Creating memorable and healthy dining experiences.
Almond Crescents with Burnt Butter Icing – johanna
December 30th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
Found on Pittsburgh Needs Eated, adapted from America’s Best Lost Recipes. Similar to a bear claw.
Makes 2 crescents, each serving 6
Dough:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 package rapid-rise or instant yeast
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
1/4 cup warm evaporated milk (110 degrees)
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
Filling:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Burnt Butter Icing:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp milk
1. For the dough: Pulse the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal. Turn the mixture into a large bowl.
2. Beat the milk, water, sugar, and egg in a medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold the milk mixture into the flour mixture, then press against the side of the bowl. (The dough will be sticky.) Divide the dough into two pieces, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
3. For the filling: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir the brown sugar and almonds together in a small bowl.
4. Working with one piece of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 14×9 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with half the melted butter, then sprinkle with half the almond mixture, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edges. Starting at the long end, roll the dough into an even cylinder and pinch the dough to seal. Form the cylinder into a crescent shape on a prepared baking sheet and, with a paring knife, make cuts around the outside of the ring, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Rotate each piece cut side up. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and let rise until the dough is almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Adjust two oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until the crescents are golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating and switching the sheets halfway through baking. Cool on a rack until just warm, at least 40 minutes.
6. For the icing: While the crescents are cooling, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swiring the pan constantly, until the butter is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the butter to a bowl and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and milk. Drizzle the icing over the crescents. Serve.
Apple Pear Raisin Syrup – johanna
December 25th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
One December several years ago I was making pancakes for the family and realized I did not have any syrup. The spices remind me of Christmas time.
2 small pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1 small apple, peeled, cored and sliced
Dash Nutmeg
1 / 8 tsp Cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
Dash ground cloves
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 / 2 cup water
1 tbsp butter
In a sauce pan add all ingredients let come to a boil then simmer until pears and apples are soft. Mash up some of the pears and apples slightly to blend. If syrup is to runny, in a small bowl mix juice from pan and a little flour until smooth. Add to syrup. Serve with pancakes, waffles or French toast.
Note: use older pears and apples that are on the mushy side.
Ebelskivers – johanna
December 25th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
Several years ago Stephen’s sister, Jennifer, gave us an Ebelskiver for Christmas. Since then it has become a tradition to make a different Ebelskiver recipe each year for Christmas breakfast. Williams Sonoma has been so helpful in that regard as every year they print a new recipe in their fall catalog. Ebelskivers are a traditional Danish pancake. They are small like a pop-over but have the texture of a pancake. They can be filled with a variety of fillings or left plain.
My brother’s wife, Emily sent me her family’s traditional Danish Ebleskiver Recipe along with a wonderful story of how they came across the recipe.
“I would like to say that Danish Æbleskivers started with a distant aunt from Denmark, but in our family the preparation of Danish Æbleskivers dates to 1962. In that year Joe, Evelyn, and I traveled to Seattle, Washington to attend the World’s Fair.
On April 21, 1962, President John F. Kennedy, Jr. pressed the key of a gold-nugget-encrusted telegraph key sending the message to Seattle and the world, “Let the Fair begin!”
More than 10 million visitors came to the fair April 21 through October 21. To my recollection, we came in the summer when school was out, probably in June. We had relatives that lived near Bremerton, Washington, across Puget Sound from Seattle and we stayed with them.
One of the great delights of the fair was an International Food Market which still exists at Seattle Center. Joe was always interested in different foods. One item he noted at the fair that struck his fancy was Danish Æbleskivers. These were round doughballs, cooked in a unique Æbelskiver pan. In the center of the ball might be jam, pineapple, berries, etc.
When we returned from the fair, Joe mentioned the Æbleskivers to a friend of his, Ken Rummel. Ken
owned a metal foundry and based on Joe’s description, he made several Æbleskiver pans out of cast iron, giving one to Joe.
We have since made Æbleskivers using the following recipe as well as just using pancake mix.”
Basic Ebelskiver Batter:
2 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
2 tbs. sugar
4 tbs. Melted butter
Separate eggs; beat egg whites until stiff. Mix all the other ingredients together at one time and beat until smooth. Fold in egg whites.
Heat pan on low to medium heat. Put 1/2 tsp. butter, oil or shortening in each cup. Pour in batter near top but not filling cup. If desired, put 1/2 tsp. of jam, a piece of pineapple, blueberries, raisins, etc., in batter. (If fruit is added, reduce the amount of batter initially placed in cup. Add fruit and cover with a small amount of batter.) When bubbly, turn ball with a fork or skewer. Continue cooking until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with powdered sugar or syrup.
Fillings:
Source: Williams Sonoma
Spiced Apple With Maple Whipped Cream:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
3 granny smith apples, peeled, grated
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 ground ginger
1/8 freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 ground cinnamon
juice of half a lemon
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook 1 tbsp butter, brown sugar, apples, ginger, clover, nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and lemon juice for 30 minutes. Drain liquid. Beat cream, maple syrup and salt to soft peaks. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. In a small bowl combine the confectioner’s sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
To cook: brush wells of pan with butter. Pour 1 tbsp of batter into each well. Cook about 2 minutes. Spoon 1/2 tsp apple filling into centers; top with 1 tbsp of batter. Cook 2 minutes. Flip and cook for about 3 minutes longer. Remove. To serve, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve with maple whipped cream.
Banana - Graham Cracker:
4 oz graham cracker, broken into pieces
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
5 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 cup heavy cream
maple syrup for serving
Place graham crackers in a blender, blend on high until powdery. Add flour, soda, powder, 3 tbsp sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and buttermilk. Whisk in flour mixture; batter will be lumpy. Beat egg whites on high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Gently fold egg whites into batter in two additions.
In a cup, combine cream and 2 tbsp sugar. Whip until thick and combined.
To cook: pour 2 tsp batter, place three banana pieces in the centers of each pancake; top with 1 tsp batter. Serve with maple syrup and whipped cream.
Bacon, Apple & Cheddar Breakfast Panini – johanna
November 29th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
One day I received a Williams Sonoma catalog in the mail. I love the recipes included in the catalog as much as I enjoy looking at the great kitchen gadgets. One recipe I pulled out was for a steak and egg panini. The recipe lay dormant in my cookbook cabinet because I did not have a panini press. Then one day at the blessed Costco I saw one for $40 and decided to treat myself to an early birthday present. Obsessed with pressed sandwiches, I went in search of recipes and found Panini Happy, an absolutely fabulous website filled with yummy recipes. This happens to be one of the kids favorites.
2 cinnamon raisin English muffins, split in half lengthwise
8 apple slices (I recommend Granny Smith or other firm variety)
4 slices thick cut bacon, precooked
2 slices sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat panini grill to medium-high heat (375 degrees).
Arrange a layer of apple slices inside the bottom halves of the English muffin. Top with 2 slices of bacon and 1 slice of cheese on each and close the panini with the top muffin halves. Grill for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately and enjoy!
You can also bake these in a toaster oven at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
Banana and Cream Cheese Crepes – johanna
November 27th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
I admit I have an addiction to breakfast foods. These banana and cream cheese crepes do not help. I do not know where it came from as I have had this recipe for years. A crepe pan is not necessary when making crepes. A small fry pan works just as well, if not better. I learned to make crepes from Mr. King, a “Rock Scientist”. We just ate them with butter and syrup. Crepes can be stuffed with jams, vegetables or fruits. The toppings are just as endless.
Crepes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
3 eggs
2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
Fillings:
1 orange- 1 tbsp zest, 3 tbsp juice
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 bananas
Chocolate-flavored syrup
Combine flour and salt. Add milk, eggs and butter, whisking until smooth. Heat pan over medium heat until hot. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan. Immediately tilt pan so uncooked portions flow to open areas of pan. Cook about 30 seconds or until lightly browned. Loosen edge of crepe; turn. Beat cream cheese and zest. Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Cut bananas in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Toss bananas in orange juice. For each crepe, place about 1/3 cup banana mixture in center of crepe. Top with 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture; fold sides over cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with chocolate-flavored syrup.
Cranberry Orange Almond Oatmeal – johanna
November 14th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
My kids could eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. When I was on Joythebaker.com I noticed a post for Cranberry Orange Almond Oatmeal and decided to give it a whirl. I think it was a little too gourmet for the kids. They did not like the orange peel. But I found it satisfying and delicious. A wonderful start to my day.
The recipe calls to cook half the cranberries, and add the zest and almonds before serving. I did not notice that part when I threw everything in the pot to simmer with the oats.
1 cup water
pinch of salt
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
6 raw or toasted almonds
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
optional:
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
Bring water and salt to a rolling boil in a small sauce pan. Add oats and reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 Tablespoon of dried cranberries into the cooking oatmeal.
After 5 minutes, remove from heat, and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cranberries, orange zest, almonds, brown sugar and milk. Enjoy!
Pancakes and Waffles – johanna
September 30th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
A friend of mine and her family has a special weekly tradition. Every Monday night, everyone (friends and family) go to the Grandparents house for crapes and stories.
Set up a pancake, waffle or crepe bar with your family’s favorite fruits and nuts. You could give each member a small bowl with pancake batter and let them choose what to mix in the batter. Or, after you have poured the batter on the skillet, let them sprinkle their favorite toppings. Banana and nuts, blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips or try a sprinkle of cheese and bacon.
PANCAKES
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 heaping tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 egg
1 cup buttermilk
Melt the butter in a small pan on low heat. In a bowl, using a wire whisk or sifter, sift in the flour , powder, salt and sugar. Add the eggs and half of the milk. Mix until it gets a little pasty. Add the rest of the milk and the butter. Beating until creamy. The batter will be thick, but should be pourable.
Variations:
Serve with syrup, yogurt and fruit, pumpkin butter and cream cheese, jam and fruit
Substitute all or part of the flour with white wheat flour.
WAFFLES
2 c flour
1 1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, melted
Sift flour, sugar, salt and powder. In another bowl beat egg yolks and milk. Slowly add flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in melted butter. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter. Cook.
Variations:
Serve with syrup, yogurt and fruit, cream cheese, jam and fruit
Make an egg sandwich
Substitute all or part of the flour with white wheat flour.
Egg in the Middle Toast – johanna
September 27th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast
The first time I made this was on Valentine’s Day. I used a heart cookie cutter to cut out the center. My kids love it.
Bread
Cookie cutter in desired shape
Eggs
Butter
Butter a piece of bread. Use the cookie cutter to cut out the center of the piece of bread. Place bread on a grilling pan or skillet. Crack an egg and pour into center of bread. Cook until set then flip over. I also cook the piece I cut out and give it to the kids with some jam on it.
Variations:
Place a slice of cheese on top before serving.
Apple Ham and Cheese Sandwiches – johanna
September 3rd, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast, Main Dish, Snacks
Every time I got sick as a kid, my mom would make grilled cheese sandwiches with chicken noodle soup. Somehow, the combination always made me feel better. Today in my house, the traditional cheesier has been revamped to include extra vitamins and fiber. I serve these for lunch or snack.
Butter (optional)
2 slices Wheat Bread
1 slice Cheddar cheese
Ham or Turkey Deli slices
Apple slices
Using butter is certainly an option. If you do use butter, you can do it two ways. You can spread it on the bread or melt it in the pan. Put the butter side down in the pan. Top with cheese, ham and apple slices.
Omelet Bar – johanna
August 25th, 2008 | Filed under: Breakfast, CREATING MEMORIES, Main Dish
While I was vacationing this summer in Florida, most mornings we had an Omelet for breakfast. I have made two omelets in my life time. I tried making an omelet in my stainless steel skillet once, but it turned into scrambled eggs. The first time I successfully made an omelet, was when I received a set of non-stick pans. The second time was while I was in Florida visiting my family at the request of my sister. We typically eat breakfast for dinner on Sunday. This past Sunday, I decided to have an omelet bar. The kids were a little hesitant at first. They are two and four. But after a little coercing, they gobbled it up.
Tools:
A small non-stick skillet
A spatula
A ladle
1 tsp or more butter per omelet
Vegetables, diced (green peppers, green onions, garlic, red onions, jalapeños. mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, herbs)
Cooked meats, diced (bacon, sausage, ham)
eggs – about two to three egg whites or 1 egg plus two egg whites per person
Place the meats and vegetables in different bowls. Heat the skillet on medium heat. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until completely combined. Melt some butter in the skillet. Add the desired herbs, vegetables and/or meats. Cook for a few minutes to soften. Pour 1 ladle of egg mixture in the pan. As the egg cooks, lift the sides up while tilting the pan to allow the mixture to accumulate underneath. Once the egg starts to set and thicken, flip the omelet over. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook for a couple of minutes until set. Flip one side over and remove from heat.
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