Blueberry Pancakes

 

If I could pick my very favorite breakfast food it would have to be pancakes. When we are on vacation, they are my go-to breakfast.  I usually make them from Pioneer Buttermilk Mix about once a month (maybe just a tad more than that...wink)  As much as I love Pioneer pancakes, my very favorite were my MaMaw Allie's pancakes!  When I was a little girl, she would make them for me from scratch and I so wish I had her recipe. 

I was really wanting pancakes this morning but I was out of Pioneer Mix...ugh.  I should have eaten my greek yogurt with healthy blueberries. However, the tempting little voice in my head that said "you could make them from scratch" won out.  Where was that voice of reason?  It said "just put the blueberries in the batter".  My "healthier version" of pancakes, yeah right! 

I have to say though, they were so  yummy and the blueberries took them over the top!  Maybe these should have been for a special occasion....say Father's Day, which we had oatmeal.  We will just say this was Father's Day Breakfast 6 days late!

Leave off the blueberries and you have a basic pancake recipe and you definitely could add your choice of ingredients....chocolate chips, pecans, bananas...etc.  I wonder if cooked ground breakfast sausage would taste good...I bet it would be awesome!  May have to try that and get back to y'all!

You've got to try them...they are ridiculously perfect!

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES

 (makes about 8-12 medium to small pancakes)

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted (I used salted)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of blueberries
*Without the addition of the blueberries, it is a basic pancake recipe.

Whisk the first four ingredients together in a large bowl.

Flour

Sugar

Baking Powder

 

Salt

 

Add the milk and the butter to the dry mixture and whisk to blend well.

Add the eggs and vanilla and blend until combined.  Do not overblend.

Fold in blueberries.

1. Heat and lightly butter a skillet.  I use a non-stick skillet for pancakes.

 2. Ladle batter into skillet and stop when the size is a little smaller than you want it to be because it will spread a little. 

3. Wait until the top has bubbles on top and some have began to pop before you flip them over.  If you flip them and they do not end up where you want them, wait a few seconds until the bottom has cooked a little and then you can adjust them. 

 
4. They will start to rise and will only take about half the time on the second side as the first.  You can lift the edge a little to see if it is lightly browned.

 

5. Remove from skillet, top with butter and syrup.

Go!

Going!

 

GONE! (Could not eat another bite!)

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE 

LEMON VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

One of my biggest pet peeves, when I go out to dinner, is that almost every restaurant offers a salad but they dress it with a bottled dressing.  Usually, those dressings are full of calories and taste yucky (I tried to come up with a better word but it fits!)   Dressings are so easy to make.  They take no time at all and they store in your refrigerator for sometimes a few weeks.

I have several salad dressing recipes that I will share with y'all over the next few days.  I made this one yesterday and it took me like 10 minutes or maybe even less.  This recipe does have the tang of the lemon and vinegar, so something sweet compliments it really well.  It goes so well with fruit that  I literally dunked leftover mangos into the vinaigrette and ate them!!

One of my favorite salads at a restaurant is Katharine & Company's Mango Avocado Salad.  I, of course, do not have their recipe but that is what inspired me to create the Lemon Vinaigrette.  I threw together a spinach and spring greens salad, topped with my brined grilled chicken from the night before, sliced mangos, sliced red onion, chunky bites of avocado, crumbled goat cheese with salt and pepper to taste.  I drizzled the lemon vinaigrette over it and it was amazing! 

If you have never made dressings from scratch before, I would urge you to try one.  I will be posting the recipes for my Poppy Seed Dressing, Honey Vinaigrette,Balsamic Vinaigrette and Fresh Cucumber Dressing soon.    I say if you're going to eat salad...you should look forward to it!!  Agreed?


LEMON VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
 (this makes a small amount, you might want to double)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (nothing else will do)
1/2 cup Olive Oil (I use the light flavored version
2 teaspoons Honey
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process or
place in a mason jar and shake until all is blended well.

You can store this in the refrigerator for 2 days.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

Trisha and Janna's Divine Lemon Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream Topping

Well, I decided that since I used part of Trisha Yearwood's recipe and part of mine, I would name it after us both.  Nothing wrong with that...right?  I did give her front billing! Ha! 

I had a recipe for a Lemon Icebox Pie that the chef gave me from a little restaurant in Fredricksburg called The Navajo Grill.  I have had that recipe for probably 10 years but I have never made it.  I remember him telling me that it was a large recipe that would make several pies and that I would have to modify it for just one pie.  I decided to make it on Easter this year, oh I would say around 11:00 p.m. the night before Easter.  Procrastination is a virtue I have perfected over the years...ugh!  Anyway, of course, when I start reading the recipe I realize that it is not a baked pie....at all.  Since it had eggs in it, I was not comfortable with not baking it so I had to come up with a similar recipe with the ingredients that I had on hand.

Thank goodness for computers.  I was able to scroll through some recipes until I found this one by Trisha Yearwood.  I love her style of cooking....southern comfort style!  It was just like the recipe I wanted to make but this one was cooked.  I still wanted a whipped cream topping so I just baked the pie and let it cool.  While it was cooling, I made my whipped topping.  I put both of them in the fridge until the next morning and then I topped the pie and added some fresh lemon zest and blueberries.  It was so smooth and creamy...it just melted in my mouth.

This pie, I think, is probably the simplest pie I have ever made.  I put it together in no time and it is one that can be done the day ahead!  I used a premade graham cracker crust because of time, and there was not a real significant difference between it and a homemade crust. 

This pie would go with just about any meal and it is not only pretty, but it is mouth watering delicious!  This recipe will go into my book of favorites....definitely making it again sooooon!!

TRISHA AND JANNA'S DIVINE LEMON PIE WITH WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees

1-14 ounce Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice, about 2 large lemons
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 large egg yolks
9 inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust

In a medium bowl, beat the first four ingredients.

Pour into pie shell.
 
Place in oven for 20 minutes.
 
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Top with Whipped Cream....recipe below!

Decorate with blueberries and freshly grated lemon zest, if desired!

 

WHIPPED TOPPING

 

Put a bowl and your mixing beaters in the freezer

Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl and beat on high

I always add about 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat until the cream becomes fluffy like Cool Whip.  This only takes about 2 minutes.

 

 

ENJOY!

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

SUMMER CORN SALAD WITH CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

Every time my daughter and I go shopping in Houston, our choice spot to have lunch is Nordstrom.  There is not one thing I have ever ordered that I have not loved!  We have our favorites like the Bistro Club with the pommes frites (french fries) and that amazing kalamata olive aioli!  Oh, and the white chocolate bread pudding with raspberry sauce is to die for!   I have all of the Nordstrom recipe books and I found this recipe in my Nordstrom Friends and Family cookbook. I did change the dressing up a bit (I can't help myself) by adding Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice! It is the perfect accompaniment to a summertime meal.  It is fresh, light and satisfying.  It is super easy to assemble and the dressing is wonderful for any salad.  If you try it, let me know what you think!  I always love the feedback!



CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

1 Shallot, quartered and minced (approximately 3 tablespoons)
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, heaping
2 tablespoon sugar (I add 1 extra tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 cup Champagne Vinegar
1-1/2 cups Canola Oil (I use half Olive Oil and half Canola Oil)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
Freshly ground pepper

In a blender or in a food processor, add the minced shallot and minced garlic cloves with about a tablespoon of the vinegar, and process until smooth.  Add the rest of the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  Process to combine the ingredients thoroughly.  With the machine running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream to form an emulsion.  Taste and adjust the ingredients.

Store in a bottle with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to a month.

SUMMER CORN SALAD

1/2 cup Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing
3 Ears of Fresh Corn, grilled or roasted in the oven
1 container of Cherry Tomatoes, halved
OR
6 Plum Tomatoes, cored and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tablespoon, Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley
2 cups of firmly packed Spinach and Arugula mix
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Roast corn by wrapping shucked corn on the cobs in aluminum foil and placing in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.  Cool completely.

Cut corn kernels from cobs into a large bowl.  Should have approximately 2 cups.

Add tomatoes, parsley, arugula, spinach and 1/2 cup of Champagne Vinaigrette to the corn and toss to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Let the salad sit a room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. 

• ENJOY!

Lemon Brocollini

 When I was growing up, the ONLY vegetables my mom could get me to eat were corn and green beans....oh and potatoes (are those vegetables?)  However, my mom and my grandmother, who lived with us until I was 10 years old, cooked vegetables until they were mushy.  They were great cooks but they preferred mushy and I, though I didn't know it at the time, prefer crisp tender veggies. 

As newlyweds, we used to go out with a couple, The Blackwells, who loved to entertain at home.  That was when I was introduced to a different type of cooking.  She liked to cook with lots of fresh garlic (not garlic powder) and use fresh herbs to flavor her vegetables.  She also NEVER overcooked her veggies.  They were usually very simply done and crisp tender where I could still taste the freshness of the vegetables.  Now that I am thinking about her, she would make her own salad dressing. Oh my gosh...I learned the best does not come in a bottle! I need to blog her basic salad dressing...I still use it and it is one of my very favorites.  I have several dressing recipes so that would be a good idea for a blog soon!

Wow...it does not take much to get me sidetracked.  Anyway...what I wanted to convey is that everyone has their own preferences about the way they like their veggies, but I have found that I like my veggies more undercooked than overcooked.  I like my green veggies to have a bright green color with a little bit of a crunch (crisp tender) when I eat them. 

This new little veggie was a request by my daughter, Holly, for Easter Lunch.   I had never eaten Broccolini, much less cooked it.  But, I have cooked broccoli millions of times.  To me, Broccolini reminds me of a skinny Broccoli stalk.  I googled "what is broccolini" and got 3 different answers.  So, it is either a hybrid of broccoli and kale, Chinese chard, or Chinese broccoli.  It does have a little bit of a bitter aftertaste like cabbage or swiss chard but the butter, garlic and lemon cuts that and leaves you with a great side dish that is healthy and satisfying.

NOTE:  My daughter, Holly, is breastfeeding her new baby, Alex.  She had broccolini Friday night at a restaurant and Alex was fussy that night.  He was also fussy last night after she had eaten broccolini at my house.  Since he is so young, 3-1/2 weeks, we are still trying to figure out his cries, his likes, dislikes, etc.  So, the first night we didn't think much about Holly's diet but after it happened again, we started thinking about what was similar about the two days...and broccolini was a common denominator.  Still not sure if that was what it was but we think that it is very likely.  Just thought I would mention it in case you are breastfeeding or cooking this for someone who is.

This dish is now going to be one of my favorite go-to side dishes.  I LOVE  lemon and garlic together and it goes perfectly on this vegetable.  It was a perfect compliment to the Easter menu and I think for really any menu.  I think I will try toasting some pine nuts and adding it to this recipe.  Also, some crushed red pepper would add a little kick.  You could also substitute the broccolini with Asparagus and Yummm...you've got another recipe for a very versatile veggie!!!  Hope you give it a try...let me know if you do!

LEMON BROCCOLINI

1-lb Broccolini
1-2 tablespoons of Butter
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1-2 teaspoons lemon zest (add one to start with and after tasting everything together you can always add another teaspoon)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground Pepper

Cut approximately an inch off the ends of the broccolini.  Broccolini is served with the stems so just trim to get the dry ends off.

Place in a microwave safe glass dish with approximately 1/2 cup of water, cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes. 

Take out of microwave and remove cover (be careful the steam will getcha). 

In small dish put the butter and garlic in and place in the microwave for about 1 minute.  You just want the garlic to flavor the butter slightly.

Drain the butter away from the garlic and add just the butter to the broccolini.

Actually, you could add the butter and garlic to the dish if you like.  I love garlic but I was trying to keep the garlic taste down because of the menu I was serving. 

Zest about a teaspoon of lemon (I like a little more but remember you can always add but you can't take away) and add it to the broccolini.

Add about a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.  Don't use the bottled lemon juice...it just is not the same.

See how bright and green the broccolini still is?

 Sprinkle salt over the broccolini and add some freshly ground pepper.

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

INDIVIDUAL CANADIAN BACON AND LEEK FRITTATAS

 I made these little yummies last weekend and thought what a perfect breakfast delight for special occasions like Easter morning!!  I loved the parchment paper presentation and it was really easy to do!

Frittatas are basically a quiche without the crust so you are cutting the carbs!  I love either but since I am a carb girl (not a good thing), I like when I can cut out some calories and carbs too!

I love green onions, sweet onions, yellow onions, scallions....I think you get the idea.  But I had never cooked with leeks.  They look like a big, fat green onion.  My son is going to culinary school and his professor was saying that leeks were similar to a green onion but with a milder flavor.  I found this recipe on a blog called
In Sock Monkey Slippers.  She wrote that she had a 2-1/2 year old daughter who was a picky eater but loved these little frittatas.  I am mentioning this because it might be tempting just to use green onions in place of the leeks but for a picky eater, it might just be the difference between liking the recipe or not. 

Leeks tend to be sandy so they have to be washed thoroughly.  I found it to be very easy to wash them and the pictures below will show you how to get them clean!

I could only get 7 little frittatas out of this recipe so you might want to double it, depending on your needs.  I probably could have gotten 8 but the recipe said to leave a space between each cup and I did not want to start another pan.  I kind of followed that advice but I did squeeze that 7th one in there to keep from using another pan.  Also, I am not a huge portion eater (does that make sense) so I ate 2 with some fruit.  I tried a new recipe, a blueberry streusel,  that day but I didn't care for it which is what I wanted to serve with it.  It would make a perfect little breakfast....Individual frittatas, blueberry streusel or other sweet breakfast item...cinnamon rolls for example...with a cup of fruit.

I may try this recipe again with different ingredients....bacon, pancetta, ground sausage, mushrooms, ham....so many choices.

I'm thinking you could make these in the mini muffin tin without using the parchment paper and these would be perfect to bring to a little brunch. 

HAPPY EASTER!

INDIVIDUAL CANADIAN BACON AND LEEK FRITTATAS

 

2 cups Leeks, washed and chopped (about 2 cups)

1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Butter

3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

4 Eggs

3/4 cup Milk

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded (I used a blend of pre-packaged Italian Cheeses because I had them handy)

1/2 cup Canadian Bacon, chopped (about 6 slices)

1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

pinch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Parchment Paper

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

Slice the root ends off the 2 Large Leeks.

 

Making a cut at the dark green leaves, cut the tops off.

 

 

Slice the leeks down the center vertically, exposing the ribs.

 

 

While running the inside of leeks under water, fan your fingers across the inside of the leeks to loosen and rinse any sand away.

 

Cut the Leeks into 1/4 inch crescents to measure 2 cups.

 

 

 

 

Over medium-low heat, heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil and melt 1 teaspoon butter. 

Add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.  Stir.

 

 

 

Saute for 5-10 minutes, until the leeks become soft.  Turn off heat.

 

 

In a large bowl, whisk the 4 eggs and 3/4 cup milk thoroughly.

 

 

Chop the 6 slices (1/2 cup) Canadian bacon into cubes.

 

 

To the egg and milk mixture, add the Canadian bacon, leeks, 3/4 cup cheese, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

 

 

 

If you do not have one of these little gadgets...you must get one!  They make using fresh nutmeg, cheese, and grating citrus a snap!

Stir to combine.

 

Cut 5" X 5" squares of parchment paper.

 

  Place parchment squares in a muffin tin, leaving a space between each cup.  (I think next time I will put a parchment square in each cup because I don't know what the relevance is of this step.  Maybe because this recipe only makes half of a pan so it spaces them out for even baking)

 

Fill parchment cups with the egg and leek mixture.

NOTE:  I poured little bit of water in each empty muffin space.  However, I googled why I would do this and it says...if you are using a tin muffin pan, it keeps the pan from warping.  If your pan warps it is a sign of a low-quality pan so get rid of it...don't kill the messenger, I am just relaying information but it does make sense.  I love to use this Pampered Chef ceramic muffin baker.  It cooks and browns evenly. 

 

Place in oven for 25 minutes.

 

 

Remove the frittatas from the muffin tin and allow to cook slightly before eating.

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

ENJOY!