Chinese Donuts and Pancakes for a New Year's Brunch

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I are having guests for brunch on Saturday. In keeping with my plan to serve Chinese food for the duration of the Spring Festival, I've put together a menu that I think our guests will enjoy. I'll be serving congee, noodles, shrimp omelets, dumplings, and creamed bok choy as well as Chinese donuts and pancakes. The recipes for these dishes have been featured on One Perfect Bite in the past, but I came across new recipes for the donuts and pancakes that I wanted to try and share with you. They are easy to make and I think your family and friends will enjoy them. Here is how they both are made.

Apple Walnut Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When the rains here start and the leaves begin to fall, I love to make these pancakes. There is something about them that speaks to fall. I'm not particular about when I serve them and they have performed breakfast, lunch and dinner duty in my kitchen. They are easy to prepare and I always have to make a double batch to please the folks at my table. The Silver Fox loves these served with smoked or homemade sage sausage. Smoked sausage is always available in supermarkets, and truth be told, my sage sausage is awfully easy to make, so he gets one or the other every time I serve apple pancakes. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the pancakes are made.

Apple Walnut Pancakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 medium apple, peeled and grated
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions:
1) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2) Whisk together buttermilk, egg and butter in a small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture stirring just until flour mixture is moistened. Gently fold in apple and walnuts.
3) Brush a nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet with oil or spray with nonstick spray and set over medium-low heat. Using a scant 1/4 cup for each pancake, pour batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles begin to appear and the edges of pancakes are dry, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer pancakes to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, making a total of 12 pancakes.

                    

                                      Older Posts

                   One Year Ago Today:                                                    Two Years Ago Today:

                        Mulligatawny                                                             Potato and Cheese Soup

              Three Years Ago Today:                                                    Four Years Ago Today: 

                     Peach Chutney                                                                 Winter Tomato Soup

Zucchini Corn Cakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've carefully controlled my purchases at farm stands and green markets this summer. Last year, our farm share was too large for the two of us, and it led to waste, with much of the produce becoming fodder for the compost pile. This year, I've been very careful. Sensible planning, coupled with the reality of a smaller refrigerator have made it easier to keep purchases under control. I no longer buy flats of berries or lugs of tomatoes, and I generally limit myself to what we can consume within a week. I do get thrown off balance every now and then, usually because friends who still garden remember me from the days when I was feeding the immediate world. I ended up with 4 pounds of zucchini this weekend because of gifts we received from friends who like to share the bounty of their gardens. So, I spent today making pickles, quick bread and these lovely zucchini corn cakes. The pancakes are one of my favorite ways to use zucchini. I serve these as a side dish for the Silver Fox, but when he is traveling they serve as a main course for me. They are packed with flavor and quite easy and inexpensive to make. The recipe is straightforward and I do hope those of you who are dealing with extra zucchini will give it a try. Here is how these tasty cakes are made.

SNAP Challenge - Menu and Recipes for Day One

                                                        Island  Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was was a busy morning. I wanted to get a head start on some of the condiments I planned to use this week, so, the day began with kitchen duty that included making maple-flavored syrup and a boiled dressing that I would need later in the day. I also made corn muffins, and while I had bread on the brain, I used some of the bread I had purchased from a bakery outlet store to make croutons and bread crumbs for recipes that will be featured later in the week. Once cooled, the muffins were stored in the freezer. Bob and I are both grazers, so, it seemed judicious to practice a bit of out of sight, out of mind, in order to assure the muffins would be there when we needed them. Pancakes were on today's menu, so I pulled out an old, very basic recipe I used years ago and gave it second life for breakfast this morning. Lunch will be a dish of eggy cheese noodles to which vegetables are added and dinner will be a chicken dish that takes advantage of inexpensive ($1.99 a pound) boned chicken thighs. It is served over rice which I'll be cooking in quantity to use tonight and for another meal later in the week. Leftover noodles and chicken will become tomorrow's lunch and the egg whites not used in the boiled dressing will be saved and used to extend omelets made another day. Today's post contains recipes for the condiments and the dishes that appear on the menu below.

I'm making certain of the condiments we use, because their use is a murky area for folks participating in the SNAP challenge. Strictly speaking, a condiment is an ingredient used to improve the flavor of food, not one that can be eaten by itself. The challenge allows the use of condiments already on hand, but does not specify what they might be. Those of us who do a lot of cooking have pantries that bulge with such ingredients, so I let common sense dictate which could be used in the dishes I planned to make. The challenge also permits the use of those dried herbs and spices already in your spice rack. Other than that, all the food you eat must be purchased from your allotment. Food stamps are no fun.

Actually, food stamps is a misnomer. These days, SNAP is phasing out paper coupons and issues an EBT card that can be used like a debit card in most grocery stores. The card, however, can only be used for food or for plants and seeds that are used used to grow food. That rules out personal grooming items, cosmetics, pet food, paper products, cleaning products, or medicine, and, it goes without saying that, cigarettes, beer, wine or liquor cannot be purchased with the card. The card cannot be used for meals in stores or restaurants and the purchase of hot food items is also prohibited. When an EBT card is run through a point-of-sale terminal in a check out line, that terminal, connected to a computer that calculates what is owed, issues a receipt that shows the benefits remaining in the account after the transaction.

I also want to point out that, save for folks who participating in the challenge, SNAP is just one type of assistance provided for those in need. As a stand alone program, it does not provide the quantity of food needed to meet the nutritional requirements of many in the program. It is, however, a life saver. SNAP is the lynch pin in federal assistance programs that provide food for those who need help.

Now let's see what can be done on a SNAP allotment.

                                       Menu for New Year's Day

                                                            Breakfast

                                                         Orange Juice
                                                              Coffee
                                                        *  Pancakes
                                       * Homemade Maple-Flavored Syrup

                                                              Lunch

                              Small Chopped Salad with * Boiled Dressing  
                                      *  Noodles with Eggs and Cheese

                                                               Dinner
 
                                                          Steamed Rice
                                                     *  Island  Chicken

                                                                   Island Chicken

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar (rice wine vinegar if possible)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 cups cooked white or brown rice

Directions:
1) Drain pineapple, reserving juice in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and mix well.
2) Heat a wok or large skillet. When pan is hot, add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and pineapple and cook for 1 minute longer. Pour in pineapple-soy mixture and cook until sauce comes to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until sauce thickens. Serve hot with boiled or steamed rice. Yield: 4 servings.

                                                           Other Recipes for Day One

Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
1) Place flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
2) Combine egg, milk and butter in another bowl. Whisk until well combined.
3) Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix only until combined. Batter will be lumpy.
4) Heat a griddle. Use a scant 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on surface and edges began to look dry. Turn and cook 2 minutes longer. Serve with syrup. Yield: 8 pancakes.

Cook's Note: Batter may be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Maple-Flavored Syrup

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon maple extract

Directions:
Combine water and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan. Cook over medium-high heat and boil until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear. Remove from heat. Stir in maple extract. Serve warm if possible. Yield: 1-1/4 cups.

Cook's Note: This is a very sweet syrup. Be forewarned.

Cornmeal Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg,beaten
1/4 cup salad oil or melted shortening
1 cup milk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease 12 (2-1/2-inch) muffin pan cups.
2) Whisk flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add cornmeal mixing and mix well. Set aside.
3) In medium bowl combine egg, salad oil and milk, mixing well. Add flour mixture stirring only until flour mixture is moistened.
4) Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Loosen sides and turn onto a wire rack to complete cooling. Yield: 12 muffins.

Boiled Dressing

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Combine flour, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk.
2) Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
3) Gradually stir the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Pour back into saucepan.
4) Add vinegar and mustard. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Noodles with Eggs and Cheese

Ingredients:
1/2 pound noodles
2 eggs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt ( to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions:
1) Cook noodles in a large pot of lightly salted water until al dente.
2) While pasta cooks, place eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until well combined.
3) When noodles are almost cooked, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
4) Quickly drain pasta and add it to skillet. Add peas and carrots and toss to combine. Heat through. Add egg mixture and toss until eggs and noodles become creamy and thick. Do not overcook.Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Bacon and Onion Corn Muffins

Two Years Ago Today: Risotto with Salmon, Spinach and Peas

Three Years Ago Today: Brined Shrimp with Jalapenos and Garlic

Spiced Harvest Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These pancakes are other worldly good. I love the the apples and warm fall spices that make the batter for these pancakes special. While they are more involved to make than your usual morning fare, they really are worth the extra effort. There are certain dishes that I make for all our guests and, chances are, if you are here for breakfast these will appear on your plate at least once. They go amazingly well with sage sausage and they are a really festive way to start the day. Because they are sweeter than most pancakes, I serve them with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar. I must admit, however, that the Silver Fox, who thinks he is more stealthy than is actually the case, has been known to sneak into the pantry for syrup when he thinks I'm not looking. I do have a caution to share with you. It is hard to tell when these are done. They tend to be puffier than standard pancakes and it takes a while for their centers to firm. I designate one sacrificial pancake per batch   and use it to help me with timing. These pancakes make my socks go up and down and I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here's how the pancakes are made.

Spiced Harvest Pancakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1-3/4 cups shredded peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, mace, and cloves together in a large bowl.
2) Whisk eggs, buttermilk and oil in another bowl until blended. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
3) Lightly grease a griddle. Heat over medium-low heat. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle. Cook until bubbles on top begin to pop and bottoms are golden brown.
Turn and cook until second side is golden brown. Yield: 18 pancakes.

One Year Ago Today: Turkish Tomato Rice - Domatesli Pilav

Two Years Ago Today: Double Celery Soup

Three Years Ago Today: Rhubarb Bread

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I remember the cooks and food of my childhood with great affection. I was surrounded by women who loved to cook and knew their way around the kitchen. Back in the day, they did more with a wooden spoon than I can do today, despite an arsenal of appliances and a well-equipped kitchen. Fortunately, they also loved to teach and once they realized I came from a home where food was viewed as a necessary evil, they took me under their collective wings and taught me how to cook. I have only a handful of memories from my mother's kitchen. I remember tearing bread for turkey stuffing and baking apples in the fall, but what first comes to mind is making breakfast with my father on Sunday morning. My daddy's specialty was scrambled eggs served in fried bologna cups that were topped with ketchup and hot sauce. I can hear you groaning. I have friends who, to this day, insist that I married young to escape that Sunday ritual. I say nothing!  I'm guessing that most men have a dish they call their own and like to cook for special or ceremonial occasions. Bob, my Silver Fox, loves to make holiday breakfasts and his specialty is pancakes. Not just any pancakes, mind you. He likes to experiment and my job is to find new recipes for him to try. The recipe I'm featuring today is his latest experiment. The brown butter is the star here. The pancakes are fine, but they are very bland and if you come to the table expecting  fall flavors, you're bound to be disappointed.  The taste of pumpkin is barely perceptible and the recipe is saved only because the pancakes are topped with a spiced brown butter. Fortunately, the pancakes are easy to make and they look quite lovely on a plate.  If you are looking for a new breakfast dish you might want to give this recipe a try.  They pancakes need to cook a bit longer than usual or they'll be gummy and you might want to add some cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter to perk up the flavor. Here's how they are made.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
Cinnamon Brown Butter
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Pancakes
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1-1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Directions:
1) To make cinnamon brown butter: Place butter in a small heavy saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Add maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans.
2) To make pancakes: Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin and cheese. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle, turning when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with brown butter. Yield: 14 pancakes and 1 cup butter.

One Year Ago Today: Uppakra - Swedish Potato Cookies

Two Years Ago Today: Green Tomato Mincemeat

Three Years Ago Today: Balsamic Onion Marmalade

Bob's Blueberry Blintzes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When the Silver Fox and I first had children, we agreed not to call each other Mom or Dad. Father's Day was always a celebration planned and executed by the kids and that worked wonderfully well until we all scattered across the country. Now, while there are still telephone calls and silly cards, the celebration has become very low key. I've taken to preparing one or two of his favorite dishes to make the day a bit more special, but that is usually the extent of the celebration here. His request this year was for blueberry blintzes and Korean barbecue chicken. I want to share both recipes with you, but we'll only touch on one tonight. I'm not usually fond of my own recipes, but this one is special and it is an exception. I love it for lots of reasons. While it requires some effort to prepare, it is a great way to feed a crowd. The recipe can be doubled or tripled if you are so inclined, and it is a marvelous addition to a brunch buffet or special breakfast. There are three basic steps to the blintzes and they can be executed in stages that make the dish quite easy to prepare. The most difficult is the preparation of the crepes. If that is off-putting to you, buy crepes in the supermarket and carry on with the rest of the recipe. If you plan to make them, remember that your batter should be about as thick as heavy cream. Additional water or flour can be added to reach that consistency if needs be. If you want tender crepes, let the batter sit for at least two hours before cooking. The resting time allows the flour to absorb the liquid and the foam to dissipate. Cover and refrigerate the batter if it is to sit for longer than 1 hour. The filling and the blueberry sauce are really easy to do and you'll have no problem with either of them. The sauce used in this recipe is exceptional and it still makes my socks go up and down. I know those of you who try this recipe will be delighted with the result. Here's how the blintzes are made.

Blueberry Blintzes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:

Crepes

1-1/2 cups 2% milk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1 cup (8 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
1 package (3 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blueberry Sauce

1 cup water
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
2 cups frozen unsweetened mixed berries
1/2 cup port wine or grape juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen thawed blueberries

Directions:
1) To make crepes: Combine milk, eggs and butter in a small bowl. Combine flour and
salt and add to milk mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Heat a lightly greased 8-inch nonstick skillet. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into center of skillet and lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom of pan. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate.
2) To make filling: Process cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and add mascarpone cheese. Beat until smooth. Beat in sugar, orange zest and vanilla.
3) To make sauce: Bring water and sugar to a boil. Add frozen berries and wine or juice; return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Mash and strain berries, reserving juice. Return juice to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mixture is reduced to 1 cup. Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and mix until smooth. Stir into blueberry sauce and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Fold in berries. Set aside.
4) To assemble and cook: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread about 1 rounded tablespoonful onto each crepe. Fold left side of crepe over filling. Fold bottom side up and top side down to encase filling. Finally, bring right side of crepe to center, forming a small package. Place seam side down in a greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake for about 10 minute, or until heated through.
5) To serve: Place 2 warm blintzes on each of 8 dessert plates. Top with warm blueberry sauce and serve. Yield: 8 servings.
 
This post is being  linked to Stone Gable's On the Menu Monday feature.







One Year Ago Today: Linguine with Peas, Garlic and Ricotta Salata















Two Years Ago Today: Southwestern Cilantro Rice Salad
















Three Years Ago Today: Ultimate Cheater's Pulled Pork

Apple Pancakes with Warm Cider Syrup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had a special treat this weekend. While the rest of the world braved the crowds and weather of Black Friday, the Silver Fox donned an apron and made pancakes for me. Not just any pancakes mind you. He laced the batter with grated apples and served the cakes steamy hot with a warm cider syrup. The trip to the table, however, was not without incident and it took two attempts before we actually had pancakes on our plates. The problem was the cider syrup. Now, many folks love the intensely sweet flavor that's produced using the original Taste of Home recipe, but it was way too sweet for our tastes. I want to emphasize that this is a matter of personal preference and not a problem with the recipe. For that reason, today's post will have two versions of the recipe for cider syrup. Mine will be printed in red and follow the original ingredient list that appeared in the magazine. Many of you know I'm especially sensitive to changing recipes developed by others. Perhaps this discussion of a recipe that was developed by Molly Wizenberg will help explain my bad attitude. It comes from Chowhound and the conversation can be found here. She actually jumps in and you can find her comments towards the end of the discussion. I think those of you who like pancakes will really enjoy today's recipe, whichever syrup you decide to use. Here's how they're made.

Apple Pancakes with Warm Cider Syrup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Janet Vardaman and Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Magazine Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup apple cider or juice
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
One Perfect Bite Syrup
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pancakes
2 cups complete pancake mix (one to which only water is added)
1-1/2 cups water
1 large apple peeled, cored and grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) To make cider syrup: In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add cider, and water if using revised recipe, and stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook , stirring, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Serve warm with pancakes. Yield: 1-1/4 cups
2) To make pancakes: Place pancake mix, water, grated apple and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir just until moistened.
3) To cook: Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter onto a hot, greased griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top. Cook second side until golden brown. Serve immediately. Yield: 12 pancakes.








One Year Ago today: Marionberry Muffins













Two Years Ago Today: Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Golden Raisins

Holiday Breakfast Round-Up + Pink Saturday

We have lots going on today. It's Pink Saturday and we've been asked to share our favorite holiday movie with you. That's way too easy, so I'm going to cheat a bit and simply give you a visual clue. There will be no homework for anyone who can correctly name my favorite movie. Are you ready?



....and finally I want to share some ideas for holiday breakfasts with you. The recipes that appear below are easy to make but they produce dishes that are festive enough to make holiday meals special. I must admit I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to holiday breakfasts. The Silver Fox makes breakfast on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning, so the recipes are, of necessity, very straightforward and easy to complete. As an aside, they are also very easy to clean up after. Add one or several of them to the menu for your holiday breakfast or brunch and I know you'll be happy with the results. Here are some of my favorites.






Asparagus and Mushroom Strata









Eggs Florentine












Oven Baked Scrambled Eggs









Frittata with Spring Herbs and Leeks












Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange Caramel Syrup










Baked French Toast with Cardamom and Apricot Preserves










Breakfast Polenta with Chorizo and Queso Fresco











Smothered Eggs in Spoonbread











Swiss Onion Tart











Brussels and Liege Waffles







This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange-Caramel Syrup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for ways in which to use a small amount of leftover puree, I came across several recipes for pumpkin pancakes. I finally decided to play with one developed by Cara Eisenpress, who, along with her cohort Phoebe Lapine, created the blog Big Girls Small Kitchen. The two, both twenty-something cooks, have also written a book called Cara and Phoebe's Quarter Life Kitchen which will be in bookstores this spring. Their blog is terrific and I'm sure that their book, which features an introduction by Ina Garten, will be as well. While I've added a bit more spice and have created an orange-caramel syrup to drizzle over the finished pancakes, Cara's original recipe is solid. The changes that I made were simply to better suit the tastes of my family who love a hint of orange with their pumpkin. I must also admit that, unlike Cara, I cook my pancakes on an electric griddle. Folks would find the ones I make in a skillet most unappealing. If you plan to use the orange-caramel syrup, make it before you begin to work on the pancakes. For best taste, the pancakes and the syrup should both be served warm. I also suggest going easy with the syrup. It is very sweet and a little goes a long way. Both the pancakes and the syrup are simple to make. If you are looking for something a little different for fall and winter breakfasts, you might want to give these a try. Here are the recipes.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange-Caramel Syrup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Cara Eisenpress

Ingredients:
Syrup
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, or neutral oil


Directions:
1) To make syrup: Melt butter and brown sugar together in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add orange juice and simmer until mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in the orange zest and set aside. Keep warm.
2) To make pancakes: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine pumpkin and egg and whisk to combine. Add milk, vanilla, and butter or oil, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold only until combined--a few remaining lumps will do no harm. Heat a cast iron skillet or electric griddle. Using 1/4 cup batter for each, cook until bubbles form on top and surface of pancakes is no longer shiny. Flip cook 3 minutes longer. Remove to a serving plate. Serve hot with room temperature butter and still warm syrup. Yield: 10 pancakes.

You might also like these recipes:
Mini Ricotta Cakes - Expat Cucina
Latkes - Healthy Green Kitchen
Gingerbread Waffles - Annie's Eats
Applesauce Pancakes with Spicy Apple Syrup - The English Kitchen
Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes - Neo-Homesteading
Red Velvet Pancakes - The Sweet's Life

Uptown Hoe Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you are looking for something unusual to serve for breakfast or brunch, I think you'll love this recipe. These thin and savory pancakes are packed with flavor and take grandma's hoe cakes to another level. They are made with corn in several guises, but the real flavor boost comes from the roasted red pepper sauce that is served with them. The recipe is similar to the one that is used at the Wishbone Restaurant in Chicago. The hoe cakes are very simple to make and everything, except the addition of egg whites, can be done the day before you plan to serve them. This batter is probably thinner than most you have worked with, but it will make lovely little cakes. The instructions I have call for making pancakes that are two and one-half inches in diameter and I do do that when I'm not rushed. When time trumps intent, I opt for standard size pancakes. The red pepper sauce comes together in minutes and has the added advantage of being wonderful with plain grilled chicken. In case you're wondering why these are called hoe cakes, they got the name because they were originally cooked on the flat of a hoe over an open fire. Here's the recipe sans the hoe.

Uptown Hoe Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Hoe Cakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon + 1 pinch salt, divided use
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs, separated
1-1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup cream-style corn
2/3 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine or white vermouth
3 shallots, minced
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and pureed or two whole roasted red peppers from a jar, drained, patted dry and pureed

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Combine wine and shallots in a saucepan and reduce by half over medium-high heat. Add cream and cook until reduced by half. Lower heat to medium-low and whisk in butter a piece at a time, until it emulsifies. Whisk in pureed bell pepper. Keep sauce warm over very low heat. If it separates, it can be whisked together again.
2) To make the hoe cakes: Mix flour, corn meal, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Place buttermilk, egg yolks, tabasco sauce and butter in a second bowl. Whisk to combine. Stir in creamed corn, corn kernels, green onions and bread crumbs. Add flour mixture and stir just to blend. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter.
3) Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour or spoon in batter to form cakes in 2-1/2 inches in diameter. Cook until bubbles form on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn cakes and cook until they spring back when touched, about 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as necessary. Keep warm in a low oven or serve immediately drizzled with some sauce. Yield: 32 hoe cakes.

This recipe is being linked to Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday