Mmmmm...Breakfast

Sometimes I'm just in the mood to make something fun for breakfast. You know, actually make something. Not just a bowl of cereal, frozen waffles, or instant oatmeal. When that happens, a lot of the time I'm in the mood to make crepes for breakfast.

The sad thing is that my youngest son is allergic to eggs, so he can't really enjoy crepes with us. I tried making crepes using egg replacer...but it didn't really work. Egg replacer works in a lot of baked goods. But it doesn't have the right consistency to work in crepes. So, whenever I get in the mood for crepes, my youngest son gets something like cinnamon toast instead.

I found this really great and light crepe recipe in one of my Cooking Light cookbooks. We already blogged a crepe recipe (which I LOVE). It is a much richer crepe. You can find that one here. The crepe recipe that I am sharing today is much lighter (and therefore you can get away with having more of them!).

My favorite way to serve it for breakfast is to fill it with a little vanilla yogurt, wrap it up, sprinkle it with powdered sugar, and serve it with some fresh fruit. What a great breakfast! I like to double this recipe so that we have crepes for lunch too. Sprinkle the crepe with a little shredded cheese and then top with some deli turkey or ham and roll it up for a nice wrap/roll up.

Basic Crepes

A 1/4 cup dry measure scoops and measures the batter at the same time.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk (I usually use skim milk)
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon sugar (my optional addition)

Directions:

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Combine milk, egg whites, and egg in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until almost smooth.

Place an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Remove pan from heat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers pan with a thin film. Cook about 1 minute.

Carefully lift edge of crepe with a spatula to test for doneness. the crepe is ready to turn when it can be shaken loose from the pan and the underside is slightly browned. Turn crepe over, and cook 15-30 seconds on the other side.

Place crepe on a towel; cool. Repeat procedure until all of the batter is used, stirring batter between crepes. Stack crepes between single layers of wax paper or paper towels to prevent sticking.

Yield: 10 crepes (serving size: 1 crepe)

Nutrition information: 41 calories, 0.8 g fat, 2.6 g protein, 5.8 g carb, 0.2 g fiber, 23 mg cholesterol, 0.4 mg iron, 85 mg sodium, 26 mg calc.

Source: Cooking Light cookbook.

Notes: I usually only get 8 crepes from this recipe (perhaps my pan is bigger than what the recipe calls for and thus it uses more batter).  Also, I never layer each crepe between paper towels or wax paper. I just put them on a plate on top of each other. I've never had a problem with them sticking. I really like these crepes. I like a hint of sweetness, so I added 1 teaspoon of sugar to the recipe.

Also, as mentioned above, I like to serve these with yogurt inside, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and served with a little fresh fruit. The perfect breakfast!

Giving in to Cravings

In March, I finally went to see The Hobbit with my sister. While at the theater, I indulged in some wonderful hazelnut desserts. My oldest son is allergic to tree nuts, so we don't keep anything like that in our house. As a result, I have some terrible cravings for nuts (especially almonds, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts).

I got some fantastic hazelnut gelato and a Nutella crepe with shredded coconut. A crepe with Nutella and coconut sounds so simple, doesn't it? It even sounds like it might be a weird combination. Well, let me tell you, it is sooooo good. So good, in fact, that I was craving it like crazy. However, I wasn't able to have another get away where I could indulge in such a nut-fest. On one very rare (in that I was alone) trip to the grocery store, I succumbed to my craving and bought some Nutella. I hid it at home on the top of my fridge. That way, my son wouldn't even see it in our pantry.

Not too long after that, I made a good-sized batch of crepes with the intention that I would virtuously eat one hazelnut/coconut crepe a day. I made some for my husband, but I basically had all of those crepes and the whole jar of Nutella eaten within two days. It had been soooooo long since I had eaten Nutella, and the craving was just too strong. I probably won't be able to indulge myself in that area for a long while. :)

No recipe is really required. Just your favorite recipe for crepes, some Nutella, some sweetened, shredded coconut, and some powdered sugar or whipped cream to top it off.

I'll share my favorite crepe recipe again (which has already been shared before. You can find that original post here.)

 

Above: Spread Nutella on your crepe.

 

Above: Top with a good amount of sweetened, shredded coconut.

 

Above: Fold over or roll up and then top with a little powdered sugar or whipped cream if you want, but it is not necessary. Then gobble it up...try not to gobble it up too fast (though that is a challenge).

Basic Crepes

A 1/4 cup dry measure scoops and measures the batter at the same time.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk (I usually use skim milk)
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon sugar (my optional addition)

Directions:

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Combine milk, egg whites, and egg in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until almost smooth.

Place an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Remove pan from heat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers pan with a thin film. Cook about 1 minute.

Carefully lift edge of crepe with a spatula to test for doneness. the crepe is ready to turn when it can be shaken loose from the pan and the underside is slightly browned. Turn crepe over, and cook 15-30 seconds on the other side.

Place crepe on a towel; cool. Repeat procedure until all of the batter is used, stirring batter between crepes. Stack crepes between single layers of wax paper or paper towels to prevent sticking.

Yield: 10 crepes (serving size: 1 crepe)

Nutrition information: 41 calories, 0.8 g fat, 2.6 g protein, 5.8 g carb, 0.2 g fiber, 23 mg cholesterol, 0.4 mg iron, 85 mg sodium, 26 mg calc.

Source: Cooking Light cookbook.

Notes: I usually only get 8 crepes from this recipe (perhaps my pan is bigger than what the recipe calls for and thus it uses more batter).  Also, I never layer each crepe between paper towels or wax paper. I just put them on a plate on top of each other. I've never had a problem with them sticking. I really like these crepes. I like a hint of sweetness, so I added 1 teaspoon of sugar to the recipe.

Cooking When You Have Kids, Part 2

Like my sister, I have also recently been faced with the predicament of restructuring the way I cook to adapt to my new role as a mother.  This hasn't been easy for me, particularly because I am naturally drawn to labor-intensive cooking.  I love the process of it!  I love making things from scratch.  If I had the time and energy, I would seriously church my own butter and make my own bread from wheat that I grew in my garden.  I would love that!  Alas, that is all just a pipe dream for now, as I too have to find meals that I can do prep work early in the day or meals that take 20-30 minutes to prepare.  The crock pot is a useful tool, but sometimes you just get bored of making crock pot recipes.  Also, it seems like they are better wintertime recipes, like soups and stews.  Anyway...Here are a few healthy and easy meals that I have been making recently.  Hope you try them out!

Chicken Piccata
(Pictured above)

I love the fresh lemony flavor of chicken piccata. Because the chicken breasts are butterflied, or pounded very thin, they cook very fast. This meal takes about 20-30 minutes to make from start to finish and its nice because its a little on the "fancy" side. Serve it with some pasta and a nice tossed salad and you have a beautiful meal. The other part that is great is that you probably likely have all or most of the ingredients in your pantry, so its a very economical meal to prepare also.

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken scaloppini (I just butterflied two large chicken breasts)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, zest reserved for optional garnish, about 2 tablespoons juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Baby arugula for garnish
Whole-wheat angel hair pasta or roasted potatoes, for serving

Directions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot; cook the cutlets until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cutlets to a plate. (Reserve the skillet.) Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium.

Add the remaining teaspoon oil and garlic to the same skillet; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk together the broth, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon flour, and add to the pan. Simmer sauce until reduced and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, parsley and capers. Swirl in the butter until sauce is shiny and slightly thickened.

Serve chicken with the sauce. Toss the arugula and freshly grated lemon zest with a light drizzle of olive oil; season to taste with salt and pepper, scatter over chicken. Serve with pasta or potatoes as desired.

Source: Copyright 2010 Television Food Network, G.P. You can find it here.

Crepes!

When my younger sister came to visit me I decided to whip up some crepes one day, because she has a thing for french cuisine. It had been a while since I had made them. They are so easy, so fast and so versatile! I was hooked. Since then, I have made a batch of batter each week and kept it in my fridge. Its great for a lunch or light dinner. And its also super kid friendly! Just fill it with some ham and cheese and fold it into quarters. The picture above is a sweet crepe, filled simply with cottage cheese and a little cherry jam. Quite tasty!

Some dinner options for crepes would be:
Spinach, goat cheese, mushrooms and tomato
Prosciutto, asparagus and Fontina Cheese
Good old Ham and Swiss or Ham and Cheddar
Shredded Chicken, Broccoli, Ricotta and Cheddar

you get the drift! You could basically put whatever you fancy in a crepe.

Here is a basic crepe recipe:

1 cup flour ( you can also do 1/2 cup whole wheat, 1/2 cup white)
1 1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 T canola oil
2 T Sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high. Pour about 1/4 cup batter and swirl around until thin and even. Cook about 1 minute then flip, cook about 30 seconds to a minute longer.

You can find similar recipes on allrecipes.com

 

Above: Ice cream wrapped crepe topped with caramel ice cream topping.

 

Above: This is such an easy yet fancy and pretty dessert.  Not to mention that it is so delicious!  There's just something about the combination of ice cream and a crepe!  You could serve this with any of your favorite toppings, such as fresh berries and powdered sugar, or strawberries and chocolate syrup.  Then, of course, you could use any flavor of ice cream that you like!  Yum!

Fish is a great quick meal. It only takes a few minutes to cook, so pretty much any preparation of it will be pretty snappy. Plus its so healthy for you and light and tasty. I love fish! This is one of my favorite Tilapia recipes from Cooking Light. I substituted the rice with Quinoa, because that is what I had in my pantry and it was oh so tasty. Have you ever tried Quinoa? I strongly recommend it! It is a super healthy whole grain that can basically be used in place of rice or couscous. And its a great source of protein. I only recently discovered it, but I am hooked.

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
3 cups hot cooked basmati rice
4 lime wedges

Directions:


Preheat broiler

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add giner and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

Source: Found on Food.com. You can find it here.

Gnocchi! I love Gnocchi! Have you tried it? They are these plump little potato pasta dumplings they eat in Italy. I like them because they look like little grubs. I think kids would like them too. There are unlimited ways of preparing gnocchi. My little sister made this dish for me for mothers day and it really only took about 20 minutes. I am going to paraphrase the recipe for you.

Mother's Day Gnocchi

Basically you take 1 package gnocchi, boil it until they float ( about 4 minutes ); drain.

Then while the water is boiling, in a saucepan heat 1 T olive oil. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, cook until fragrant. Add 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes and simmer for about 15 min. add salt and pepper to taste. Add 4 oz mascarpone cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. Add a bunch of fresh spinach and stir until just wilted. Remove from heat. Top with fresh basil leaves and Parmesan.

Other variations that I like to make from time to time:

Cook Gnocchi. In a saucepan heat oil, add garlic. Add 8 oz mushrooms, cook until golden. Add 1/2 pound peeled shrimp. Toss with Gnocchi, a few tablespoons of pesto and some diced tomatoes. Add some Parmesan cheese and serve

Last, very simple, is Gnocci ala Caprese:

Add your favorite tomato basil pasta sauce with packaged cooked gnocchi and toss in some of those baby buffalo mozzarella cheese balls. Toss with fresh basil leaves and some Parmesan cheese. I like this because the gnocchi and the mozzarella are roughly the same size. Tasty Tasty!

Last is a tasty veggie burger I have made a few times. Its nice and easy and you can make the patties during the day and then just put in the oven when you are ready. Super cheap and it makes 6 servings, so you'll likely have leftovers! Yum!

Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa Relish

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 1 medium)
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 (2-ounce) whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
6 green leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and the next 7 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes, carefully turning once.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Source: Cooking Light recipe by Marina Delio, Santa Barbara, California, April 2010. You can find it here.

Theme Nights--French Edition

My side of the family has been doing a Sunday theme night once a month where we choose a cuisine from around the world to focus on. For March, our theme was Irish cooking in honor of St. Patrick's Day. In February, our theme was French cooking in honor of Valentine's Day (because, as you know, French is "the international language...you know...LOVE, the language of love"--Better off Dead).

We discovered a number of fun recipes. We had some savory crepes for dinner, with some lovely French side dishes and some melt-in-your-mouth cream puffs for dessert.

I must note, however, that home-made crepes (while heavenly) take FOREVER to make. So, we opted for the pre-made crepes that can be bought in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. They aren't quite as good, but they're still good enough and they save a ton of time!

I hope you like our French night recipes!


Chicken, Mushroom, and Olive Crepes

Ingredients:

Crepes:

Note: If you don't have time to make your own crepes, you can find pre-made crepes in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.

1 1/4 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter

Filling:

1 cup cream of mushroom soup
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup stuffed green olives, chopped, optional

Topping:

1 cup cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

For crepes, blend batter and chill for one hour. Brush skillet with butter and cook crepes, 2 tablespoons of batter for each. Reserve cooked crepes.

Combine all ingredients for filling. Use 1 tablespoon filling for each crepe, fold in thirds and place in pan, seam side down.

For topping, combine all ingredients; cover crepes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Nutrition information: 275 calories, 16 g fat, 788 mg sodium, 107 mg cholesterol.

Source: Deseret News recipe, submitted by Patty Howells.

Sausage-Filled Crepes

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork sausage
1 small onion, diced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Sliced tomato

Crepes:

3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Filling:

Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well. Return sausage to skillet; add 1 cup Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and marjoram, stirring until cheeses melt.

Spoon 3 tablespoons filling down center of each crepe.

Roll up, and place, seam side down, in a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish.

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Stir together sour cream and butter; spoon over crepes. Bake 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese and parsley. Serve with sliced tomato.

Note: Crepes may be assembled and frozen. To reheat, let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Bake, covered, at 350 for 40 minutes. Proceed as direction.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Crepes:

Beat first 3 ingredients (eggs, milk, and vegegtable oil) at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour and salt, beating until smooth. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Coat bottom of a 7-inch nonstick skillet with melted butter; place skillet over medium heat until hot.

Pour 3 tablespoons batter into skillet; quickly tilt in all directions so batter covers bottom of skillet.

Cook 1 minute or until crepe can be shaken loose from skillet. Turn crepe over, and cook about 30 seconds. Place on a dish towel to cool. Repeat procedure with remaining batter. Stack crepes between sheets of wax paper.

Makes 12 (7 inch) crepes.

Source: MyRecipes.com website. It is a Southern Living recipe from their November 1998 magazine issue.

Cauliflower Gratin

Prep time: 5 minutes.
Cook time: 50 minutes.

Notes by the author (Rebecca Franklin): This recipe makes extra Bechamel sauce, which is perfect for drizzling on steamed vegetables.

Creamy and comforting, this cauliflower gratin recipe features a classic Bechamel sauce punched up by just a little bit of fresh thyme. This gratin is a classic at Provencal tables, and is often served for the traditional meatless Christmas Eve dinner, gros souper.

Ingredients:

1 large (3 pound) head of fresh cauliflower, cut into florets
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/3 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1/3 cup dry, seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish and set it aside. Steam the cauliflower in a large pot of boiling water fitted with a steamer basket for 5-7 minutes, until the florets are just tender. Rinse them in cold water, drain, and arrange them in a single layer in the buttered dish.

in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until it forms a smooth paste. Continue whisking, cook for about 2 minutes, and then gradually - 1/3 cup at a time - add the milk. Continue whisking an dcook until the sauce is completely heated through, smooth, and thickened. Remove from the heat and season with salt, thyme, and nutmet.

Pour 2 cups of the Bechamel sauce over the steamed cauliflower and gently toss the florets to make sure they are thoroughly coated with the sauce. Bake the gratin, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Stir together the grated Gruyere cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle them over the gratin. Bake it for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the gratin is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted and browned. Sprinkle the surface of the baked gratin with the ground pepper and serve hot.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Source: About.com, French Food webpage, Author: Rebecca Franklin.

Lemon Parsley Risoni

Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked risoni (substitute orzo pasta, if you can't find risoni)
3 tablespoons mustard vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Ingredients:

Toss all of the ingredients together and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Variation: Add 6 ounces of canned tuna, drained, a 1 additional tablespoon of mustard vinaigrette to the salad.

Makes 4 servings.

Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 small garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a glass jar, seal with a lid, and shake until ingredients are well incorporated. Refrigerate leftover.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: About.com, French Food webpage, Author: Rebecca Franklin.

Cream Puffs (Pate a Choux)

Ingredients:

1 cup hot water
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sifted flour
4 eggs
Pastry cream (recipe follows)

Directions:

bring water, butter, sugar, and salt to a rolling boil. Add 1 cup sifted flour all at once.

Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a smooth ball. Remove from heat. Quickly beat in eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

Continue beating until mixture is thick and smooth. Dough may be shaped and baked at once, or wrapped in waxed paper and stored in refrigerator overnight.

Force dough through a pastry bag or drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake large puffs at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until golden in color.

Bake small puffs at 450 degrees F 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F and bake 5 minutes longer, or until golden in color.

Remove to rack and cool.

Cut off tops and fill shells with pastry cream. Replace tops and sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar.

French Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sifted flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold milk
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Scald 1 1/2 cups milk and set aside.

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup cold milk, stirring well.

Gradually stir in scalded milk. Wash double boiler top to remove scum. Return mixture to double boiler top and place over direct heat. Stirring gently and constantly, bring milk mixture rapidly to boiling over direct heat and cook for 2 minutes.

Place over simmering water. Cover and cook about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Vigorously stir about 3 tablespoons of this hot mixture into the slightly beaten egg yolks.

Immediately blend into mixture in double boiler. Cook over simmering water for 3-5 minutes. Stir slowly to keep mixture cooking evenly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cover and cool. Chill in refrigerator.

Makes about 2 cups of pastry cream.

Variation: Follow the recipe above and...

Saint-Honore Cream

Follow recipe. Soften 1 tablespoon (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Dissolve in completed, hot French Pastry Cream, stirring constantly. Cool completely. Beat 6 egg whites until frothy and gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar, beating well after each addition; beat until rounded peaks are formed. Fold beaten egg whites into cooled cream. Use to fill cream Puffs.

Makes about 5 cups Saint-Honore Cream.


Whoa...Did those cream puff fillings seem a little overwhelming? If so, try this much simpler cream puff filling...

Chantilly Cream (Basically Whipped Cream)

Ingredients:

1 cup chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons sifted confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat whipping cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters. Beat until cream stands in peaks when beater is slowly lifted upright.

Fold or beat confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract into whipped cream with final few strokes until blended.


Still too complicated?

You can simply use prepared vanilla pudding or vanilla ice cream as the filling for your cream puffs.

Source for cream puffs, French pastry cream, Saint-Honore cream, and Chantilly cream: These recipes were found in a very old cookbook that my mother had. It is called "The French Cookbook" compiled by Staff Home Economists Culinary Arts Institute, directed by Melanie de Proft. It is copyrighted 1955 by Book Production Industries, Inc.

I know! You're asking "What is her mother, who was born in 1958, doing with a cookbook that is older than she is?" The answer: "I have no idea, but I'm glad because those cream puffs were awesome!"

East Meets West...Pancakes!

I LOVE pancakes. I'm one of those people who orders pancakes over many other delectable choices whenever I go out to eat for breakfast--even though I know they can be much more easily duplicated at home than certain other types of breakfast items. I just love them and can't pass them up.

But the beauty about pancakes is that they come in so many forms. It seems like everyone has their own version of them. Yes, from the east to the west, you can find some kind of pancake everywhere you go.

So, I thought I would share some delicious ones that we have enjoyed.

German Pancakes

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick of butter

Directions:

Place cube of butter in 9x13 baking dish. Preheat to 400 degrees. Beat eggs, flour, milk, vanilla, and salt in a blender for 2 minutes.

Pour blender mixture into the pan (once the butter is melted) and cook for 20 minutes (or until it is nicely puffed and browned).

Source: This is the recipe that my in-laws make every time we have breakfast get-togethers.

Notes: Honestly, I had never tried these before I had them at one of our breakfasts. They are really good and surprisingly easy to make. When I made them, I used half a stick of butter (instead of a whole stick) and they worked just fine and still tasted fabulous.

Dutch Baby Pancake

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; set aside.

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar. Blend until foamy, about 1 minute. pour batter into skillet; bake until pancake is puffed and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Working quickly, dot pancake with 1 tablespoon butter, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and lemon juice. Slice into wedges, and serve immediately.

Source: Martha Stewart website.

Notes: This is really similar to a German pancake. However, this one has sugar inside and on top of it, so you can serve it as-is. No need to add syrup or any other toppings (or you still can, if you like!).

Blintzes

Ingredients:

For the Crepes:

3/4 cup plus 2 tabespoons whole milk

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Filling:

16 ounces cottage cheese

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup, plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved, bean discarded (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

For the Fruit Topping:

Favorite pie filling (such as blueberry or cherry)

or,

Favorite fresh fruit (such as fresh berries with a dusting of powdered sugar)

Directions:

Make the crepe batter: Whisk together milk, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoon melted butter, and the eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk in flour and salt; set aside.

Make the filling: Puree cottage cheese, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.

Make the crepes: Stir together remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter and the oil in a small bowl; reserve 1/4 cup for cooking blintzes. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush pan using remaining butter-oil mixture. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan; swirl to form an even layer. Cook until bottom is lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Once the bottom is browned, add 2 tablespoons of the filling into the middle of the blintz (no need to turn the blintz over before adding the filling). Fold the crepe over the filling (a traditional blintz has all sides folded over to form a square, but I was too lazy, so I only folded two of the sides in, more like a crepe). Once the sides are folded, heat for another 30 seconds or so to warm the filling and so the crepe will set up. Remove blintz from pan to a warm plate and repeat until all of the blintzes are made.

Top with desired topping and enjoy.

Source: This is a combination of two recipes. A Martha Stewart recipe that I found here and a Kraft recipe that I found here. I was trying to recreate a recipe that we used to have when I was a kid. It was a recipe that my Mom lost in our pre-blog period. Our blog definitely makes it a lot easier to keep track of all of these great recipes! It makes me sad for all of the great recipes that were lost during the Dark Ages.

Notes: Blintzes take a little bit of practice...it's kind of like being a short order cook. But once you get a good rhythm, it's a lot of fun! Oh, and rather than adding oil and butter to the pan each time I started a new blintz, I used cooking spray instead (easier and fewer calories--still tasted great)

Old-Fashioned Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cups milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving

Vegetable oil, for the griddle

Pure maple syrup, warmed, for serving

Directions:

Place a heat-proof platter into a warm oven (at 200 degrees).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add in the egg, milk, and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk from the center, slowly incorporating the flour. Rest the batter for 10 minutes.

Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or favorite griddle over medium-high heat. Swirl the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet (or use oil to coat the griddle) and immediately pour in 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. When bubbles rise to the surface, flip the pancakes, slightly reduce the heat, and cook until the bottoms are golden and the centers are cooked, about 1 minute. (Rarely does the first pancake work because it takes a bit of time to get in the groove with the heat, fat, and batter.)

As the pancakes comes out of the skillet, place them on the warm platter in the oven until ready to serve. serve a stack of 3 pancakes, topped with more butter and the maple syrup.

Source: This is a Mad Hungry recipe found on the Martha Stewart website.

Notes: I'm ashamed to say that this is the very first time I made pancakes from scratch. Before this, I always used Bisquick or a mix. These were soooo good. The butter in the pancake batter makes these taste so rich and buttery that I didn't need butter on top of my pancakes. Yum. My tummy is growling for these right now.

Cheesecake Pancakes

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese

2 cups Original Bisquick mix

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Strawberry Syrup:

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup strawberry syrup for pancakes

Directions:

Slice cream cheese lengthwise into four pieces. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.

Brush griddle or skillet with vegetable oil, or spray with cooking spray; heat griddle to 375 degrees or heat skillet over medium heat.

Cut cream cheese into bite-size pieces; set aside. In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, milk, and eggs with whisk or fork until blended. Stir in cream cheese.

For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/3 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook other sides until golden brown.

In small bowl, mix strawberries and syrup; top pancakes with strawberry mixture.

Source: This is from the Betty Crocker website here.

Notes: These were sooo good and sooo addicting. The picture above is shown without syrup...so that you can decide if you want to use strawberry syrup or maple syrup yourself! I served mine with maple syrup (because I just love maple syrup) and they were awesome both ways. Very addicting.

Triumphant Return!

Good news for me on the allergy front! My boys' allergies have improved a lot. My youngest son grew out of his egg allergy and his peanut allergy lessened considerably. My older son is no longer allergic to almonds, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, and coconut! (Though some other nut allergies remain).

I can't tell you how much I have missed almonds over the past few years! When the allergist told me that it was time to reintroduce these things back into my sons' diets, I was more than happy to comply.

Here are a couple of my favorite almond recipes that I have recently been able to make again. Yay!

Almond Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped, sliced almonds, toasted and divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup amaretto (or 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, 1/4 cup almonds, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine milk, butter, amaretto (or water and almond flavoring), and eggs; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon the batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle batter with remaining almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. 

Recipe note: this cake freezes well. Bake it ahead, cool completely, ,and store in a freezer bag. To serve, thaw at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information: 286 calories, 11.1 g fat, 5.8 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 1.4 g fiber, 71 mg cholesterol, 1.7 mg iron, 349 mg sodium, 108 mg calcium.

Source: Cooking Light, December 2000. You can find it here. 

Notes: I LOVE this coffee cake. It is so delicious. Please excuse the picture. I have made this cake a number of times down in the valley and it rises beautifully. Up on my mountain, it fell a little in the middle. It still tasted just as wonderful as ever though!

Above: We served our almond cake with some crepes filled with cook and serve lemon pudding (crepes and lemon pudding had been off limits due to my younger son's egg allergy). You can find my favorite crepe recipe here.

Almond Scones

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter (not margarine)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in sour cream, milk, almond flavoring, and eggs until just moistened.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth (about one minute). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired.

Bake for 13-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 16.

Source: We have had this recipe for years. I am uncertain as to where my mom found it.

Notes: Holy cow, these are so good. When my mom made them for the first time, years ago, she had also made some homemade blueberry freezer jam. We used to eat this with that blueberry jam and it was just heavenly. I didn't have any blueberry freezer jam, so I served mine with a little strawberry freezer jam. So delicious! They are great plain, just on their own, too!

Above: Who couldn't go for a homemade scone and a cup of cocoa on a cold winter day?