Dutch Baby Pancake

This past weekend I was happy to make Dutch Baby pancakes for visiting family and they were the best ones I've made yet!

This is the recipe I use for one 10" cast iron skillet.  (technically a double recipe).  It is enough for two adults or one adult and two kids.

4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup of milk, warm/room temperature
1 C sifted flour (use at least half white flour, but the other half could be whole wheat pastry, almond meal or some combination.  You can use a hard wheat flour, but I think it impacts the rise of the pancake.  It still tastes good.)
a pinch or two of ground nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla
a pinch of salt (maybe 1/4 tsp)
at least 4 T butter

Preheat the oven to 475 and place cast iron skillet inside.

Beat eggs.  Add milk and everything else except the flour and butter.  I use an immersion blender to mix everything.  Add in the flour and whiz it up again with the immersion blender.

Remove the skillet from the oven and reduce the heat to 425.  Melt at least 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet, coating all sides. 

Pour batter into the skillet and return to the oven.

Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes.

Remove pancake from oven, top with more butter and serve with your favorite fixin's: syrup, jam, etc.

Variation: Apple Dutch Baby
Thinly slice some apples.  Saute them in some butter until they are soft.  Pour the batter on top and then bake as usual.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles

I made these today for a cookie exchange at work. Because it was for an exchange, I left the cayenne out and they were still delicious, just as the person suggesting the recipe said they would be.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Makes 2 dozen Cookies

A beautiful crackle topped chocolate cookie with a spicy cayenne kick and a sugary cinnamon coating. Sold?

For the topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cookies:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons almond milk (Or your preferred non-dairy milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon chocolate extract (or more vanilla extract if you have no chocolate)
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix the topping ingredients together on a flat plate. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix together oil, sugar, syrup, and milk. Mix in extracts.

Sift in remaining ingredients, stirring as you add them. Once all ingredients are added mix until you’ve got a pliable dough.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls. Pat into the sugar topping to flatten into roughly 2 inch discs. Transfer to baking sheet, sugar side up, at least 2 inches apart (they do spread). This should be easy as the the bottom of the cookies should just stick to your fingers so you can just flip them over onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, they should be a bit spread and crackly on top. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

From Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Pasta with Butter, Sage, and Parmesan

originally from the New York Times

I found this online while looking for a tasty way to use some of our fresh sage from our beautiful sage plant in our garden. It is husband- and kid-approved.

1 lb. cut pasta, such as ziti or rotini
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp. butter
30-40 fresh sage leaves
1 cup (or more) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Bring big pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until pasta is almost al dente.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat and add sage leaves. Cook until butter is brown and sage leaves shrivel, then turn heat to very low. (You can do this step in a small skillet, like I do, or as the recipe suggests - in a pot large enough to hold all the pasta.)

3. When pasta is just about done, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, and either return it to the original pasta pot (like me) or pour it into the big pot with the butter and sage and raise heat to medium. (If you're with me, pour the butter and sage over the pasta and turn the heat on medium.) Add about 3/4 cup of the pasta water and stir about 1 minute, until most of water is absorbed.

4. Stir in the cheese and the sauce will become creamy. You can thin it with more pasta water if necessary. Season to taste with black pepper and serve.

Sausage, Bean and Green Soup

This is a Rachel Ray recipe that was featured on Kitchen Stewardship. Michael said it was the best soup I ever made! So I thought I'd better share it here too. (But I changed the name slightly.)

Ingredients:

2 Tbs Extra-virgin olive oil (I omitted this b/c who needs extra oil to cook sausage in??)
1/2 or 1 lb. bulk Italian sweet or hot sausage (can use roll sausage)
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper
4 c. fresh kale (or other leafy green like spinach)
2 quarts chicken broth or stock
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, to pass at table

Method:
Heat medium soup pot over medium-high heat (medium-low if using EVOO!). Add the oil and sausage and brown. Add veggies, bay leaf and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes to soften veggies. Add greens and wilt. Add stock and cover. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with grated cheese for topping.

Sarah's notes: Like I said above, I didn't even bother with the EVOO since I don't think sausage requires any extra oil. For the green, I used pureed spinach which I had in the freezer. I waited until the end to add it so that I could give Michael his portion first without leaves and then serve everyone else. I figured a pureed green would also be the most kid friendly. I also didn't have any potatoes, so I didn't use them. Oh well! It was quite tasty.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Also known as avgolemono. We made this for Rachel, Sarah, and the boys, and they asked us to post the recipe. We usually double this recipe, which is from the Good Housekeeping 1998 Best Recipes Cookbook.

2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth (or about 4 cups homemade stock)
2 1/2 cups water
1 medium, skinless, boneless chicken breast half, baked or poached (about 6 oz.) (we use canned cooked chicken instead)
2/3 cup white long-grain rice
3 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (we always add more)
1 Tbsp. butter

In large saucepan, heat chicken broth and water to simmering. Meanwhile, shred chicken breast by hand into thin strips or shred up the canned chicken with a fork. Add rice to simmering broth and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

While rice cooks, combine eggs and lemon juice in large bowl and whisk well.

When rice is tender, slowly whisk about 2 cups of simmering broth into bowl with egg mixture, whisking constantly (try to avoid adding rice to egg mixture - a little is okay). Return mixture to saucepan, whisking constantly, and heat to just simmering, about 5 minutes (do not boil or soup will curdle). Stir in shredded chicken and butter. Makes about 7 cups.

The Best Cranberry Chutney on Earth!

I was just eating this again the other day and it is sooo delicious. Everyone must try it!

Cranberry Chutney

3 C cranberries
1/2 C nuts (I usually use pecans)
1/2 C sucanat or rapadura
2 t sea salt
1/4 C whey
1/2 C prune juice (I've never used prune, but just whatever juice I have on hand.)
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground gloves
juice from one orange (I do about 2-3 Tbs of prepared OJ)
juice from half lemon (about 1 Tbs)

Pulse all the above in food processor

Stir in 1/2 C raisins

Cover and leave at room temperature for 48 hours then refrigerate.

Easy Eggplant Wraps

Jonathan and Bridget LOVE these.

ingredients:

eggplant (1 medium to large)
tomatoes, chopped
lettuce, chopped
hummus
feta cheese, crumbled
wraps of your choice

Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch slices and brush liberally with olive oil. Season with a little salt. Place on foil and grill for 7-8 minutes per side on medium heat. Make your wrap with the grilled eggplant, tomatoes, lettuce, hummus and feta cheese.