Pancakes

When I was a teenager, I would occasionally have to watch my baby sisters. My mom would tell me that I would have to cook them supper. I knew how to cook but I didn't. I have three younger sisters. (I still tell my Mom that I am an only child.) My sister who is over a year younger than me would cook all the time. So, I didn't. When I would ask my baby sisters what they wanted for supper, they would tell me cereal. Why argue with them? Cereal is great! My kitchen always has a minimum of five different boxes of cereal at a time. 

Growing up, there was one food I really liked to cook and it was pancakes. My youngest daughter has inherited my love for pancakes. I normally do not order pancakes for breakfast if we eat out. I like my pancakes better. 

Silver Dollar Pancakes

 Pancakes

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
2 Tbsp butter, melted
vegetable oil or butter to coat the skillet

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients.
3. Add the buttermilk and mix just to combine.
4. Add the egg and still a few times just to combine.
5. Add the melted butter and mix just to combine. Don't over mix.
6. Set the batter aside.
7. Heat a skillet on medium to medium low heat.
8. Add oil or butter to the skillet.
9. Scope about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan for regular size pancakes. Scope about 1/8 cup of batter into the pan to make silver dollar pancakes.
10. Once the batter starts to form bubbles, flip the pancake. Cook about one minute and serve.

Recipe adapted from Katy's Kitchen originally from Pastry Queen.

 Did you already know............................
-In the past, buttermilk was the liquid left over after milk was made into butter.
-Today, dairies usually adds lactic acid to low fat milk to produce buttermilk.
-Buttermilk is low in fat and calories.
-To help with digestive problems, buttermilk is said to be a better choice than milk because of the lactic acid and it is quicker to digest.

Cranberry Scones

What is your favorite juice? Is it the popular orange juice? My son will pick cranberry juice over orange juice. To tell the truth I would too. Since it is so close to Thanksgiving, it is so easy to find fresh cranberries.

Tea anyone?

Talking about Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my family. After I had my oldest daughter, it was almost ten years before my youngest daughter arrived. I recently asked her why she made me wait ten years before entering my life. She looked at me and smiled. She told me that she was up there (as she glanced upwards) and she was really busy helping people out (in heaven) but once she was done she rushed right to me. Is that not the cutest answer? I can see her helping people out since she is very thoughtful.

If you are having guest arrive for the holidays, this is a great recipe to prepare for breakfast one cold morning. They can be made prior to your guest arriving and be frozen until needed. 

Cranberry Scones 2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp sugar for the cranberries and additional for the top
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1¼ cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl, toss the chopped cranberries and the 3 Tbsp of sugar.
4. In a food processor, combine lemon zest, flour, ½ cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse about 5 times.
5. Add the butter and pulse about 8-10 times until it looks like course crumbs. 
6. Add the egg, egg yolk, and heavy cream to the flour mixture.
7. Pulse about 10 times.
8. Generously flour working surface.
9. Add the dough to the flour working surface and form a ball.
10. Using a 2½ inch round biscuit cutter, scoop some dough into the cutter to form a 1 inch scone.
11. Repeat with the remaining dough about 3 inches apart. ***
12. Sprinkle the top of the scones with sugar.
13. Bake the scones for about 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown.

***Place the baking sheet in freezer about 30 minutes or until frozen. Transfer the frozen scones to a freezer storage bag until ready to use. When ready to use, continue with direction 12 but bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats and originally from Gourmet.

Did you already know.............
-Scones can be found in the 1513 Oxford English Dictionary.
-Scones are usually associated with Scotland, Ireland and England.
-English plain scones are often eaten with jam, preserves, lemon curd or honey, or clotted cream.
-Dried fruit scones and other flavored scones are usually enjoyed without butter or jam.

I enjoy my scones plain or with a little butter and of course tea!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

A while ago, I use to give my sister a subscription to her favorite magazine. It was a gift that she could enjoy all year long. Maybe think of me? 

Since my Mom knew I like to read magazines, she asked me if I wanted a subscription to her favorite magazine. I said sure. In the magazine, it has a monthly recipe contest you can enter. I thought sure, why not. Wouldn't it be cool to win something? The recipe contest for that month featured peanut butter. My husband loves peanut butter. I had experimented with lots of recipes that weekend and this recipe is the one I entered two years ago. I was very happy when I heard that my recipe was selected and featured in the magazine. I didn't win the top prize but I did win. I did the happy dance because I won. Any time I win something I perform the happy dance. My husband finds me very amusing. The kids just dance with me.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
1 (12 oz.) package miniature semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups all purpose flour
Filling recipe below


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Set aside 1/4 cup chocolate pieces to sprinkle on cookies.
3. In microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of the chocolate pieces and 2 tablespoons milk. Microwave for1 minute or until melted; stir once. Set aside. 
4. In another bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until combine. 
5. Add sugar, soda, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; beat to combine. Add eggs, 1/2 cup milk, vanilla, and melted chocolate; beat until combined. 
6. Beat in cocoa powder and flour until combined. 
7. Stir in remaining chocolate pieces except the 1/4 cup of chocolate pieces.
8. Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate. 
9. Bake 9 minutes or until tops are set. 
10. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. 
11. To assemble, spread flat sides of half the cookies with Filling; top with remaining cookies.

Peanut Butter Filling

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup marshmallow creme

2 cups powder sugar

2 Tbsp milk

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the milk.

Add one Tbsp milk at a time until the desired filling consistency.

My recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Did you already know.............. 

-Better Homes and Gardens has been around since 1922.

-In 1924, Fruit, Garden and Home changed its name to Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

-In the U.S., Better Homes and Gardens is the fourth best selling magazine.

Honey Yeast Rolls

I know a lot of people who will see a bee and freak out. I really understand this behavior if you are allergic to bees. I know I am not allergic to bees. How do I know?

When I was a little girl, my younger sister thought it would be cool to throw rocks at a bee hive. We all know the bees do not take kindly to this type of behavior. They swarmed after her. She took off running and ran right past me without warning me what was chasing her. Some memories from childhood will never be forgotten and I know I am not allergic to bees. I also know I do not have a reaction to red ants but that is another story.

Honey Yeast Rolls 1 (.25 oz) package of instant dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour
vegetable cooking spray
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp honey

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water.
2. In another bowl, combine the honey, oil, salt, and egg. Mix well.
3. Add the yeast and water to the honey bowl.
4. Add 1 cup of flour at a time to the honey bowl and mixing well after adding the flour.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Turning once to coat and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 2 hours.
7. Punch down the dough and knead for 30 seconds. 
8. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. 
9. Punch down the dough again and divide dough into 12 equal pieces.
10. Shape the dough into a smooth ball.
11. Place the balls of dough into a round greased 10 inch baking dish or place each ball of dough in a muffin tin. Let rise for 30 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
13. Combine the melted butter and honey.
14. Brush the tops of each balls of dough with the honey butter.
15. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats.

Did you already know................
-Honey has been found sealed in Egyptian tombs and was still edible.
-Honey means "enchant" in Ancient Hebrew.
-In medieval Germany, peasants were required to pay their feudal lords in honey and beeswax. 

I added 3 small balls to one muffin tin.

I made these for Thanksgiving last year and they were a hit even with my honey.

Whip Cream 101

Please do not say, "Jen, I can not make my own whip cream. It is too hard." Do you know what I'll say? "What? What! It isn't hard little grasshopper. You will become a master in no time." I always called my oldest daughter little grasshopper and my youngest daughter little sparrow. Don't be surprised but I am the Master! 

Now, listen to me little grasshopper because I am the Master! Follow the steps below to make your own whip cream. My son volunteered to show you the way.

Whip Cream 101
1 cup of heavy cream
1 Tbsp powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl or a plastic container.
2. Whip

Whip

 Whip

Am I done yet?

Whip until the whip cream stays on the beater.
Stop beating because if you do not you just may make butter.
I did reward my helper with the beater.

You can vary the amounts of the powder sugar and extracts to your taste!

Enjoy with dessert!