Buttermilk Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

The pictures aren't terribly flattering, but these were fantastic! On an impulse, I searched Marthastewart.com for a new buttermilk pancakes recipe as I had some buttermilk to finish. I had never tried a pancakes or waffle recipe with brown sugar and I think that's what made all the difference. For the last couple pancakes, I mixed in some chocolate chips which are my husband's favorite. I don't recommend using a Circulon pan because you get those silly rings like a tree trunk, but taste is what counts.





1.5 tbs butter
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 c and a splash of buttermilk (start with 1 c and thin if necessary)
1 egg
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 banana thinly sliced
handful of chocolate chips, if desired

Stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together all liquids, including egg.

Pour batter onto preheated griddle or skillet. When bubbles begin to form, sprinkle bananas. Flip and finish cooking.

Serves 2

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones

This was my first attempt at making scones in quite a while. I have lately taken quite a liking to them at the local bakery and even at Starbucks because they seem more filling than a muffin. I remember once thinking that they were too dry to be enjoyed, but either recipes have become less so or my tastes have changed. Anyway, I adapted this recipe at Cranberry Morning to swap in whole wheat and make the recipe a little lighter. (Sorry the pictures aren't so hot. I snapped them in the morning before taking them to work and it was overcast.)


Printable Version

Ingredients
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1.25 c all purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
2.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, diced
2/3 c half and half (I used 2% and it was okay but a little dry)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 c chocolate chips or dark chocolate
1 c dried cherries (or cranberries)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk dry ingredients together in the base of the stand mixer. Cut in butter and mix until crumbly.

In a separate small bowl, mix half and half (or milk), vanilla, and egg. With the mixer on low, gradually add in liquid until well-mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips and dried berries.

Drop large scoops onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. (I used my muffin scoop, which is about 1/4 to 5/8 of a cup).

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. You may also want to use a toothpick to check for complete doneness.

Makes 10-12 medium scones.

Whole Wheat Banana-Chocolate Muffins with Pecans

This is my first recipe using the GORGEOUS raspberry ice Kitchen Aide stand mixer that my auntie bought me. I will definitely post a picture of the stand mixer later, but you can see it here.

I woke up in the mood for muffins. After a quick Google search I found this recipe at Epicurious. It's a 1999 Bon Appetit recipe. I modified it slightly by adding whole wheat flour, using a few less chocolate chips, and adding pecans. After looking at the pictures, I probably could have added a few more chocolate chips, although the muffin I munched fresh from the oven had just enough.



1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
2/3 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c milk
1 egg
1 c mashed bananas
1/2 c chocolate chips (original recipe calls for 3/4)
1/2 c pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, mixing thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add dry mixture to wet, adding milk, as well. Add mashed bananas, mixing well.

Stir in chips and nuts.

Pour into prepared muffin pan, about 3/4ths full. This is a particularly dense batter, so it took about 40 minutes to bake. The muffins are done when a tooth pick comes out clean.

Makes 12 regular muffins

Sunday Supper Series #16 - Ham, Asparagus, and Shallots Crustless Quiche

For no particular reason, I skipped last week's Sunday Supper. I had pictures and recipes to post, but didn't have the urge. Anyway, today's recipe is a super simple item for brunch. I baked a ham last week, taking advantage of the post-Easter sales and had a ton of leftovers. Ham seems to go well in breakfast times, even for those who are not fans of the ham and potatoes dinner. I modified recipes found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen and Simply Recipes. I went a little light on the cheese and perhaps too heavy on the milk, but it turned out just fine. Definitely a yummy dish that I will make again.



3 eggs + 2 egg whites
1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c 2% milk
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c cubed cooked ham
1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 1" pieces and steamed
2 large shallots, thinly sliced, about 1/2 a cup
Olive oil, salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute shallots in olive oil until softened and beginning to brown. Steam asparagus as you cook your shallots. (I use those awesome steam bags made by Ziploc or Glad.) Toss shallots and asparagus is a little salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and then add milk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, about 1/2 tsp each.

In a 9" pie pan that has been spritzed with cooking spray, toss together asparagus, ham, and shallots. Mix in cheese. Pour in egg/milk mixture and level out the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until set.

Serves 4.

Pecan-Cherry Granola Bars

A couple of months ago, I was thrilled to share this recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars as a suitable alternative to spending lots of dollars a week on store-bought granola bars for my husband to snack on that had goodness knows what sort of preservatives in them. That recipe is modified from one posted at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures. Many batches later, I've added cranberries, cherries, raisins, pecans, and almonds, but you could add just about any sort of fruit and nuts (or chocolate chips), as well as wheat germ to up the nutritional ante. Here's my latest rendition, which was a hit at work this week:



Ingredients
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
2 TBS honey
2 TBS corn syrup
1/2-3/4 tsp salt
2 c oatmeal (I use quick oats, but regular would work)
1/4 c wheat germ (can omit and use more oatmeal instead)
1/2 c nuts of choice
1/2 c dried fruit of choice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and honey over medium heat. Stir in oats, fruit, nuts, and salt.

Spread evenly into an 8" square pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 22-25 minutes until golden brown. (Note: I use a ceramic dish. A metal pan might brown faster, so check at 20 min).

Cool on wire rack in pan for 10 minutes before cutting. (I then leave in the pan to cool completely, but you could pop out on wire rack. It is, however, necessary to cut before completely cooled).

Makes 12-16 bars.

Sunday Supper Series # 10: Easy Potato Pancakes

Hi everyone, it's breakfast time! My husband's a big potato pancakes/latkes fan but making them from scratch is rather a pain. I last made them more than a year ago with tasty results, but it was a lot of grating. Last weekend it occurred to me that since they sell frozen shredded potatoes for hash browns, they just might sell an unseasoned variety. Sure enough, they do! I purchased a generic brand of shredded potatoes that only had a bit of salt-based preservatives. The night before I made them, I measured a little more than 2 cups into a bowl and let them defrost overnight. That morning, they were still a little cold, but not too icy and worked perfectly. I modified this potato pancake recipe from Southern Food at About.com mainly to eliminate the deep frying and change up the onion. The original recipe called for adding raw grated onion--a) I hate grating and b) am not a fan of raw onion. Thus, I diced up a small onion and sauted it until golden brown. Worked great!



2 cups grated potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup milk, scalded
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In medium skillet, saute minced onion until browned. Set aside to cool.

Pour scalded milk over potatoes. Add flour, salt and pepper, baking powder, and onions. Mix in egg.

On a preheated griddle or in the same pan you used to saute the onions, cook potato pancakes in 1/4 c portions until golden brown on both sides. (I used a muffin scoop, which might be larger than 1/4 c)

Place browned pancakes on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes until thoroughly heated. (This step isn't 100% necessary, but it allowed me to get them off the griddle a bit quicker without worrying about burning.)

Serve with apple sauce, of course.



Makes 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes. Serves 2.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Wheat Germ

I love making pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast items on the weekend. I'm always looking for a way to make such decadent treats a bit more healthful. I saw this recipe cross-posted in a number of places on the web, but think it originated from CookingLight.



1.25 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 c buttermilk
2 egg whites

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs. Beat the eggs slightly.
Gradually pour milk into the flour mixture until you achieve desired consistency. You may want a little more or less milk.

Pour in 1/4 c portions onto a preheated griddle or skillet. Flip when little bubbles form.

Serves 4-6

Pancakes with Pineapple Sauce

Last week I wanted to make pancakes. Discovering that we did not have syrup, I concocted a simple pineapple sauce. I used a Martha Stewart pancakes recipe found here subbing a 1/2 c of whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose.



Ingredients

1 c diced pineapples
1/2 - 3/4 c orange juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
sprinkle of salt and suggar if desired.

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook pineapples until softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Add orange juice and cinnamon. Cook on med low until sauce-like consistency is achieved. Depending upon how ripe your pineapple is, this may take some time. Adjust seasoning, adding sugar if necessary.

Makes 1 c sauce



My husband, as set to eat.

Zucchini Pancakes

I've been wanting to make this recipe for awhile now and twice bought a large zucchini for shredding from the farmer's market. Apparently, the larger a zucchini becomes, the less desirable it is for general snacking. Perfect for baking. Anyway, I printed this recipe from Tasteofhome.com, but believe I saw it first on someone's blog. Since I was out of sour cream, I served the pancakes with apple sauce (like potato pancakes), which worked well enough for breakfast.


Printable Version

Ingredients
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano, salt, and pepper

1.5 c shredded zucchini, water drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c chopped onion, sauteed (the recipe called for raw, I don't like the bite)
2 TBS mayo (FF works great)

Directions
Whisk flour, spices, and cheese together. In a separate bowl, combine zucchini, onion, egg, and mayo. Gently combine wet and dry ingredients.

On a skillet or griddle coated with cooking spray or melted butter, drop half cupfuls and cook until browned and firm on each side. (About 2-3 min per side).

Serve warm with sour cream (or apple sauce).

2-4 servings

Apple Oat Muffins

As you may know, I went apple picking on Sunday at the Countyline Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. To make apple muffins, I decided to modify this blueberry-oat muffin recipe. I also had some ground flax in the fridge, which I added for extra protein and fiber. It changed the color of the muffins to a dusty brown that I didn't much care for, so I added a sprinkle of sugar on top. These were a big hit at work.



Printable version

Ingredients
1/2 c butter, melted
1/2 c + 1 tbs brown sugar
1/2 c granulated

2.25 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c to 1/2 c ground flax
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

1 egg + 2 egg whites
1 c 2% milk

1 - 1.5 c apples, peeled and diced
1/2 c oatmeal

1 tbs butter, melted
1 tbs granulated sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Mix butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs.

3. Whisk flour through salt together in another bowl.

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with the milk.

5. Stir in apples and oatmeal.

6. Pour into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.

7. Upon removing from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Cool completely on a wire tack.

Makes 12-14 muffins.

Buttermilk blueberry muffins

I have no idea where I got this recipe from as I found it scribbled down in a composition book where I used to write/paste all my recipes--this was before I subscribed to 10 different cooking mags and trolled food websites and blogs. I wanted to use up some buttermilk and make the recipe a little healthier, so I sub'd in some wheat flour and did my usual egg trick. One key change that I'm noting below--the oven temp called for in the recipe was 375 degrees with a suggested baking time of 30 min. I kept the 375, but decreased the baking time to 25 min, however I still think they're a tad over-done. Thus, I'm going to write 350 in the recipe with a cooking time of 25-30. Just make sure to do the spring test with your finger or use a toothpick.



Ingredients
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, soften
3/4 c sugar (recipe called for 1 c, adjust depending on sweetness of berries)
2 eggs (2 egg whites + 1 egg)
1/2 c buttermilk (I added a splash more to get the consistency I wanted)
2.5 c blueberries

Topping
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until lightly and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture with buttermilk, mixing until smooth.

4. Add blueberries and combine well. I raise the mixer to high for a couple of pulses to mush up a few of the berries.

5. Fill muffin cups 3/4ths full.

6. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

7. Brush with lemon juice and sprinkle with sugar immediately upon removal from oven.

8. Cool on rack.

Makes 12-15 muffins.

Savory Buttermilk Pancakes (with Bacon)

Here's yet another rendition of this pancake recipe that I first used here back in February. One of the reasons I probably gravitate to this recipe is because it only makes enough for 2 with a couple of leftovers for snacking later. Also, it has buttermilk and I go through buttermilk kicks, as you know. This time I added bacon and swapped in some whole wheat flour. I wish I could find the bacon waffles recipes that I came across probably about a year ago, but since I didn't feel like looking for it in my recipe clippings, I had to wing it. The result was quite tasty and filling--suitable for lunch, brunch, or even dinner.



Ingredients:

1/3 c whole wheat flour

2/3 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 Tbs sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 c buttermilk

3 Tbs melted butter

4-6 strips of bacon, cooked and minced (I cooked mine under the broiler for 5 min)

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients together.

2. Add butter around the edges. Make a well in the center for the egg and scramble slightly. Add buttermilk gradually while whisking the mixture together. Do not over-mix, but make sure to elminate all floury lumps. Stir in bacon.

3. On a preheated griddle (medium to medium high), drop two heaping tablespoons at a time for large mini pancakes. Cook about 3 minutes per side, flipping when visible side begins to bubble.

4. Serve with fruit and choice of syrup.

Serves 2-3

Blueberry-Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

Despite my best intentions and productive grocery shopping Sunday afternoon, when dinnertime rolled around I was in a breakfast mood. Thus, I modified a pancake recipe I made a few months ago, adding oatmeal and blueberries. Here is what I had for dinner last night:



1 c flour
1/4 c oatmeal (quick-cooking)
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c buttermilk
3 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 c blueberries (this is approximate, I threw in 2 large handfuls)

Whisk together dry ingredients, except oatmeal. Make a well in center; add the egg and beat it slightly. Gradually pour in the buttermilk and melted butter, whisking until well batter is smooth. Stir in oatmeal and blueberries.

Drop 2-3 TBS of batter on a preheated skillet coated with cooking spray. Cook for 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. This is a thick batter, so you will need to watch the pancakes carefully.




Serves 2-4

Buttermilk Pancakes with Cinnamon-Sugar Apples

You might have noticed that a number of recipes this week involve buttermilk. It all started because I wanted to make Cheddar Biscuits with Sage for dinner one night. The smallest container of buttermilk that they had was a quart, so since then I've looked for other recipes to use up the remaining. Today's objective was two-fold--use the remaining buttermilk and use a bunch of apples that I had bought for snacking during the week, which would likely go bad because I'm going home tomorrow. The result was a marvelous pancake recipe that's not too sweet or dry, which I found at the Joy of Baking. Enjoy!



Apples
3 medium Granny Smith Apples, peeled and chopped
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

In a skillet over medium heat, add apples and cook for 2 minutes until apples begin to soften. Sprinkle salt, cinnamon and sugar over the apples and toss well to combine. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Cover and reduce heat to low and allow apples to soften into a compote-like substance while you make the pancakes.

Pancakes
1 c flour
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c buttermilk
3 Tbs butter, melted

Whisk together dry ingredients. Make a well in center; add the egg and beat it slightly. Gradually pour in the buttermilk and melted butter, whisking until well batter is smooth.

Cook for 1-2 minutes per side on a preheated, sprayed griddle or skilled. This is a thick batter, so you will need to watch the pancakes carefully and possibly flip before bubbles depending upon your heat source.

Makes 2-4 serving of pancakes with apples. Serve with syrup, if desired.

Apple Potato Pancakes

This recipe appeared in either this month's Good Food or Olive. Probably Olive because of the helpful approximations to the metric system. My husband loves potato pancakes, but I have been unsuccessful in the past. This recipe uses no onions and whips up very simply.



2 lbs or 6 c shredded potatoes (I used regular baking potatoes)
2 c shredded apple (I used 2 medium Gala)
1.5 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2.25 oz all purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
6 tbs canola oil
1 tsp granulated sugar

Combine apples and potatoes with 1 tsp of salt in a colander. Let set for 20 minutes, occasionally pressing as much liquid out as possible using the back of a spoon.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and remaining salt and pepper. (I also threw the sugar in here, rather than dusting at the end as directed). Mix with the potato mixture until it clumps.

Heat a couple of tbs in a large skillet over medium high heat. Flatten 1/3 c sized balls of the mixture and lightly fry until golden brown on each side in oil. (You need at least 1/4 inch of oil in the pan to get the golden brown color.) The frying takes about 6-8 minutes.

Repeat with remaining batter, keeping others warm. Serve with apple sauce (shown in picture) or sour cream.

Serves 4-6 (I made about a dozen silver dollar sized latkes)

Belgian Whole Wheat Waffles

My wonderful husband got me just want I wanted for my birthday last year--a belgian waffle maker!

1.25 c whole wheat flour

3/4 c all purpose flour

1/4 c sugar

3/4 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

2 c skim milk

1 egg, 2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 c melted butter

Preheat waffle iron according to its directions. My iron is ready when the light goes off.

Whisk dry ingredients in a medium mixing. Make a well in the center and add eggs, butter, and vanilla. Mix together slowly adding in just enough milk to get consistency desired.

Pour about 1/2 c of the mixture into the center of your waffle iron; spread around. Again, this may vary depending upon the size of your iron.

Cook until golden brown, flipping after 2 minutes if your waffle maker flips. Mine took about 3 minutes per waffle. When done, the waffle will be beautiful and drop away from the iron.

Serve with slice bananas, chopped pecans, and real maple syrup. Makes 4-6 depending upon the size of your iron.

Asparagus, onion, and cheese omelet

While randomly browsing, I stumbled upon the Kraft website and discovered that it has how-to videos. Most of the videos (and recipes) are, in my opinion, what not to do and targeted towards that cook who doesn't give much of a damn about what she prepares. Her goal is simply to get food on the table for her family quickly with minimal effort. That being said, I was rather intrigued about this how-to on omelet making. It uses a lid and more-or-less steams the omelet which results in extreme fluffiness. Had to try it out and this is what I got:


Not too shabby if I do say so myself. Cooking with a lid allowed the omelet to cook more slowly on lower heat and poof up. Love it and send my thanks to Kraft for the idea.