Pots and Pins

Rhubarb Breakfast Cake...

Even though I barely know what day it is, I do know that there are certain things I always do in the spring and one of them is to buy rhubarb.  Another one is to try to decide what to make with the rhubarb.  I always make Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie for the boy, it's his very favorite.  I usually always make Strawberry-Rhubarb Crostata which is basically a rustic pie and while it sounds suspiciously like strawberry-rhubarb pie, it's decidedly different.  I also make a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble, do you see a pattern here?  It soon became apparent to me that I needed help in the rhubarb department!  Surely rhubarb could stand on its own without any help from strawberry!  Why yes, yes it can and this cake is proof of that.  

Rhubarb will last quite a while after being picked if you wrap the ends with a wet paper towel and keep in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.   However it won't last a month, as I discovered when I went to get mine out of the fridge and it had rotted.  Off to the store!  With my mask on, I grabbed fresh rhubarb and on the way home I realized I could have gone and picked it from a friend's house who is always offering it to anyone who wants it!  Oy vey.

Putting the thinly sliced rhubarb into a plastic bag and shaking it up with a bit of flour will keep it from sinking in the batter when it's baked.  Although if you look at the batter (in the pic above) you will see just how thick the batter is, so it's hard to imagine the rhubarb would sink, but trust me!

Before the cake goes into the oven the top is sprinkled with turbinado sugar (raw sugar) which gives it a nice sweet, crunchy top.  I won't judge you if you sprinkle on more than the recipe calls for.

Did you know that rhubarb is a vegetable?  We treat it like a fruit but it's a veggie so you can consider this healthy and good for you because you're eating veggies!  After the cake is baked the rhubarb will have softened and it becomes almost jam-like, sweet-tart and utterly delicious.  This breakfast cake is a great way to start your day, or to round out your lunch, or to enjoy as an afternoon snack, or even as dessert after dinner with a side of ice cream.  Basically is this what I consider a 24/7 cake - good at any time on any day.

Rhubarb Breakfast Cake - Adapted from Heritage Home Cooking

1/2 cup half and half

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, minus 1 tablespoon reserved to toss with rhubarb

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups thinly sliced fresh rhubarb (about 6 large stalks)

1 to 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, (you can use granulated sugar) for topping cake

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9-inch spring-form pan.  In a small bowl combine lemon juice and half and half.  Set aside.  Measure out 2 cups of flour and remove 1 tablespoon and put in a zip-lock style plastic bag, add rhubarb and shake to coat.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar and beat until pale yellow and slightly fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as necessary.  Add baking powder and salt and mix.  With mixer running on low speed, add half of the flour and mix.  Add the half-and-half mixture and the remaining half of flour.  Mix until just barely combined.  Mix in rhubarb by hand.  The batter will be very thick.  

Spread batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar.  Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cake cool for about 15 minutes before running a knife around the side of the pan and releasing the pan.  Let cake cool completely before cutting (but if you must dive in, go ahead, I can never wait!)  Makes  one 9-inch cake, serves 12.  

 

 

Deviled Strawberries...

It's no secret that I don't eat eggs - unless they are baked in a cake or cookie.  I don't remember ever eating an egg either (four words in one sentence that all begin with the letter E, how about that!)  This time of year, when eggs become the stars of brunch, lunch and hunts, I try to find other things I can eat while my family devours deviled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, egg salad sandwiches, etc., etc.  May I please introduce you to my new favorite Easter egg...deviled strawberries!

Last year for Easter we went to our friends home for a feast and I took all the ingredients for a deviled egg bar.  I wish I had snapped a picture because it was beautiful!  Deviled eggs were surrounded with bacon bits, capers, chopped red peppers, cheese, chives, green onions, various olives, and I don't remember what else but everyone could top their eggs with whatever they wanted and they all seemed happy about that.  Everyone but me!  Because I don't eat those stinkin' eggs!  So this year I'm going to have my own eggs to eat and I'm betting they will be wanting to eat my eggs, too!

As you can probably guess, these eggs are super easy to make.  Once the ingredients are blended together and put into a plastic Zip-lock style bag, the mixture is piped onto a half of a large strawberry.  Creamy and delicious and it's not too sweet either so it's the perfect match for the beautiful spring strawberries in the store right now.  You won't find any toilet paper but there are plenty of strawberries!  

Now, as pretty as they are, these deviled strawberries aren't complete.  The last step is to sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the tops OR you could sprinkle Oreo crumbs or whatever your favorite cookie is - even shaved chocolate would be good!

Deviled Strawberries - Adapted from Instrupix

18 to 24 large strawberries, stems remove if desired - I left mine on because I thought it looked prettier

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (or other cookie crumbs)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest from half a lemon

Prep the strawberries by cutting them in half.  If you're not using an "egg dish" which will hold the eggs up straight, then make a very small slit on the back of each strawberry so they will sit straight on your serving plate.  Place the softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a medium sized mixing bowl.  (Do NOT add the whipping cream.)  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.  In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well incorporated.  Fill a piping bag or a Zip-lock style plastic bag with the mixture and snip the end so you can "pipe" the filling onto the strawberries.  (I didn't use a decorating tip but a nice star tip would be pretty.)  Pipe a small amount onto the top of each strawberry and finish with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs.  Makes 3 dozen or so strawberries.  Recipe can be halved and the filling can be made the day ahead.

These deviled strawberries are perfect for your Easter feast or Mother's Day or 4th of July or really, anytime you want something pretty and yummy to eat!  

Sheet-pan Buttermilk Pancakes...

If you don't have a foodie friend, you need to get yourself one or two and here's why:  they will always know where the best restaurants to eat are and they will always share a really great recipe with you.  This is one of those recipes that Julie, one of my foodie friends, shared with me and it's one that you neeeeeed, too!  In the last month I've made these pancakes three times - everyone loved them but that aside, the best part about these pancakes is no one will be standing next to you while you're making them saying, "I call dibs on the next pancake!"  

Since these pancakes are baked on a sheet-pan, you get one giant pancake so everyone at your breakfast (or dinner!) table can eat hot pancakes at same time!  Genius!  And delicious!  And the only possible negative comment you might hear is, "But I like my pancakes round, not square," and I'll give you one guess who said that?!?  The mister is such a creature of habit!  But he ate square pancakes and loved them!  If you really wanted round pancakes, or star-shaped or heart shaped or whatever, use a cookie cutter and cut them out in any shape you want.  Again, it's genius!  So let's talk about the recipe...you start with eggs, buttermilk and butter, the three building blocks for a great pancake!

Here's another great thing about this recipe, you'll only use one bowl - clean up is a cinch.  While the pancake is baking away in the oven you'll have time to make Sugared Bacon or heat your syrup (cold syrup on hot pancakes is SO wrong!) or you'll have time to sit down and read the morning paper!  

My grandkids have been here visiting and I've got great news to share - they are MOVING to SEATTLE!!!  Yes, that's right, I'm SCREAMING with JOY!  Max is 11, Elsa is 7 and I could not be happier to have them living close by.  For the last week the girl and SIL have been looking at houses all around the Sound...they finally found one in Snoqualmie Ridge, just a short 30 minute drive from us, which is better than the 13 hour drive or the 2 hour flight we've had for years and years, so no complaints here!  My life will change drastically, and for the better, so if you don't see or hear from me, just know I'm playing grandma with the best little kids on the planet!  Elsa loved these pancakes, Max, not so much because right now he only eats pasta, morning, noon and night.  Elsa likes her pancakes plain so I didn't put berries in the batch I made for her.  If you want to add berries, feel free.  You can put them right into the bowl and stir them in or you can place them one by one into the mix, which is what I did because I didn't want the berries to "run" and turn the batter pink or blue.  

 

When the pancake is finished baking (about 11 to 13 minutes), it will be a bit pale in color, so it needs to go under the broiler to "brown" up...one minute or so does the trick.  First though, you brush it with some melted butter, because every pancake needs butter on top!

Sheet-pan Buttermilk Pancakes - Adapted from Real Simple Magazine

non-stick cooking spray

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons melted butter, divided

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a medium bowl until combined.  Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir in the flour just until combined (do not overmix).  (If you are going to add berries, gently stir them in now, or add them on top of the pancake after it's in the pan, gently pushing into the batter.)

Scrape the batter into the prepared baking sheet, smoothing into an even layer with a spatula.  Bake until the pancake is lightly golden and springs back in the center when poked, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove from oven and heat the broiler to high. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter onto the pancake. Broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Cut into 12 slices and serve warm.  Serve with your favorite syrup, heated, of course!

 

These pancakes are light and fluffy - just what you want a pancake to be!!  I was asked if a pancake mix could be used, like Bisquick, and I'm sure it would work just fine, too, so if you want to make your morning routine even more simpler, give that a try...but nothing beats buttermilk pancake!!  Thank you Julie!!!

 

Cathead Biscuits...

If you want to keep 'em comin' back to the table then you need to make cathead biscuits.  The name of these Southern staples refers to their large size (about as big as a cat's head, albeit a small cat).  When I read this recipe I couldn't wait to make them - just the name alone had me in the kitchen in a flash!  Cathead biscuits just struck my funny bone! But don't let the name fool you - these biscuits are no laughing matter - they are the everything you hope for in a homemade biscuit and more.

Instead of mixing the dry ingredients into the wet you mix the wet into the dry...not a huge thing but it does make a difference.  These biscuits come out fluffy, not flaky, and fluffy is a very good thing.  The mister loved these - the first time I made them he said they were the best biscuits he'd ever had.  Not particularly high praise since the man thinks plain boiled chicken is haute cuisine.  But the second time I made these biscuits, he repeated his love for them, over and over.  And here's the truly remarkable thing...for once we actually agree on something!  

There is a secret ingredient in these biscuits...hope you're sitting down...it's bacon grease.  Each bite will give just the slightest hint of smoky bacon, so eating one is not an option, it's two or three or none at all.  Oh, they are so easy to make you won't believe it...so fry yourself up some bacon 'cause you're gonna need the grease!

You can bake them on a rimmed baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet, which I prefer.  Either way they will rise up into the most beautiful biscuits.  Served with a bit of honey butter and jam and you've got yourself some serious eats!

Things of beauty.  Let me rephrase that, biscuits of beauty.  Nope, almost got it, but let me give it another go...HUGE beautiful biscuits!  And they taste as good as they look...even better!  If you don't have bacon grease, you can use lard/Crisco...but then you won't have the amazing flavor the bacon grease gives to these biscuits...and really, if you're going to eat biscuits with honey butter and jam, bacon grease is not your worst enemy!

  

Cathead Biscuits - Adapted from Epicurious

2 cups buttermilk

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

6 tablespoons bacon fat, slightly softened

6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and slightly softened, plus more, melted, if desired to brush on top

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In large bowl whisk baking powder, salt, sugar together.  Add buttermilk, softened bacon grease and softened butter.  Add 2 cups flour and mix with a fork until mixture resembles porridge.  Using a fork, or your hands, press fats against side of bowl to cut into smaller, irregular, flattened pieces.  Fold in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and mix with hands until a wet dough forms.  Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface.  Dust top of dough with more flour.  Gently fold dough into itself until it feels like a pillow and is no longer sticky.  Using a floured butter knife, divide dough into 11 or 12 equal pieces.  Working with 1 piece at a time, dip cut sides in flour and gently roll into a ball with your hands.  Nestle each ball side by side in a large cast iron skillet or on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake biscuits until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.  Brush with melted butter after baking, if desired (just do it, now is not the time to worry about calories!)  Serve with butter, honey butter or jam.  

 

Japanese Style Pancakes...

Life with the mister is never boring...though sometimes maddening...for example, recently the mister was chauffeuring me to Michael's Craft Store and we were sitting at a very busy intersection when the mister said he was dizzy and he was going to vomit.  I gave him perfect advice,  DON'T!  He chose not to listen.  Instead he told me he and the car were spinning and he was really going to vomit...then he started to heave...so I quickly emptied out a plastic bag and handed it to him...no use getting the car dirty, right?  But the vomiting was secondary...he was still driving - up and over curbs and I was screaming, in my nicest-ever scream voice, STOP THE CAR!!!  He finally did.  He then opened the car door, jumped out and ran, plastic bag waving in the wind, to the dirt island to vomit and collapsed onto the ground!  I was still sitting in the car watching this drama unfold when I heard myself yell to the mister, "Don't puke in public!"  I know, I know...but I was in somewhat of a state of confusion!!  I came to my senses, got out of the car, and ran over to the mister but by the time I got there he had two women on either side of him asking him questions and they had already called 9-1-1.  The mister was extremely pale, sweating profusely and seemed confused...it was all a bit surreal and as one shopper after another passed by they all stopped and soon the mister was surrounded by women and someone said, "Sir, are you here alone?"  I politely raised my hand and said, "He's with me!"  The ambulance arrived, the paramedics took control and shooed away all of the women...and they asked him if he was alone... Hello!!!  I'm still standing here, 12-inches away!!   Why no one could see me is still a mystery!  They asked the mister all kinds of questions, helped him into the ambulance where they kept him for 30 minutes - taking his blood pressure, asking him to recite his entire medical history and the cute paramedic said, "Some guys will do anything to keep from going to Michaels with their wife!"  Everyone's a comedian!  The mister laughed and seemed to be doing a bit better until they said they needed to transport him.  He then found his voice and in true mister fashion he said, "You're not taking me anywhere!  I'm not going to a damn hospital!"  I was then told I could drive him he had to go to the ER - his symptoms were definitely weird enough to require a closer look and his blood pressure was 166 over 110!  Here's the upshot...I did drive the mister to the ER, with him complaining the entire way.  Once there he was hooked up to all the machines for 4 hours when finally the ER doc said the mister had an undiagnosed sinus infection that caused pressure in his ears, which caused vertigo, vomiting and sweating...we left the ER with a prescription for an antibiotic ...for which we could have purchased for $20 but will probably be charged $3,500.  See?  Not boring. 

 When we got home I took pity on the mister...which makes him pitiful, no?  I decided to make Japanese Style Pancakes, only the fluffiest, most tender pancakes we have ever had.  They are a bit of work, but dang worth it!

 


You will need round metal cookie cutters or molds, and you can use any size you like.  I used three different sizes, 5-inch, 4 1/2-inch and 4-inch cutters.  Egg whites that have been whipped until they are stiff are what make these pancakes so light and fluffy. 

 Once the pancakes have browned on one side, they are flipped to the other.  They are easily released from the cutters (because you grease them first and every time!)  I chose to use a large frying pan but you could also use a griddle. 

 Just take a moment and let your eyes feast upon them...they are thick, tender and light - you are going to love them!  Serve them to your most pitiful child/husband or just make them for yourself when you need something comforting to lift your spirits - these will definitely do the trick - scrambled eggs are optional!  (There are many recipes for Japanese Style Pancakes online - most of them called for Japanese Mayonnaise as an ingredient, of which I was fresh out!  A lot of the recipes had pancakes that turned out with an almost tofu texture, very spongy and maybe that's how real Japanese pancakes are supposed to be but I wanted a thick and fluffy pancake - where the insides looked and tasted like the pancakes we all know and love.  This recipe provided that - it's dang good, as in 5 dangs worth!)

Japanese Style Pancakes - Adapted From Food Network Kitchens

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk plus 3 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

nonstick cooking spray

maple syrup, for serving

You will need metal cookie cutters or ring molds to make these and they need to be at least 1/2-inch high

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, confectioners' sugar, baking powder and salt.  In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla and egg yolk until combined.  In the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a large bowl that can accommodate a hand mixer), beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.  Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined (it's OK if there are a few lumps). Stir one-third of the beaten egg whites into the flour-milk mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined (take care not to overmix). 

Lightly spray the inside of the cookie cutters/molds you are going to use.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Put the prepared ring molds in the middle of the skillet and fill each with 1/2 cup of batter (it should fill each ring mold about halfway). Cover the skillet with the lid and cook until the batter rises to the tops of the ring molds and is golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Release the bottom of the pancakes with a spatula. Grasp the sides of the ring molds with tongs to stabilize them and then carefully flip. Cover and cook until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and remove the mold. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Lightly spray the ring molds and coat the skillet with nonstick cooking spray and repeat the cooking method with the remaining batter. 

These pancakes are definitely worthy of a special occasion breakfast or bunch - make them on Easter morning or Mother's Day - you won't be disappointed!

  

 

Aebleskivers...

On the 3rd Day of Christmas my true love made for me...Aebleskivers!  Danish little pancake balls...a tradition at Christmas time in Denmark and in our house.  If you don't have an Aebleskiver pan, yes, you need a special pan to create these, then go out an get one at your nearest Kitchen store, they will probably be half off!  Or you could probably find one at the thrift shop - it will be worth whatever it cost, I promise! 

Our pan has seen better days - in fact, this is the 2nd Aebleskiver pan we've owned since we've been married, we wore out the first one and the handle broke!  We make these all the time and we like them plain...I mean, the mister likes them plain, no spice, he's a pancake purist.  The Danes usually add 1/2 teaspoon or so of Cardamom or cinnamon to their recipe, but I leave it out so I don't have to hear any complaining.  Either way they are great...with spice/without...sprinkled with powdered sugar and popped into an Aebelskiver hole or served on a plate with maple syrup or jam...you just can't eat anything better when the snow flies!

 

Speaking of snow - we had some!  On Christmas Eve it  S N O W E D !  It was only the 3rd time in 100 years that we've had snow on Christmas Eve giving us a White Christmas!  That was one of my favorite gifts!  It is truly a Winter Wonderland when it snows here - so, so pretty!  (Every year we put out the same Christmas decorations, Frosty, Mrs. Frosty and Baby Frosty along with our candy canes and gingerbread men and lights...the only new thing we added this year was the word J O Y on the wreath on the house...and we were one of the winners of our neighborhood's Christmas Lights Contest...for the 2nd time!  Ho-Ho-Ho!  And if you look closely you'll be able to see Santa in our window next to the tree!)

Quick and easy to make - and fun!  You'll need a toothpick to turn them, or a reasonable facsimile thereof!  I'm told some people turn them, add some fillings, like chopped apples, chocolate chips or dried fruit, and then add a little more batter and turn again...yawn...way too much work for me!  I turn them once, let them finish cooking, about 30 seconds, then maybe give them another spin, just to make sure all sides are equally brown, after that they are ready to eat!

Cutest little puffs of yummm...and great for breakfast or dessert, which I'm told is a Danish thing...to eat them for dessert...I would be just fine with that!  Make a double batch, you won't be sorry because these get scarfed up as fast as you make them.

Aebleskivers - Pots and Pins

1 1/4 cups flour, all purpose

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoong ground Cardamom or 1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon, optional

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted  (plus more for greasing the pan if needed)

powdered sugar for serving

jam or syrup for serving

In a medium-size bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and spices, if using.  Set aside.   In a small bowl combine egg, milk and 2 tablespoons of melted butter and mix until well combined.  Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until smooth. 

Place Aebleskiver pan over medium heat and heat until a little bit of water sprinkled in the pan sizzles.  Lightly brush each cup with a bit of butter. Fill each cup approximately 2/3's full with batter.  Cook for about 30 seconds, allowing a thin shell to form on the bottom of each pancake ball.  Using a toothpick, poke into the baked portion and gently pull the shell up a bit, allowing the uncooked batter to run out into the pan.  Continue cookies, rotating each pancake with the toothpick about every 30 seconds as the shell begins to set.  After about 4 turns, the ball should be almost formed and completely cooked.  Continue cooking, rotating the balls until they are an even golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  Lift balls from the pan with the toothpick when done.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Serve immediately or keep warm.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with jam or syrup.  Makes about 15 balls.

 

Breakfast of Champions...or pigs...either way, they're dang good!  Make them for your New Year's Feast!  Start the year right!  This time of year I don't even bother putting my Aebleskiver pan away, it just sits on the stove top waiting to be used - and it is, over and over and over!

I don't know who these people are in the picture above, but early Christmas morning, like 8:30 AM, they were in the park sledding!  They should have still been at home in their jammies eating Aebleskivers!  And all day long the kids kept coming out - the hill behind our house is a favorite spot for them so we had first row seats to some great sledding action!

Thanks to the Bruggerman's nephew for this one...the kids built a "ramp" out of snow so they could fly up and over the "stream"...this poor kid went up and over and landed right in the water!  Oh well, it was deemed a success and it didn't seem like he broke his tail bone...surely nothing that a plate of Aebleskivers couldn't fix!

 

 

 

Moon Over My Hammy...

I'm going for totality here...yesterday I posted my recipe for  Eclipse Cookies, today I'm sharing with you my version of Denny's infamous Moon Over My Hammy breakfast sandwich, which is what every one of you should be eating come Monday morning!  Tomorrow just to make sure I'm in the totality zone, I'll be sharing with you a recipe for one of the all-time great chocolate cakes - ever - The Blackout Cake.  Now if that doesn't get me a totality badge I don't know what will!  Your Eclipse party will be out-of-this-world-great if you serve your guests this breakfast sandwich - of course our eclipse celebration will take place in the morning, about 10:20 am Seattle time, so that's why I'll be serving breakfast but really, who doesn't like breakfast for lunch or even dinner?!?

If you are a Denny's Aficianado, then you will note that I am not using sour-dough bread like they do.  We're not sour-dough people, and since this breakfast sandwich is substantial, it needed a more substantial bread - I opted for a whole grain bread but you do whatever makes your moon shine.  Not to be confused with moonshine - that's a whole 'nuther thing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deli ham, Cheddar and Swiss cheese, eggs and one vine-ripe tomato, if you've got it (thanks to my neighbor Jana who brought me her only red tomato!!!)  The tomato is not on Denny's sandwich...should be, are you listening Denny's?

You'll need two frying pans - one to cook the eggs (Denny's serves up scrambled eggs but the mister likes his over-easy...and they are more moon-like that way!) and one to brown the deli-ham - cook them both in butter...the eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime-event so why not?!?

Here's another thing we do differently than Denny's - we put a nice little dollop of mayo and Dijon mustard on one slice of the bread...so just to clarify, we don't use the same bread, we add tomato slices and mayo and Dijon and we don't cook our eggs the same way...really, it's hardly anything like Denny's!

Moon Over My Hammy - Adapted from Denny's Restaurant

2 slices whole grain bread

2 eggs

deli ham, about 6 thin slices

1 slice Swiss cheese

1 slice Cheddar cheese

1 vine-ripe tomato, sliced thin

butter for bread and for cooking eggs and ham, about 1/4 cup

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

In one frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter.  Crack the eggs into pan and cook the way you want, scrambled, over-easy, sunny-side-up, salt and pepper to taste.  When done turn off heat and set aside.  In another frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add deli ham slices.  Fry until lightly browned.  Top the slices of ham with the Swiss cheese and Cheddar cheese slices, allow to melt, remove from pan.  While eggs and ham are cooking, toast bread.  Remove bread from toaster and butter one side of each slice.  Spread mayonnaise and Dijon over one slice of bread.  Top the mayo-Dijon with two slices of tomato, salt and pepper to taste.  When eggs are done, remove to buttered side of one slice of bread, top with ham and cheese slices.  Put mayo-Dijon slice on top and enjoy! 

Makes 1 sandwich.  Serve this up with a side of O'Brien Hashbrowns and your caveman will be able to find his way to the table even in the dark!

 

Cherry Bread...

For many people, the month of March is about St. Patrick's Day, the arrival of Spring, daffodils and tulips poking their heads up from the frozen ground but at The Slaughterhouse, March is all about college basketball.  I'm used to the afternoon phone calls alerting me to the games that will be on that night, and the pleas for game food.  I'm used to the mister rushing in and heading straight upstairs to change into a sweatshirt representing whatever team is playing that night, he actually believes he can influence the outcome of the game by wearing his teams shirt!  When they lose he will yank the shirt off his body, wad it up and throw it into the corner of the room, where it will stay until his tantrum passes.  I'm used to the mister yelling and screaming at the TV when a game is on, jumping up and down until the house shakes, then regurgitating every detail from a missed foul shot but what I am NOT used to and never will be is the mister lying in wait.  Allow me to illustrate...I was in the middle of telling the mister about the girl and SIL and the new house they are buying and I was hood winked by his smile and head nods into thinking he was paying attention, he seemed so interested so I told him every little detail, didn't leave out a sneeze... but one second after I came up for air he blurted out, "Kansas lost".  My head did a quick revolution atop my neck before I realized what he was talking about, the University of Kansas lost a basketball game.  He did not hear a word I said.  The entire time I was talking he was lying in wait for his chance to tell me Kansas lost. Chomping at the bit, he was, because this time of year, during March Madness, a university basketball team that he has NO personal relationship with, is far more important than anything I could possibly tell him about his children!  It drives me crazy when he does that!  I get it though, I really do, I've had somewhat of an epiphany about the mister and March Madness...he loves college basketball, LOVES IT, and for the next two weeks he will be so distracted by games, scores, brackets, players, injuries, coaches, the number one seed and the odds of who will win that he will be blissfully unaware of anything I do or say...as long as I keep the game food going, I will have complete autonomy, think of the possibilities!! 

 

 

 

 

Cherry Bread is just one of the many treats I will ply the mister with while he gets ready for the tourney, the big dance, the final four...I would wager that most of the world doesn't know what those basketball terms mean, but Cherry Bread, now that's something people understand! This is a quick bread recipe, there is no yeast so no rising time, just mix and bake. 

Beautiful no?  Your kitchen will smell Heavenly and you'll want to cut a nice thick slice fresh from the oven, you'll be hard pressed to wait but wait you must because this bread is made SO much better with the cherry glaze on top.  The glaze is made with reserved juice from the maraschino cherries, so it's a very pretty shade of pink and has just a hint of almond extract, making it the perfect topping for this delicious bread!  

 

Cherry Bread - Adapted From Taste of Lizzy T

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 jars (10 oz. each) maraschino cherries, reserve the juice

To make the Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/3 cup reserved maraschino cherry juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, egg, vanilla and almond extracts.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.  Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving the juice for the glaze.  Coarsely chop the cherries in a food processor or with a knife.  Gently fold the cherries into the batter.  Pour the batter into a greased 9"x5" bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.  All the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze:  In a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, cherry juice and almond extract.  Whisk until smooth.  Once the bread is cooled, spread the glaze on top of bread.  Slice and enjoy.  This bread freezes well but if you are going to freeze, do not add the glaze, allow bread to cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.  When ready to serve, allow to come to room temperature then make glaze and top the bread.  Makes 1 loaf of bread.

 

 

Beet Rosti...

Rosti is a common Swiss dish, usually served at breakfast and it is very much like our American hash browns.  Beet Rosti and has same texture as hash browns, same fried goodness, just made with grated beets and not potatoes.  Yes, it's January and I said Fried.  I'm not on the Diet Train yet...I'm still making and enjoying all the recipes I didn't get a chance to make during the holidays!  I should be through with my holiday baking sometime in March so I'll start my annual New Year's diet then, or April or May.  We'll just have to see how it goes!   

 

 

 

 

 

After eating a slice of Beet Rosti, and enjoying every forkful, I went about my business, cleaning up, waiting on the mister, you know, my usual nightly routine.  Later that evening as I was getting ready for bed, donning my peignoir (are you old enough to even know what that is?!  Allow me...a peignoir, pronounced pen-wah, is like a robe, it's usually made of sheer fabric, like chiffon...my peignoir is made of flannel...sigh...) I went into the bathroom to finish my nightly ritual and without going into too many details...I walked out of the bathroom and told the mister something serious was wrong with me.  He pointed to the TV, looked exasperated that I would talk DURING his show but replied, "And you couldn't have had this happen last week before the end of the year?!?!"  You know, it's all about deductibles!  I told him I had blood in my urine - a lot of blood.  He asked me what that meant - well duh, obviously I was dying of kidney cancer!  How could it mean anything else?!?!?  Everyone knows red urine is cause for alarm!!!  The mister, so supportive and concerned said, "Great, right outta the gate you're running up the operating ratio!"  I ignored his tender words and said kiss my arse you freak.  I picked up the iPad and typed what does blood in the urine mean?  Blood in the urine is always a symptom of something serious...get to the doctor...update the will, plan the funeral, buy the plot or the vase, yes go with cremation because who visits graves any more, especially in winter...UNLESS ONE HAS EATEN BEETS!!  And just like that I went from dying of kidney cancer to perfect health! 

 

 

When beets are boiled in water, as they usually are when they are cooked, the water turns dark red as the beets lose some color.  When beets are grated and fried, not cooked in water, they retain all of their color which is why after eating them, you might think you're dying of kidney cancer...think of this as a Public Service Announcement - I just wanted you to be aware it's a possibility!  But please don't let this stop you from making this dish!!!  It's perfect for breakfast - shred some potatoes in with the beets - then call it Beet Hash Browns!  It's perfect for lunch with a mix of fresh greens on top - Beet Rosti Salad!  It's perfect with dinner served with a dollop of sour cream and a bowl of soup or salad...it's versatile, so easy to make, looks impressive and it is a very pretty color! 

 

 

 

 

 

It looks like a big pancake, no?  And really, that's what it is, a beet pancake - crunchy and caramelized on the outside, tender and sweet on the inside - just dang delicious.  IF there is any left the next day, it is mighty good eaten cold, straight from the fridge!  With just a hint of rosemary, salt, pepper and a little flour, plain ol' sugar beets become a really wonderful treat.  You can also use different colored beets...orange or yellow beets, heck, mix them altogether!  Think of all the different colors you can make your urine!

Beet Rosti - Adapted from The New York Times Recipe of the Day by Mark Bittman

 2 lbs. beets (3 very large or 4 to 6 medium)

2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons butter

fresh rosemary for garnish (optional)

Sour cream for serving, (optional)

Trim beets, and peel them as you would potatoes; grate them in a food processor or by hand.  Begin preheating a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.  

Toss grated beets in bowl with rosemary, salt and pepper.  Add about half the flour; toss well, add rest of flour, and toss again. 

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet, heat until it begins to turn nut-brown.  Scrape beet mixture into skillet and press with a spatula to form a round.  Over medium to medium-high heat, the pancake should sizzle.  Keep heat moderate so it doesn't cook too quickly and burn the sugary outside, leaving the inside raw.  Shake the pan occasionally and continue to cook until the bottom of pancake is nicely crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Slide pancake onto a plate, top with another plate and invert the two plates.  Add remaining tablespoon of butter to skillet, then return pancake to skillet.  Keep cooking, adjusting heat if necessary, until other side is browned and crisp, another 10 minutes or so.  Remove from skillet, garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary.  Cut into wedges, serve hot or at room temperature.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.  Serves 4 to 6.

 

 For Valentine's Day, how about making heart shaped Beet Rosti?  Either one big heart or use a cookie cutter to make smaller hearts - IF Cupid hits you with an arrow and you feel so compelled!

Caramel Apple Rosettes...

Need an easy and impressive dessert this holiday season?  Then this will be it!  Easy to make, super impressive, as in your guests will want to take pictures of these before taking a bite and will only eat if you insist because they are so pretty!  And they are good and tasty!  What more could you want...someone to make them for you?  Your kids would love making these, so gather up your slaves sweet children, and have them roll you some rosettes, they will love it!

 

 

 

You will need Puff Pastry (found in the freezer section of your grocery store).  One package of pastry has two sheets inside; each sheet is already divided into thirds but you will stretch them into fourths.  You will get 8 apple rosettes from one package of pastry.  Whew!  That's a lot of math for me!  As you know, I'm left brain deficient, definitely from lack of use, but as I have proven every day of my life, all you need is a working right brain and a sincere apology on your lips!

 

I have made these several times in the last few months - once with homemade caramel sauce, when I had time to make it.  The other times I used a good caramel sauce I purchased at the store...it worked great and is a huge time saver!  Feel free to use a different flavor of preserves or maybe even cream cheese instead of preserves - whatever jingles your ornaments!  In the pictures you can see I used cream cheese, spread thinly on the pastry then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon...delish!

 

 

 

Caramel Apple Rosettes - Adapted From Cooking With Manuela

1 package Puff Pastry, thawed according to package directions

4 large apples, any kind, I used Gala

juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon flour, to sprinkle on counter to prevent pastry from sticking

1/2 cup of apricot preserves or apple jelly  (if you can find apple jelly, use it, if not, apricot is delicious)  OR  if you want to use cream cheese, you will need one 8 oz. package, softened

Cinnamon for sprinkling

Sugar for sprinkling

Caramel sauce for topping

powdered sugar for decorating       

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Using a muffin tin with 12 holes, spray 8 of the holes with cooking spray and fill the remaining 4 half way up with hot water, set aside.  (Filling the empty holes with water will act as a "bath" for the apples and help steam them as they bake so they are nice and soft.) Fill a large bowl with warm water and add the lemon juice.  Cut the apples in half, remove core and then cut the apples into thin slices, as thin as you can get them.  (Leave the peel on.)  Place the sliced apples into the lemon water, which will keep them from turning brown.  Microwave the apples in the lemon water for about 3 to 5 minutes, just to make them softer and easy to bend/roll.  When you remove from microwave, test an apple slice, it should be able to bend slightly without breaking, if not, nuke it a few more seconds!

Unwrap the puff pastry over a clean and lightly floured counter (or if you have a pastry cloth, use that).  Roll one sheet of dough slightly with a rolling pin, then cut into 4 equal strips.  Place preserves/jelly in a small bowl and microwave until warm and easier to spread.  Spread one tablespoon of preserves/jelly/cream cheese onto each strip of dough.  (Use both pieces of pastry so you will have 8 strips.)

Drain the apples.  Arrange apple slices on the dough, overlapping each slice and only covering half of the strip of dough (the other side gets folded up and over.)  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar to taste.  Fold up the bottom part of the dough and starting at one end, carefully roll the dough, keeping the apple slices in place, with the apples sticking slightly beyond the dough. Place into a prepared regular muffin tin.  Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. Carefully place muffin tin with the rosettes and hot water into oven and bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the pastry is done all the way through and lightly browned.  (Check after 30 minutes to make sure the rosettes are not getting too brown on top, if they are, cover loosely with aluminum foil.)  Remove to cooling rack to cool to room temperature.  Drizzle with caramel sauce to taste then sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Makes 8 Apple Rosettes.