using a wide spatula and cook for another 1-2 minutes until second side is browned. Place these par-cooked buns onto the sheet pan and repeat with the remaining four dough rounds. 

After all eight buns have been par-cooked, place the sheet pan into the preheated oven and bake until the rolls have reached an internal temperature of 200F or 12-14 minutes. Milk Street instructions indicate you should cook for the full 14 minutes if you don't have a thermometer. 

These can be served completely cooled and sliced in half, or somewhat warm from the oven. They are good sliced and toasted as well, especially after a day or two. They store well in the freezer, too. 

Note: The last time I made these, I didn't weigh the flour and I had to add 1/4 c extra water to get my dough to be the right texture. As the teachers of my Turkish cooking class taught me, roll doughs are best when they feel like your ear lobe when you pinch it. 

Garlic Chive Butter

Also from Milk Street. I think this is plenty for 8 buns so I half it. I've also melted the butter when I've been in a hurry, however, this does cause the liquid to separate from the solids, somewhat.

1 stick of butter

3 T finely chopped fresh chives (in a pinch I've used scallions as well as finely chopped light-green leek leaves)

1 small garlic clove, finely minced

1/4 teas freshly ground black pepper

Use a rubber spatula to stir the butter until it is no longer a stick but a creamy mass of smooth butter. Add the chives, garlic, and pepper and stir to combine.

Orange Cranberry Scones

 This flavor combination would fit well during the holidays, but because the cranberries are dried, you can enjoy these scones any time. 

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Orange Cranberry Scones

Slightly adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023483-cranberry-orange-scones
Yields 9 scones

1 medium orange
1/4 c granulated sugar
2 1/4 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 teas fine salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, cold
1 c dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 c buttermilk, cold
1/2 c cream, cold

for the glaze: 
1 c powdered sugar
4-6 teas orange juice (fresh from the zested orange is nice)
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Zest the orange. In a large bowl, use your fingers to mix the zest and the 1/4 c sugar together. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and combine with a whisk. 

Grate the cold butter using a box cheese grater, then stir into the flour. Stir in the cranberries. Make a well in the center, and pour in the buttermilk and cream. Gently stir with a fork until the mixture creates a shaggy dough. 

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, then pat it into another rectangle. Repeat the fold one more time, then pat the dough into a 7-inch square about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 9 pieces. 

Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then brush the tops of the scones with some additional cream and sprinkle with a bit more granulated sugar. Bake until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. 

Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with 4 teas orange juice and a pinch of salt. Add more juice until the glaze is a thick but pourable consistency. Let the scones cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling the glaze on.  

Lemon Bread

I used to go to cookie exchanges when I lived in Marquette, Michigan, so long ago. I picked up this recipe one year and baked it many holiday seasons.

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Lemon Bread

For my high altitude (almost 5000 ft) I made the following adjustments:

have eggs at room temp

subtract 1 1/2 T sugar

add 1 T lemon juice with milk

use half buttermilk and milk

add 1 1/2 T flour

Yields one 8X4 loaf pan

1/2 c butter, softened

1 1/4 c sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 T grated lemon peel

1/2 teas lemon extract

1/2 c milk

1 1/2 c flour

1 teas baking powder

1/4 teas salt

1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Prepare loaf pan by greasing and flouring it well. 

Combine butter and sugar and mix well. Add eggs, lemon peel, extract, and milk. Add flour, baking powder and salt, stirring just until moistened. Fold in nuts. Pour into loaf pan  Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan and remove. Allow to cool on a rack. Serve with with Cherry Cheese Spread.

Cherry Cheese Spread

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 T chopped maraschino cherries

3-4 teas maraschino cherry juice.

Notes:

I used about a third wheat flour, in this instance kamut.

In the above photo, the cream cheese was mixed with frozen raspberries. I like it both ways, although the maraschino cherries make for a sweeter spread.

Savory Crunch Topping

I like this to use on a savory breakfast such as Greek yogurt and cucumbers or avocado toast. It would be good on a savory oatmeal, too.

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Savory Crunch Topping

The creator of this recipe calls it "Decidedly Not-Sweet Granola"

Adapted from Alison Roman's Dining In

3/4 c rolled oats

1/3 c finely chopped walnuts

1/2 c raw sunflower seeds

1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 c buckwheat groats

1/2 c flaxseeds

1/4 c black or white sesame seeds

2 T nigella seeds (if unavailable, use more black or white sesame seeds)

2 T fennel or caraway seeds 

1 T Aleppo pepper, optional

1/2 teas freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 large or extra large egg white

3 T olive oil, peanut oil, or grapeseed oil

2 T maple syrup

1 T soy sauce

1 1/2 teas kosher salt

Heat oven to 325F. Oil a baking sheet. 

Pile the oats, walnuts, all the seeds and spices in the middle of the baking sheet. Give it a stir. 

In a small bowl beat the egg white, oil, maple syrup, soy sauce and salt. Drizzle over the top of the mix on the sheet and with a rubber spatula mix until everything is coated. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on a rack and break up any large clumps. I store half of this in the fridge and try to use it in a few weeks and the other half I keep in the freezer until I move it into the fridge.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Scones

I discovered this recipe in a Cuisinart food processor manual which is ironic since cook's aren't instructed to use a food processor at all. Instead bakers are told to cut the butter in small pieces and use a stand mixer to mix it into the flour. When Betsy and I first baked these while at an Airbnb in Tennessee we had neither a food processor or a mixer so grating the cold butter was our only option. I find I prefer this method of incorporating butter into the flour so I'm modifying the instructions. 

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Chocolate Chip Coffee Scones

Adapted from Cuisinart Instructional Manual
Yields 8 scones

Ingredients for sea level follow. I found the recipe worked at my altitude (5000 feet). 

2 c AP flour
1/2 c sugar
1 teas baking powder
1/4 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
2 T  fine finely ground coffee, optional
1/2-1 c chocolate chips (I used dark chips, but you can use semi-sweet or milk)
1 c roasted chopped pecans 
8 T unsalted butter, cold (frozen or straight from the fridge) grated on a cheese grater
1/2 c sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 large egg
1 T vanilla extract
1 egg white 

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coffee grounds, chocolate chips and pecans in a bowl. 

Stir in the grated butter and lightly mix it into the dry ingredients.

In a liquid measuring cup mix the sour cream, 1 egg and vanilla together. Stir this into the flour mixture with a fork, stirring until a ball forms.

Drop the dough onto a floured counter and form into a 3/4 inch thick 7-8 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place on prepared baking sheet.

Whisk the egg white until loosened and brush some on the top of each scone. Then sprinkle with sugar or turbinado sugar. 

Place into the oven and bake 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown. Place on a rack and allow to cool. You can eat them after a 5 minute cool-down or allow to completely cool and drizzle ganache over the tops. You may simply melt chocolate chips for a thick smear of chocolate but if you want something thinner, heat 2-3 tablespoons of half and half cream in a microwave and stir in an equal amount of chocolate chips. Allow them to sit in the hot cream until they melt. Drizzle over the top of each scone.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

What is it about ricotta that makes everything taste magical? I generally don't like pancakes but these are light, bright, and tender. Also, it's spring and my grocery store has had cheap flats of strawberries. I pureed some and added a bit of sugar for a thick fruit syrup, which was a perfect complement to the lemon. I think these will be my Easter breakfast tomorrow. 

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Source: New York Times Cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022931-lemon-ricotta-pancakes

The amounts are doubled from the original, because I'm cooking for a crowd every day.

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
3 teas baking powder
1 1/2 teas fine salt
1/2 c sugar
2 lemons
3 teas vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 1/2 c ricotta (whole-milk is preferable)
1/2 c buttermilk
2 T unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking and serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Place the sugar in a large bowl. Use a microplane to grate the lemon zest right into the sugar. Gently rub the zest and sugar together using your fingers. Using your fingers, gently rub the zest into the sugar. Then add the vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and whisk until foamy. Add the ricotta, buttermilk, and butter, then whisk until blended. Mix in the dry ingredients and stir lightly until the flour is incorporated. 

Melt some butter in a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Cook pancake batter until the tops are bubbling, then flip to finish the other side. I had some trouble with the pancakes being undercooked in the middle, but I used more batter than the recommended 1/4 c so make sure you cook bigger pancakes longer. 

Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Pancake

 Here's a way to cook multiple pancakes all at once.

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Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Pancake 

Adapted from:  New York Times Cooking

Serves 6-10

This can be halved for a smaller crowd. I also like to cook this on two quarter-sheet pans so one can stay warm in the oven if needed. It also helps me deal with the effects of my high altitude.

2-3 T unsalted butter, softened, plus 8 T  cut into half-inch cubes and chilled

1 1/2 c cold buttermilk

1 1/2 c cold milk 

3 c AP flour (I used half whole wheat)

1/4 c granulated sugar

1 T baking powder

1 teas baking soda

3/4 teas salt

3/4 c mini chocolate chips   

Preheat your oven to 450F. Prepare a sheet pan or two quarter-sheet pans by greasing with one tablespoon of the softened butter and lining with parchment paper. Alternatively, so you don't waste a bunch of butter under the paper, spray with cooking spray and then line the pan with parchment paper.

In a large liquid measuring cup, measure the buttermilk and milk and set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and the salt in a food processor. Drop the cubed butter in and process together until the mixture is coarsely sandy with some pieces the size of small peas. Place in a bowl and pour the milk mixture over . Use a whisk to combine and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the sheet pan into the oven to heat up.

Pull the hot pan from the oven and place 2 T of the softened butter on it. Return to the oven and allow the butter to melt. This won't take long if the pan is quite hot. Once more, pull the pan from the oven and spread the butter all over. You might be able to do this by tipping the pan but I found it easier to use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter everywhere. Carefully pour the batter into the pan; spread out to corners and sprinkle the chocolate chips over all. Set the pan back in the oven and allow to bake for 13-15 minutes until completely a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Place under the broiler for a minute to brown the top. 

Cut into squares or rectangles and serve with maple syrup, if desired. 

Notes:

I like the idea of cooking a number of pancakes at once but this recipe pays cooks back with more dishes than I like (and in the past I had to wash my food processor by hand). So I advise keeping the cold butter whole until you want to mix it into the dry ingredients; then grate in the butter (a flat grater easily fits into the dishwasher) and stir. If you feel you need to, blend the butter in a bit more with your fingertips. Also, if you have a very large liquid measuring vessel you can use that to hold the milks and then add the flour/butter mix. Just be sure this vessel is correct. I inherited a big glass measuring bowl but have found out the hard way that it measures incorrectly.

Other readers of the NY Times suggested topping with nuts and/or berries or other fruit, chopped. Blueberries sounded really nice. 

Pear and Spice Muffins

A bumper crop on my pear tree had me scrambling for recipes this fall. This one is a good one. 

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Pear and Spice Muffins

Adapted from The Washington Post
Yields 12 muffins

4000-5000 ft. altitude adjustments:

add 1 T flour
subtract 1 T sugar

1/3 c neutral-tasting oil, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 c whole-wheat pastry flour or white-wheat flour
2 teas baking powder
1/4 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas ground ginger
1/4 teas ground cloves
2 large eggs
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1 teas vanilla extract
1 c low-fat buttermilk
1 medium, firm but ripe pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Prepare your oven by placing a rack in the middle and heating to 400F. Spray a muffin tin with baking spray or brush with oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. 

In another bowl, stir together the oil and eggs until well blended. Add the brown sugar, applesauce, and vanilla. Then add half of the flour mixture, and followed by half of the buttermilk. Stir until incorporated and add the remaining flour and remaining buttermilk. Don't overmix. Stir in the chopped pears and nuts gently.

Evenly portion the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 18 minutes, approximately, and test with a toothpick  to see if it comes out clean. If so, they are finished. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes. You may need to loosen the muffins with a knife before serving. 

Notes: 

I had some pear sauce on hand after making pear butter. I substituted that for the apple sauce and it worked beautifully. 

I believe you could skip the peeling and chopping steps by coring the pear and grating it. 

Tomato Fritatta

I'm trying to use up a fall glut of tomatoes after a fast, freezing storm compelled us to strip our tomato plants of their bounty. Of course, this can be made any time of year. If you are buying the fruit out of season, cherry tomatoes taste better than others. 

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Tomato Frittata

Source: NY Times Cooking

Serves 6-8

1 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, the best you can find

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

salt

freshly ground pepper

1 T fresh marjoram leaves or 2 teas fresh thyme leaves

8 large eggs

2 T milk

1 T extra virgin olive oil

Slice half of the tomatoes about a third of an inch thick and set aside (if you use cherry tomatoes, I advise slicing all in half). Halve the remaining tomatoes, squeeze to remove the seeds and chop. Mix these with the garlic in a bowl or retain on your cutting board until needed. 

In another bowl or large measuring cup whisk the eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the milk and half of whichever herbs you choose. Add the chopped tomato and garlic. Stir to mix well.

Place the olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet (oven safe) and heat over medium-high heat until you can feel heat when you hover your hand over the pan. You can test by dropping some of the egg mixture in and if it sizzles the pan is ready. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and tilt the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Allow to cook a bit; then lift the edges with a rubber spatula while tilting the skillet again, allowing some of the eggs to seep under the cooked bottom. Do this a few times. When the eggs have set somewhat, turn the heat to low and place tomato slices on the top. Cover the pan and cook about 10 minutes; gently shake it a couple of times. You may also want to look at the bottom to ensure it doesn't burn; again use a rubber spatula to lift and check. 

Once the eggs are mostly set place the skillet under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat. Cook until the top browns slightly and puffs a little. Remove from the broiler and give the skillet a shake to ensure the frittata doesn't stick.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining thyme or marjoram leaves over the top. Slice the frittata with a plastic knife while in the pan (you don't want to scratch the surface) or slip it carefully on to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve hot, although it tastes great at any temperature.

Leftovers are best used within a couple of days.

I'm thinking of trying this with chopped cooked bacon and/or cheese, shredded and mixed into the eggs or grated Parmesan on top. But it is good as it is.

Buttermilk Brown Sugar Waffles

You wouldn't think we need another waffle recipe (see zucchini, cornmeal, Mr. Spackman's, and chocolate). But we do! I accidentally quadrupled this new recipe the first time I made it, so I was glad that they were tasty. This waffle combines a pleasing nutty flavor with the lovely crunch of cornmeal waffles and the ease of preparation of Mr. Spackman's. 

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Buttermilk Brown Sugar Waffles

Adapted slightly from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9062-buttermilk-brown-sugar-waffles
Yields about 8 waffles

2 eggs
1 3/4 c buttermilk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 c all -purpose flour
3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1/4 c wheat germ
2 T light brown sugar
2 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1 teas salt
butter, for greasing the waffle iron

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, then add to egg mixture and whisk until just combined. Let the batter rest while you heat the waffle iron. Butter the waffle iron and cook, then enjoy! 

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Buttermilk Brown Sugar Waffles (Quadrupled)

Adapted slightly from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9062-buttermilk-brown-sugar-waffles
Feeds my family of 6 for several days

8 eggs
7 c buttermilk
4 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 c all purpose flour 
3 c white whole wheat flour
1 c wheat germ
1/2 c light brown sugar
8 teas baking powder
4 teas baking soda
4 teas salt
butter, for greasing the waffle iron

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, then add to egg mixture and whisk until just combined. Let the batter rest while you heat the waffle iron. Butter the waffle iron and cook, then enjoy! 

Joanne Chang's Maple-Blueberry Scones

Earlier this year I made a purchase that serves as a cautionary tale when shopping at Costco when you have children. My three-year-old had been happily devouring frozen blueberries, requesting them for snacks repeatedly. I finally decided to purchase a huge Costco bag, when he abruptly decided he didn't like frozen blueberries anymore. This is one recipe that has helped make a dent in my stash. 

The whole wheat flour in these scones provides pleasing heft and a nutty flavor, both of which cuts the sweetness of the maple. Though these are nice anytime, they would also be perfect for any special occasion or holiday. 

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 Joanne Chang's Maple-Blueberry Scones

Source: New York Times Cooking
Yield: 8 scones

For baking at altitudes of 4000-5500 feet, make the measurements for both leaveners scant. 

Scones:

1 2/3 c whole-wheat flour
1 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

1/2 teas kosher salt

3/4 c unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cold, cut into half inch pieces

1/2 c créme fraîche, Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature

1/2 c maple syrup

1/3 c buttermilk, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 c fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed by running under water for a few minutes and then dried in paper towels)

Using a paddle attachment in a stand mixer, mix the flours, baking powder, soda, and salt on low speed just long enough to mix them together. Put half the butter into the bowl and paddle until it is completely mixed into the flour, about 2-3 minutes. This step allows the butter to coat the flour so the scones will be tender. 

Add the rest of the butter to the bowl and pulse your mixer 3-4 times to break the cubes up a bit into the dough. You're trying to get small pieces of butter, which will keep the scones flakey. Don't overmix.

Mix the créme fraîche, maple syrup, buttermilk and egg yolk in a medium bowl until they are thoroughly mixed. Pour in the blueberries and gently stir. With the stand mixer on low, pour the blueberry mixture into the flour mixture and paddle on low for approximately 10 seconds as you get some of the liquid mixed into the flour. At this point, stop the mixer and remove the bowl so you can mix the dough by hand. Bring the dough together and lift it, turning it over in the bowl several times while getting all the loose flour mixed in. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour to 24 hours. The flour will fully absorb the liquid during this time.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F and place the rack in the center. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Use an ice cream scoop or a half cup measure to scoop 8 mounds of chilled dough. Place them a few inches apart on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, turning the sheet halfway through the baking time. The scones are done when they are golden brown and firm when you press on them.

Remove and place pan on a cooling rack. While they are still warm, brush with the glaze (below) and let sit 30 minutes before serving. 

Glaze:

1/2 c confectioners' sugar

2-3 T maple syrup

In a small bowl mix together the sugar and maple syrup using enough syrup to make a thick but spreadable mixture. Set aside until the scones are out of the oven. This can be store for up to a week at room temperature but whisk before using. 

Breakfast Casserole

For years, off and on, I've been searching for a tasty and simple breakfast casserole. This year's Christmas morning attempt will definitely be repeated next year because it's low carb and easy to throw together. And for an extra bonus, I am likely to have the ingredients on hand because of our Christmas Eve taco dip tradition. Maybe one of these years I'll be able to get my boys to eat some, too! 

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Breakfast Casserole

Source: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/breakfast-casserole/
Serves 12, but can be halved and baked in a 2-quart dish or square baking pan

2 pounds pork sausage
12 eggs
1 c sour cream
1/4 c milk
salt and pepper
4 green onions
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 c shredded cheddar cheese

If baking immediately, preheat to 350F. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. 

Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.  

While the sausage is browning, mix eggs, sour cream, milk, cheese, and generous amounts of salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer on low to combine. 

Drain the fat from the cooked sausage, then add it to the egg mixture. 

Cook the peppers and onions in the same skillet for several minutes, until softened. Then add to the egg mixture and stir. 

Pour egg mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until casserole is set and enjoy. Or, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. 

Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Here's one more yummy peach recipe while it's still fall. Although very tasty, the peach butter definitely gilds the lily but it does add extra peach flavor (and will use up peaches if you have that need--how I wish I had that problem this year).

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Brown Sugar Peach Muffins

Source: Washington Post 

Yield: about 20

4-5 fresh peaches, preferably ripe

4 c flour, you can use some wheat flour if you like

2/3 c packed dark brown sugar

1 teas kosher salt

2 T baking powder

1 teas baking soda

1/4 teas ground allspice

2 large eggs

2 c regular or low-fat sour cream (no nonfat sour cream here)

1/2 c vegetable oil

sugar for sprinkling--Swedish pearl sugar, or demerara, something that won't melt while baking is best

Peach Butter

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 teas kosher salt

1/2 teas ground cinnamon

1/4 teas ground cardamom

1/4 teas vanilla extract

1 teas maple syrup (optional)

Set your oven to 400F and preheat. Place paper baking cups in standard size muffin pans. If you have only one pan, you can bake the extra batter after the first batch comes out of the oven.

Remove pits from the peaches. You may peel them if you like but it isn't necessary. Cut the peaches into half inch chunks, or chop to that size, although you'll likely have less uniform bits. Save one generous cup of chopped peaches for the butter, if you are going to make it. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and allspice. Move mixture to the sides of the bowl to make a well.

Mix together the eggs, sour cream and oil in a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl, and pour into the well. Stir until just moistened, forming a lumpy, rather firm batter. 

Use a large ice cream scoop or a measuring cup to fill the paper baking cups, filling them to the top or mounding the batter slightly. Sprinkle with the sugar of your choice and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

In the meantime make the peach butter, if desired:

Place all ingredients except maple syrup in a mini food processor, or use a stick blender in a bowl. Puree all together until mostly smooth. Taste the butter and if you want it a bit sweeter, add some of the maple syrup.

When the muffins are finished (use a toothpick to test that there is no wet batter) place them on a cooling rack using tongs. If you used only one muffin tin, divide the remaining batter among paper cups, sprinkle with sugar, and bake the rest.

Serve the muffins while warm with the butter if you made it.

White Grape Jelly

In the Ball canning book this recipe calls for scuppernong grapes. I don't grow those, nor do I know where to get them. I use a variety of white seeded grapes that was planted by a previous owner of my home. 

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White Grape Jelly

Source: The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving
Yields about 6 half pint jars (I get 7 consistently)

3 2/3 c white grape juice obtained by your favorite method, see below
5 1/2 c sugar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 (3-oz) pouch liquid pectin

Prepare jars for canning by washing and heating in very boiling water in your canner. Also wash and prepare lids and bands. Place the lids in a bowl of boiling hot water and let sit until you top the jars.

Combine grape juice, sugar, and lemon juice in a Dutch oven or very large saucepan or pasta pot. The jelly will boil up and a large pot will help contain it. Over high heat, bring the ingredients to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Stir frequently, especially as the bubbles rise.

Stir in the pectin, all at once, squeezing the packet to get all of it out of the pouch. Keep the jelly boiling hard while stirring constantly for one minute. Turn off the heat. Skim foam, if necessary.

Remove hot jars from canner and ladle the hot jelly into the jars leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Clean the  jar rims with a clean wet paper towel and set lids on top of each jar. Put the bands on and tighten with your fingertips. Place jars in the canner and ensure they are covered with water to an inch above the tops of the jars.

Process 10 minutes (sea level) and adjust for altitude:

1,001-3,000 ft--5 additional minutes

3,001-6,000 ft--10 additional minutes

6,001-8,000 ft--15 additional minutes

8,001-10,000 ft--20 additional minutes

When finished, turn off heat and allow jars to sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and set where they won't be disturbed for 24 hours.

Check seals; lids should be indented and you shouldn't be able to move them.

Wash jars, label, and store in a cool dry place for up to a year,



Notes:

I use a steam juicer. If you don't have one use this method for removing juice from grapes:

Wash 5 1/4 pounds grapes, remove and discard stems. Bring grapes and 1 c water to a boil in a pasta pot or Dutch oven, stirring often. Boil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently or until most of the seeds have been released from the pulp. Mash the grapes with a potato masher to slip seeds from pulp

Line a large wire-mesh strainer with 3 layers of damp cheesecloth. Place over a large bowl and pour grapes into the strainer. Let drain at least an hour to get required 3 2/3 c juice. Discard solids.

Pumpkin, Cranberry, Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

A couple of weeks ago I made this for breakfast on our first morning of social distancing. It's healthy and it's comfort food, although chopping the oatmeal and stirring in chocolate chips makes it seem quite like a dessert. Maybe that's not a bad thing at the moment.

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Pumpkin, Cranberry, Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Source: Food52
Serves: 6-8

2 c rolled oats
1/2 c dark brown sugar
2 T unsalted butter
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas ground ginger
1/2 teas salt
1 teas baking powder
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1 T grated orange zest
1 T lemon juice
1 teas grated fresh ginger
1 c milk, (any variety)
1 teas vanilla
1 egg
3/4-1 c coarsely chopped fresh cranberries (or dried, see note below)
1/2 c chocolate chips, semi-sweet, dark, or white
1/2 c toasted pecans or walnuts
cream, or milk for serving

Heat the oven to 375F. Butter or spray a 9-inch pie plate or round cake pan.

Place the oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a processor and run it for a few seconds until blended. Drop the butter in the processor and run it until it is completely mixed into the oat mixture.

Add the pumpkin puree, orange zest, lemon juice, fresh ginger, milk, vanilla, and egg and pulse a few times until well blended.

By hand stir in the cranberries, chocolate chips, and nuts. Place the mixture into the prepared pan and move to the preheated oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the oatmeal begins to brown on top and a testing toothpick comes out with no liquid.

While hot, cut into wedges or serve with a large spoon and pour milk or cream over each serving. It's also tasty with yogurt.

Notes:

The use of the food processor to chop up the oatmeal results in texture more like a shorter sweetbread. The next time I baked it I used only half the oatmeal in the food processor and added the rest when I stirred in the cranberries, etc.

This recipe originally called for soaking dried cranberries in brandy but I couldn't bring myself to ignore the fresh berries I still had in the fridge. If you want to bake this when cranberries aren't in season take a look at the original post on Food52. Or if you don't have or want to use brandy, use a bit of boiling water to re-hydrate the dried cranberries.

Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies

These chewy cookies are adapted from a recipe titled "Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies" found on Food52.com. The author used coconut sugar which keeps your blood sugar from spiking (hence the "healthy" moniker). I prefer the flavor of granulated sugar so mine aren't quite as healthy. You choose.

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Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies

Adapted from food52.com
Yields about 32 cookies

adjustments for altitudes of 3500-5500 feet

add 1 1/2 T almond flour

subtract 1 1/2 T sugar

subtract 1/2 teas baking soda
eggs at room temperature

3 large eggs

1 T vanilla extract

1 1/2 c creamy unsalted almond butter (well stirred and at room temperature)

3/4 c almond flour

3/4 teas fine-grain salt

1 1/2 c sugar (granulated or coconut sugar)

1 1/2 teas baking soda

3/4 c chopped walnuts or pecans

3/4 c rolled oats

3/4 c dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

a bit of flaky sea salt, to sprinkle on top if you desire

Place a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on 2 or 3 baking sheets. Bring your oven to 375F.

Beat the eggs, vanilla, and almond butter in a large bowl until combined. Add the almond flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda, stirring until smooth. Add the nuts, oats, and chocolate chips and stir. This will take a bit of work because the dough will seem crumbly and rather dry, which is okay. (Unless you use a liquidy almond butter, see note below.)

Use a tablespoon or a tablespoon scoop to pick dough up and place in your hands. Roll the dough to compress into mounds and place on the baking sheet. If you used the runnier almond butter, flatten the cookies a little in the center so they look like hockey pucks. If you used a drier brand your dough may not look much like dough, kind of dry and crumbly. I found I could press this type of dough together with my hands and the cookies turned out fine.

If using, sprinkle with the salt.

Bake for 10-15 minutes (for my oven it is 11 minutes). I like them to look just slightly undercooked but you may like them once they are golden brown around the edges. 

Take them from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Note:

The original author used coconut sugar and indicated that the quality of these cookies goes down markedly after the first day. So she divides the recipe and cooks only a third. I find that granulated sugar keeps these cookies quite moist for several days.

I've made these 4 times now and each time they've been different (but always tasty). This recipe may be more sensitive to brand characteristics than some baked items. I've used 3 different types of almond butter and have begun to believe my favorite comes from Trader Joe's, but I'll try Costco's Kirtland brand again because it is affordable. If you try these cookies and aren't as happy with the outcome, try again using a different brand of almond flour. 

Baked Peach Oatmeal with Almonds

One more summertime oatmeal recipe.

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Baked Peach Oatmeal with Almonds

Adapted from:  https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/baked-peach-almond-oatmeal/
Yields:  6-9 servings

2 c rolled oats
1/4 c light brown sugar
1 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1 teas cinnamon
1/2 c chopped almonds
2 c milk,  any kind but almond milk might be particularly good
1 large egg
3 T coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly, or 3 T melted and cooled butter
1 teas vanilla extract
1/4 teas almond extract
1 1/2 c chopped peaches
Peach slices for the top, optional

Oil or butter an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish. Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and almonds in a medium bowl.

Mix the milk, egg, coconut oil (or butter), and extracts in another bowl. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until combined.

Spread the chopped peaches on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with the oatmeal mixture and even it with an offset or rubber spatula. Top the pan with peach slices, if desired.

Bake for 40 minutes; the oatmeal should be set and the top be golden. Let it cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

Notes:

This is not a particularly sweet version of baked oatmeal which suits me fine, but I wager many people might like it a bit sweeter. You could add another tablespoon or two of sugar without a problem. Or you might offer a bit of maple syrup when you serve it. If you have some Peach Drizzle, this would be a great use for it.

You can double this recipe and place ingredients in a 9X13 pan.

Next time, I may use 2 cups chopped peaches, especially if I have an abundance of fruit.

This can be easily reheated in the microwave but you may want to stir in a bit of milk for creaminess.