Strawberry Pancakes

I rarely keep pancake mix in the house, because, with just the two of us, when I do buy mix, the “use by” date expires long before I get around to finishing the box. So, when we’re in the mood for pancakes, I need a quick and easy “made from scratch” recipe. This recipe fits our needs to a tee. The batter is made from ingredients already in the pantry. It’s as simple to make as a packaged mix; and, the addition of sliced strawberries in the batter makes it a perfect summertime breakfast. The pancakes cook quickly and evenly and turn out light and fluffy. But, the real star of the show is the luscious strawberries! Instead of being used as a topping, the pancake itself is studded full of fresh, ripe berries. What a perfect way to start off your morning!

Wash, hull and slice strawberries. Tip: For evenly sliced strawberries, use an egg slicer. 

Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Note: Sifting is optional, not necessary; you can just whisk together ingredients. 

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla.

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be smooth. The batter was a little thinner than I had expected, but that didn’t seem to cause any problems. The pancakes still cooked quickly and evenly; and flipping was not a hassle.

Fold in the strawberries.  

Tip: If you prefer, instead of adding sliced strawberries to your batter, you can sprinkle them over the batter after spooning on the griddle. This way, you can avoid any clumping and overlapping of strawberries.

Spoon the batter onto the griddle, 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and thoroughly bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about another 2 minutes. 

Serve with butter and maple syrup.

STRAWBERRY PANCAKES
Source: Rachael Ray Mag. 2006
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-/14 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• Additional butter, for serving
• Maple syrup, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Note: Sifting is
    optional, not necessary; you can just whisk together ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla.
4. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the melted butter. The batter should be smooth.
    (The batter was a little thinner than I had expected, but that didn’t seem to cause any
    problems. The batter still cooked quickly and evenly; and flipping the pancake was not a
    hassle.)
5. Fold in the strawberries*.
6. Spoon the batter onto the griddle, 1/4 cup at a time. Cook the pancakes until set and
    thoroughly bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook until golden
    brown, about another 2 minutes.
7. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Yields: 12 pancakes

Tip: *If you prefer, instead of adding sliced strawberries to your batter, you can sprinkle them over the batter after spooning on the griddle. This way, you can avoid any clumping and overlapping of strawberries.

Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread

This recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Bread kind of reminds me of a savory monkey bread. It makes a great snack, fun party appetizer, or light meal.  When I came across this recipe on In the Kitchen with KP, I just happened to have a craving for pepperoni. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. So, rather than order a pizza, I opted to give this a try. At first, I thought preparation was going to be a little labor intensive, but it was surprisingly easy to put together (especially with the help of pre-made pizza dough). Layer bite-size pieces of pizza dough, brush with flavored dipping oil, top with plenty of pepperoni and shredded mozzarella, and season with garlic powder, repeat layers. The final layer will be pizza dough, drizzled with oil and seasoned with garlic powder. Looks like bread, but tastes like pizza. Serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping, and you’ve got the best of ALL worlds! And, it’s just as versatile as pizza. Add any toppings you prefer. Mmmm, I bet the addition of bacon bits would be killer!

Ingredients for Pizza Bread.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray bundt (or tube) pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Ingredients for Flavored Dipping (or substitute your favorite). Use jarred minced garlic to save on time.

If you don’t already have a favorite dipping oil on-hand, here’s a quick and easy dipping oil recipe, with the perfect blend of flavors for this bread. In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in grated Parmesan cheese. This makes 1 cup and you only need 1/3 cup for the bread. Store the leftover oil for another use.

Divide pizza dough into 3 equal portions (for the 3 layers). Take each third and roll into small balls. Don’t be “blond” like me and try to put rolled balls in a bowl (they stick together and you only have to re-roll….duh). Spread out in a single layer on wax paper, instead.

Layer 1/3 of dough pieces in bottom of prepared bundt (or tube) pan. The original recipe calls for drizzling flavored dipping all over dough pieces, but I would recommend brushing on the oil. Brushing gives you a more even coating of oil (and you’re less likely to get “pockets” of oil, like I did).

Layer 1/2 of the pepperoni slices over oiled dough balls. Sprinkle generously with 1/2 of the shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic powder.

Layer again with 1/3 of pizza dough; brush with 1/3 of dipping oil; layer with second half of pepperoni and cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 of garlic powder.

End the final layer with last 1/3 of pizza dough pieces. Brush with last 1/3 of dipping oil and garlic powder.

Bake in preheated oven until bread is brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on rack. 

Meanwhile, in small pot, warm marinara sauce (if desired) for dipping.

When cool, flip the bread out of the pan. 

I flipped it back again, as I thought it made a prettier presentation this way; and the bread pieces protruded more, making it easier to “pull-apart” in bite-size pieces. But, that’s a personal preference. 

PEPPERONI PIZZA PULL-APART BREAD
Sources: In the Kitchen with KP; All Recipes.com
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Flavored Oil (or use your own favorite):

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Pizza Bread:

• 1/3 cup flavored dipping oil, divided (use recipe above, or substitute your favorite blend)
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
• 2 (16-ounce) packages pre-made pizza dough (or substitute home-made)
• 1 (7-ounce) package sliced pepperoni, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare flavored dipping (if not using your own blend). In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, basil,
    parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice.
    Whisk in grated Parmesan cheese. This makes 1 cup and you only need 1/3 cup for the bread. Store
    the leftover oil for another use.
2. Divide pizza dough into 3 equal portions (for the 3 layers). Take each third and roll into small balls.
3. Layer 1/3 of dough pieces in bottom of prepared bundt (or tube) pan. Brush with 1/3 of the flavored
    dipping oil.
4. Layer 1/2 of the pepperoni slices over oiled dough balls. Sprinkle generously with 1/2 of the shredded
    mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic powder.
5. Layer again with 1/3 of pizza dough; brush with 1/3 of dipping oil; layer with second half of pepperoni
    and cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 of garlic powder.
6. End the final layer with last 1/3 of pizza dough pieces. Brush with last 1/3 of dipping oil and garlic
    powder.
7. Bake in preheated oven until bread is brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from
    oven. Cool on rack.
8. Meanwhile, in small pot, warm marinara sauce (if desired) for dipping.
9. When cool, flip the bread out of the pan. For prettier presentation, flip again before serving. Serve
    warm with marinara sauce (if desired).

Strawberry Mom-mosa

 

Nothing says “I love you mom” better than breakfast in bed. But, make sure you give mom the VIP treatment she deserves! This Strawberry “Mom”-mosa will give mom a cheery start to her day. After all, why else do they call it Happy Hour? And, let’s face it, when mom’s happy, everybody’s happy.  ;) 

 INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup strawberry puree

2/3 cup champagne 

 DIRECTIONS:

Pour 1/3 cup strawberry puree in champagne flute. 

Top with 2/3 cup champagne. Stir to combine.

Garnish with fresh strawberry.

Enjoy!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

To ALL the MOTHERS out there

whether you are a Past, Present or

Soon to Be Mom. 

May your day be filled with love,

joy and laughter....... 
 

Southwestern Deviled Eggs

Along with Easter comes an abundance of hard boiled eggs. You’ve dyed, decorated and hunted. How do you make the most of leftover Easter eggs? What always comes to mind first for me is deviled eggs. A popular party appetizer in the 50s and 60s, deviled eggs still have retro appeal today. Today you are more apt to see them at BBQs and brunches (more casual gatherings), but their popularity re-emerges during the Easter holiday. They are quick and easy to prepare, convenient (because they are a finger food), and always a crowd pleaser. But, just because you are serving a vintage canapé doesn’t mean you have to use a traditional recipe. By adding ingredients like salsa, green onion, cumin and Cheddar cheese, you can give these party staples a trendier spin. Now you have an “incredible, edible egg.” But, you better make sure you color enough eggs, because these will disappear fast.

Finely chop green onions. If Cheddar cheese shreds are on the large side (like mine are in the above pic), chop it a little more. 

Try to use the “chunkiest” salsa you can get. If the salsa has too much liquid in it, your egg filling can end up loose and not stiff enough to stuff eggs. Drain off any excess liquid from salsa before adding to yolk mixture. (If, however, your finished filling still ends up looser than you would like, you can still firm it by refrigerating it for a half hour or longer.)

Even though this recipe calls for 6 hard boiled eggs, I always boil 7 eggs. During the boiling process, I often end up with an egg that cracks in the water. I usually dispose of the whites of the 7th egg, but I do add the yolk of that additional egg to the filling mixture.

Over the years, I’ve had countless failures with the “simple” task of hard boiling an egg. I would overcook them, resulting in rubbery whites and gray shadowed yolks, or I’d mutilate the overall shape and appearance of the egg in my destructive attempts to remove the unyielding shell. After much trial and error, this method works for me 100% of the time. 

Place eggs in pot of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce temperature to medium. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 12 minutes. (Other sources say after the water boils to immediately remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 to 15 minutes. I’ve found that this method is not always fool-proof; that’s why I give it an additional 5 minutes on lower heat. It ensures the egg is hard boiled, yet you still get a perfect yellow colored yolk and non-rubbery white, each and “every” time.) 

Drain hot water from pot and continue to add cold water to pot until water is completely cool. Add a generous amount of ice cubes to the pot and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the egg no longer has any warmth to it. The colder the egg is, the easier the shell will be to remove (and less likely to stick to the egg white). 

Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bow. 

Mash yolks with a fork. Add mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, salsa (well drained), sour cream, green onion and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all up. I usually use a hand mixer to do this, but that's a "personal" preference, as Mike likes a "creamier" filling (with no lumps).

Fill egg whites evenly with yolk mixture. Garnish with additional green onions, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator. 

SOUTHWESTERN DEVILED EGGS
Source: Cooking with Paula Deen, Mar/Apr 2006
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled* (See note below)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 Tablespoons chunky salsa, drained
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Additional green onions, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl.
2. Mash yolks with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, green onion and
    cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Use fork or hand mixer to blend, depending on consistency you
    want.)
3. Fill egg whites evenly with yolk mixture. Garnish with additional green onions, if desired. Store in
    refrigerator.

Yields: 12 servings

*Note:  You only need 6 hard boiled eggs (not 7). The extra egg will allow for breakage of 1 during the boiling process. Make use of the 7th yolk by adding to filling mixture, but discard of the egg white on extra egg. This will also allow you to put more filling in the eggs.

Peach Streusel Cake

 

I love a good coffee cake. It’s just one of those informal, everyday cakes, comforting without being overly sweet. There’s nothing more satisfying than sitting down with a cup of java and a slice of crumb cake. It’s one of life’s little pleasures. Of course, if you add a little fruit to that cake, now it becomes a whole lot more comforting. My fruit of choice is peaches. They have a mild sweetness to them, not overpowering in taste. Since fresh peaches are out of season right now, I had to use frozen peaches. Fortunately, frozen peaches are recommended in this recipe I found in Food & Wine magazine, so that’s the recipe I decided to try. The streusel topping, with toasted pecans, is amazing. The cake is moist and delicious with just a hint of fruity sweetness. (You might be tempted to go overboard with the peaches because the flavor is so subtle, but, I wouldn’t recommend it, as it will change the texture of the cake and make it too soggy and dense.) If you prefer a more robust, fruity flavor, substitute blueberries or raspberries for the peaches. Being a peach lover, I was blissfully happy with my choice. 

 Batter Ingredients:

If using a larger bag of peaches, only use a partial bag (equivalent to 10 ounces).

STREUSEL INGREDIENTS:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pecans on baking sheet. Toast them in oven just until they become aromatic, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully, so you don’t scorch them. Remove from oven.

When cool; chop pecans.

 
Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan (or use a spray with flour in it, like Baker’s Joy). Note: a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable bottom works just as well.

Coarsely chop the peaches. You don’t want the peaches fully defrosted, only partially.
 

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Mix to combine. Add the butter. Using your fingers, or a pastry blender, mix until crumbly. Add the pecans and mix again to combine. Set aside.

In another bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. 

Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Slowly, add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, beating at low speed until incorporated.

Spread two-thirds of the batter into prepared pan. 

Fold the peaches into the remaining batter and spoon into the pan. 

Scatter the streusel crumbs on top. 

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The last 15 minutes of baking, loosely cover the cake with foil, to avoid over browning the crumb topping.

Transfer to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Remove the ring and let cake cool completely before serving. 


VANILLA GLAZE INGREDIENTS:

If you want to add a vanilla glaze: In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. For best presentation results, drizzle over cooled coffee cake.

 
PEACH STREUSEL CAKE
Source: Food & Wine Magazine (Jan 2011)
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Batter:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen peaches, coarsely chopped

Vanilla Glaze (optional):

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 to 3 teaspoons hot water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan (or use a spray with flour in it, like
    Baker’s Joy). Note: a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable bottom works just as well.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Mix to combine. Add the butter. Using your
    fingers, or a pastry blender, mix until crumbly. Add the pecans and mix again to combine. Set aside.
3. In another bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3
    minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Slowly, add the dry
    ingredients, a little at a time, beating at low speed until incorporated.
5. Spread two-thirds of the batter into prepared pan. Fold the peaches into the remaining batter and
    spoon into the pan. Scatter the streusel crumbs on top. Bake the cake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or
    until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The last 15 minutes of baking, loosely cover
    the cake with foil, to avoid over browning the crumb topping.
6. Transfer to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Remove the ring and let cake cool completely before
     serving.
7. If you want to add a vanilla glaze: In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and hot water. Mix
    until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. For best presentation results, drizzle over cooled coffee cake.