Peanut Butter and Julie

Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash

When I moved to Durham, North Carolina for graduate school, it didn't take me long to find Foster's Market, my personal Central Perk, Peach Pit, or Cheers (depending on which T.V. show you are familiar with.)  Most people who have lived in Durham know about Foster's, a combination bakery, cafe, and country gourmet grocery.  Started by Sara Foster, a cookbook author, former caterer for Martha Stewart, and southern-style comfort food queen, Foster's was wildly popular with college students, families, and, well, pretty much everyone. 

Some customers would drop in to Foster's occasionally, whenever they happened to be in the area, while others would visit a few times each week, making sure that they were in the area.  Then there was me.  Boy, thinking back, I sure wish that they had started some sort of customer loyalty club before my first visit.  I would have owned the place by graduation.  Four or sometimes five days per week, I would find myself pulling into the unpaved Foster's parking lot, praying that one of the coveted parking spots was available.  If I was there in the morning during a week day, when I had a habit of scheduling the earliest class available (this always seems like a good idea at the time), then I would order the homemade organic granola parfait and a latte, and I was out the door.  For lunch, I was addicted to the Thai Chicken Wrap.  In fact, I was so crazy about this sandwich that I got up the nerve to ask Sara for the recipe before I graduated (I got it too!)

There's nothing like a deliciously leisurely breakfast during the weekend, and Foster's served up several southern-inspired morning entrees every Saturday and Sunday.  If you arrived early enough, you could settle into one of the eclectic mismatched tables inside or eat at one of the painted picnic tables outside.  Sara would take typically heavy southern favorites and give them a lighter, fresher twist with lots of fruit and vegetables.  Her Sweet Potato Hash was my favorite, using diced turkey instead of corned beef or pork, and bright orange sweet potatoes in place of hum-drum regular potatoes.  Fortunately, Sara's first cookbook, appropriately named The Foster's Market Cookbook, contains the recipe for this skillet-cooked breakfast.  This is a slight variation of the printed version, but I kept all of the best parts!  Here are my extra tips for this marvelous morning meal:

• Instead of using chicken, try using smoked turkey, smoked trout, smoked salmon, or andouille sausage.
• Substitute red new potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or any other potatoes for the sweet potatoes.  You can also use a mixture of potatoes, if desired.
• Italian sweet peppers, banana peppers, jalapenos, and chipotles can be used in addition to the bell peppers to add extra heat to this recipe.  I like to serve it with a few shots of Tabasco Chipotle pepper sauce.
• Try mixing other vegetables or herbs into the hash.  Fresh spinach or arugula, diced Roma tomatoes, or chopped fresh thyme would all make nice additions. 

Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1 pound roasted boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

Salt and pepper

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon minced scallions

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley

Place the diced potatoes in a saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1-inch.  Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the potatoes are just barely tender.  Drain and set aside.

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown, 4-5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are crispy, 6-7 minutes.  Add the remaining olive oil and the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper, add the cayenne, and cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Make four 3-inch holes in the hash and break an egg into each hole.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to the desired degree of doneness.  Sprinkle with the scallions, and parsley.  Use a spatula to divide the portions and serve immediately.

Maple-Glazed Pecan Scones

Eric and I are very fortunate to have an unlimited supply of pure Vermont maple syrup at our disposal.  I'm referring to the really rich, deeply flavored, amber syrup, which is perfect for baking, and which they sell at Whole Foods for the price of a small diamond.  Eric's parents live in Vermont, the maple syrup capital of the world, where his dad actually makes his own syrup as a "hobby," generously sending it in large, sweet quantities to us in Las Vegas.

Let me explain the quotation marks around the word hobby.  To me, a hobby should be fun and low-stress.  Now, Eric explained the maple syrup-making process to me a few years ago.  Somewhere between freezing your you-know-what off in the middle of the night while tapping trees, and sweating in a tank top and shorts in the sugar house as the syrup boils, I realized that we clearly have different definitions of the word "fun."  But hey--I sure am glad that he and his dad enjoy it, because I can make my favorite Maple Mustard Dressing whenever I please!   To each his own, right?

Last year, we had a little hiccup in our maple syrup supply.  Somewhere between the post office in Pittsford, Vermont and our front porch in Las Vegas, 12 quarts of maple syrup mysteriously went missing.  We were able to track it back to the UPS site in Atlanta, and I filled out some sort of (bogus) claim form, but to this day I am convinced that the UPS workers in Georgia had one heck of a pancake breakfast that following weekend, because we never saw that syrup again. 

That's when I discovered maple extract.  For certain baking recipes, in order for the maple flavor to really come through, you would need to add a large and expensive amount of maple syrup.  Maple extract, on the other hand, provides a rich maple taste in a teaspoon-sized portion.  I usually like to use a combination of maple syrup and maple extract, but while the UPS guys were drowning their waffles in my syrup, I used only the extract, which works deliciously in this recipe.  By omitting the syrup, these scones are not overly sweet, but they still have a nice maple flavor.  The glaze is finger-licking decadent, and the pecans add a nice, toasty crunch.  Here are some extra tips for these scrumptiously sweet scones:

• Sprinkle a few lightly toasted pecan pieces on top of the glazed scones for some additional garnish.
• For a simpler version of the glaze in this recipe, whisk together 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar with 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (no Aunt Jemima here!) and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• The scone dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, or it can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.  Shape the dough into the 8-inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze.  Defrost the dough at room temperature and proceed with the remainder of the recipe.
• Be sure not to overmix the dough in the food processer or in the bowl when you add the wet ingredients.  The pieces of butter will help to form flaky layers at they are heated during the baking process. 
• Instead of cutting the dough into 8 triangles, you can cut out round scones or any other shape.  Miniature scones are a great thing so serve with afternoon tea or coffee--just adjust the baking time accordingly. 

Maple-Glazed Pecan Scones

Makes 8 generous scones

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup light brown sugar, packed, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes, divided

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted

2/3 cup buttermilk, plus 2 tablespoons

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons maple extract, divided

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon molasses

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.  In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  Pulse the mixture to blend.  Add 6 tablespoons of the butter and pulse a few times until the butter is reduced to pea-sized pieces. 

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mix in the pecans.  In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the egg yolks and 1 1/4 teaspoons maple extract.  Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and toss with a fork until the dough comes together in moist clumps.  Add up to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk if necessary. 

Gather the dough into a ball and then press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into an 8-inch round.  Cut the round into 8 wedges.  Arrange the wedges, spaced 1-inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for about 16 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of a scone emerges clean.

Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon extract, and cream in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Whisk in the powdered sugar and molasses.  Spread the glaze over the warm scones and let stand until the glaze sets, about 20 minutes. 

Cream-Filled Cappuccino Doughnuts

I need to apologize to Giada.  Apparently, I was so wrapped up in all of the festivities and goings-on that typically occur during the week following my birthday (in my dreams, that is), that I failed to wish my fellow Leo, Ms. DeLaurentiis a very happy 38th yesterday.  While perusing one of my favorite web sites, Food Network Addict (which, as you might have guessed, humorously and candidly covers all things Food TV), I learned of Giada's big day.  It was hard to miss actually, what with the huge photo of the Everyday Italian host splashed across the screen.  Clearly, the Food Network Addict himself is a big fan.

Giada takes quite a bit of heat for some of her mannerisms, which just goes with the territory of being a T.V. star, I suppose.  For example,  in the middle of a sentence, she'll switch to an Italian accent to emphasize the relevance of using "par-mee-zhano rezh-ee-ano" in one of her recipes.  I sometimes feel like I am getting a two-for-one when I watch her show, part instructional cooking, part Italian 101.  The fact that she's pretty and petite unfortunately makes her a target for criticism too:  "Wait a minute.  She's good looking, slender, has her own T.V. show, AND she eats Italian food all day?  Well!  I just hate her!" 

Say what you will about Giada, but I'll be the first to defend her.  I've tried many of her recipes, and the girl definitely knows what she is doing in the Italian cuisine department.  Ideas from her show have inspired me multiple times to create new recipes through her use of ingredients and her simple yet attractive combinations.  Plus, while her food is Italian, I don't find it to be heavy, rich, or unhealthy (unlike the butter, cheese, and cream-drenched recipes of a certain southern lady, whom shall remain nameless).  So, give the gal a break, at least during her birthday week.

I was planning to make jelly-filled dougnuts for today's post, but in honor of Ms. Giada's Italian heritage and her many, many desserts that include espresso, I decided to fill the pastries with a cappuccino-inspired cream and top them with a cocoa-cinnamon-sugar coating.  It's like having your coffee and doughnuts together--another two-for-one!  Start these doughnuts the evening before you plan to serve them, as they need to rest in the refrigerator overnight.  For those of you who have not previously made doughnuts, this version is easy to follow with five-star results, so this is a good place to start. Here are some extra tips for these Italian-inspired pastries:

• To make these doughnuts a little bit more kid-friendly, you can fill them with raspberry jam, chocolate pastry cream, sweetened whipped cream, or vanilla custard.
• These doughnuts can also be prepared without the filling.  Cut a 1-inch circle out of the center of the 3-inch rounds of dough and then fry both the doughnuts and the doughnut holes.  Roll them in the sugar coating after draining on paper towels.
• Be sure to keep an eye on the temperature of the oil when you are frying.  If the oil is too hot, then the doughnuts will be undercooked on the insides and overdone on the outsides.  Oil that is not hot enough with result in heavy, greasy doughnuts.
• Doughnuts can be prepared and filled up to 4 hours in advance.  Store at room temperature, covered.  The filling can be prepared and refrigerated up to one day in advance.

Cream-Filled Cappuccino Doughnuts

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

For the topping

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the filling

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons espresso powder

2 cups whole milk

5 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the doughnuts

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm whole milk (about 110 degrees)

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

2 eggs

Canola oil for frying

Prepare the topping:  Blend the sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, and espresso powder.  Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth.  Whisk in the yolks and the salt.  Add the butter and cook over medium-high heat until the pastry cream thickens and boils, whisking constantly.  Whisk in the vanilla and then transfer the mixture to a small bowl.  Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling and chill until cold, about 4 hours.

Prepare the doughnuts:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar.  Pour the warm milk over and stir to blend.  Let the mixture stand until the yeast dissolves and the mixture bubbles, about 8 minutes.  Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cinnamon, espresso powder, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl to blend.  Whisk the butter and eggs together in another medium bowl.  Butter a large bowl.

Beat the butter-egg mixture into the yeast mixture on medium-low speed until well blended, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes.  Beat in the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, and then beat the dough until it is smooth and and beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.  Scrape the dough from the hook into the bowl and let rest for 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to the buttered bowl (dough will be sticky), and turn the dough to coat with the butter.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Sprinkle 2 baking sheets lightly with flour.  Gently press the dough to deflate.  Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/3-inch thickness.  Using a 2 1/2-3 inch diameter round cutter, cut out dough rounds.  Transfer the rounds to floured sheets, spacing 2-inches apart.  Gather the dough scraps, roll out, and cut more rounds, repeating until all of the dough is used up.  Cover the dough rounds with towels and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Line 2 baking sheets with several layers of paper towels.  Pour oil into a deep skillet to 1 1/2-inch depth.  Heat oil to between 360-370F degrees, testing with a deep fry thermometer.  Fry 3 doughnuts at a time until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Using slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to paper towels to drain.  Dip both sides of warm doughnuts into topping and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip.  Push the blade of a small sharp knife into the side of 1 doughnut about 3/4 of the way to the opposite side; remove knife.  Insert the pastry bag tip into the slit and press in the filling until the center of the doughnut bulges.  Return the doughnut to the rack and repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

Mixed Fruit and Nut Granola

I have slowly been going through our house, room by room, in an effort to tidy things up and discard items that we no longer need.  Everything has just felt a bit cluttered lately, which translates to more things for the seemingly infinite supply of dog hairs to land upon.  I've gotten through the upstairs closets, including the one containing games, photos, and those certain "interesting" gifts, as well as my personal closet, where I finally mustered up the common sense to discard those pieces that have just been collecting dust for 10 years.  This week, it was time to conquer the kitchen.

Most of the appliances, tools, and gadgets inside my kitchen drawers and cabinets are ones that I use, if only on occasion.  No, I haven't actually tried my pasta maker yet, but I have certainly admired it many times and envisioned myself making pasta.  I'm just waiting for that perfect recipe to come along......  As far as downsizing the kitchen, most of the attention needed to be focused on the pantry.   

When we first bought the house, I thought it was great that our pantry had such nice, deep shelves.  Now I realize that there is just more room for items to get lost, never to be heard from again, as fresher, newer items are placed in front of it.  I knew that it was time to clean the pantry when I was placing a new bottle of olive oil on the top shelf, praying that it wouldn't be the 16 ounces that causes the shelf to collapse.  So, not wanting to waste anything, I decided to consolidate and use up as much as I could before buying bright and shiny replacements.

Because it is so versatile, granola is the perfect recipe to make if you are wanting to use up small amounts of many different ingredients.  With this recipe, I was able to go through 4 types of nuts, 3 types of dried fruits, and some brown sugar that was in danger of turning to cement.  Feel free to mix up the amounts and varieties, depending on what you have in supply.  No matter what combination that you select, this granola bakes up crisp, toasty, and crunchy, and it is great with milk, yogurt, or on its own as a snack.  This is definitely a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!  Here are a few extra tips for making this crunchy, nutty, good-for-you granola:

• This granola can be stored in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.  You can recrisp the granola by heating at 275F degrees for 10-15 minutes.
• The maple syrup in this recipe can be replaced by honey.
• For the dried fruits, I like to use a combination of cranberries, golden raisins, cherries, and chopped apricots.  Chopped figs, apple slices, pineapple, and blueberries would also work nicely.
• I really like granola that clumps or forms clusters.  In order to achieve this, as soon as the granola is removed from the oven, press it down all over with the back of a flat spatula and let it cool this way.  It should break up in clusters when completely cooled as a result.

Mixed Fruit and Nut Granola

Makes about 12 cups

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 cups mixed dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 275F degrees.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt, and bring to a simmer, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

In a very large bowl, toss together the oats, coconut, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and almonds.  Add the warm brown sugar mixture and stir to coat thoroughly.  Spread the granola onto the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

While the granola bakes, pour the orange juice over the fruit in a medium bowl and let stand until plumped, about 1 hour.

Drain the dried fruit, pressing to extract the liquid, and discard the liquid.  Stir the fruit into the granola and bake for 5 minutes.  Let cool completely.  The granola will crisp as it cools.

Blueberry-Filled "Ebelskiver" (Danish Pancakes)

Ebel-what???  I hadn't ever heard of these melt-in-your-mouth, bite-sized, filled pancakes either, until my mom presented me with an Ebelskiver pan for Christmas last year.  Just when I think that I have every known kitchen gadget, tool, and appliance, my mom always comes through with something new and different for me to add to my collection.  The challenge lies in finding a place to put it all--it's getting a bit snug in my cabinets. 

When I first opened the heavyweight, cast-iron pan with seven rounded holes, I thought that it was for cooking eggs, likely due to its similarity in appearance to an Eggs Benedict pan.  Fortunately, something prompted me to read the instructions, which I'll admit I don't always do, so I saved myself from having to clean up a bunch of overflowing egg whites.  In order to produce these rounded, Munchkin-sized pancakes, you simply drop a small amount of pancake batter into each buttered hole, top it with your filling of choice and some more batter, and, once it has browned, flip the whole thing over so that it cooks through.  With their fun shape and small size, Ebelskivers would be a great recipe to make with kids or to serve at a child's party.

It seemed only appropriate that, since my mom was visiting for Mother's Day, I make a batch of these for her special breakfast.  Although they were very good, next time around, I will likely make them a bit sweeter by adding some honey or maple syrup to the batter.  My mom said that they were perfect, but I guess that's because she's already sweet enough.  Here are a few tips for this delightful Danish dish:

• The number of fillings and flavor combinations that you can incorporate into this recipe has no limit.  Fill the pancakes with your favorite flavor of jam or preserves, chocolate chips, diced bananas, or diced apples that have been sauteed in a little bit of butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  You could even try a teaspoon of peanut butter topped with a teaspoon of grape jelly for a "PB&J Pancake" for kids!
• The batter can be altered as well.  Fold in some toasted coconut flakes, your favorite spices, or finely chopped lightly toasted nuts.  Substitute whole wheat or buckwheat flour for a portion of the regular flour.
• You may need to sacrifice one of the pancakes to test for doneness.  Cut it open in order to ensure that the batter has cooked all the way through (then you can sample it!).

Blueberry-Filled "Ebelskiver" (Danish Pancakes)

Makes about 30

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 pint fresh blueberries

Confectioner's sugar

Pure maple syrup

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Add the egg yolks and buttermilk and stir until well combined; the batter will be thick.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high until stiff but not dry peaks form.  Gently fold the whites into the batter using a rubber spatula until combined.

Put 1/2 teaspoon butter in each well of a filled pancake pan.  Place over medium heat until the butter begins to bubble.  Pour 1 tablespoon of the batter into each well and cook until the bottoms begin to brown, 2 minutes.  Place 5 or 6 blueberries in the center of each pancake and top with 1 tablespoon batter.  Using 2 wooden skewers or butter knives, flip the pancakes over and cook until golden and crispy, 2-3 minutes more.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.

Dust the pancakes with confectioner's sugar and serve with warm maple syrup.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Pecan Honey-Butter

All of the finalists in the National Cornbread Cook-off were sent home with a really nice gift basket, chock-full of logo-wear and products from Martha White Cornmeal and Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets.  This was much nicer than the disappointing pat on the back and "Thanks for trying .  Be sure to enter again next year!" send off that you get with some competitions.  In fact, thanks to this adventure, over the past four months I have gone from owning zero cast-iron pieces of cookware to owning five, one of which produces corn muffins in the shape of little cacti (eat your heart out Martha).

One of the things included along with the requisite t-shirt, apron, mug, and key-chain, was a large bag of Martha White cornmeal.  Although I thought that I would go several weeks without the desire to eat anything corn-related, I decided to make pancakes this morning, and adding a little bit of cornmeal to the batter always makes then nice and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  It also provides a slight crunch and nutty taste.  I even prepared them in my skillet before I retired it to the cabinets for a well deserved vacation.

The butter served with the pancakes is a compound butter, or softened butter that has been mixed with flavorings like spices, nuts, or herbs.  I love adding a little orange zest, sun-dried tomatoes, or maple syrup to butters and then spreading it over warm rolls, vegetables, or grilled steak.  The honey-pecan and cinnamon flavors in this butter add a nice touch to these already delicious pancakes.  Here are some tips for these blueberry and pecan packed pancakes:

• If using frozen blueberries, in order to prevent turning the batter blue, try dropping the blueberries onto the pancakes after you pour the batter onto the griddle.  Alternatively, be extra careful when folding the blueberries into the batter.
• For an extra rich flavor, use a high-quality European style butter (such as Plugra) for the Pecan Honey Butter.
• To make this recipe lower in fat and calories, use a low-fat sour cream and low-fat (1% or 2% milk).  Substitute 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg for the 2 whole eggs.
• Add the zest of one lemon to the batter for some bright citrus flavor.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Pecan Honey-Butter

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup canola or safflower oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Pure maple syrup

With an electric mixer, beat the 1/2 cup butter, honey, and cinnamon in a small bowl until fluffy.  Stir in the pecans and season with salt.

Sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Gradually add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients until blended.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.  Brush the griddle with melted butter.  Pour the batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto the griddle.  Cook until the bottoms brown, 3-4 minutes, and then flip the pancakes and cook until the second side browns, about 2 minutes longer.

Serve the pancakes topped with the pecan honey butter and warm maple syrup. 

Cherry-Lemon Cornmeal Scones

I've had all things corn on the brain lately: cornmeal, corn on the cob, caramel corn--I even went out and bought some Sugar Corn Pops, which I don't think I've had since I was about eight.  Oh wait, now they're called Kellogg's Corn Pops, in an effort to hide the fact that they will cause most five-year-olds to bounce off the walls 15 minutes after they eat a bowl.  This recent corn overload is likely a due to the upcoming National Cornbread Cook-Off , to be held next weekend in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, and in which I am competing.  It's as if I believe that, by surrounding myself with as much corn product as possible (come to think of it, I have been wearing lots of yellow lately.....), the corn gods will see that things go my way and I will come home with that coveted cast-iron skillet crown. 

So, when I wanted to bake up a batch of scones today, naturally, I thought that I would try this recipe by Mariah Swan from Food and Wine magazine.  I've always liked the effect that cornmeal has on pancake batter.  It provides a different, slightly grainy texture and makes the outsides bake up nice and crisp, so I figured that it would work well with scones too.  Scones are always nicely enhanced with a little citrus zest, and the tart sour cherries (a bargain at Trader Joe's) add little chewy nuggets of flavor to contrast with the buttery sweetness of the scones.  They turn out crunchy on the outside and flaky on the inside--I think those corn gods would approve.  Here are a few of my extra tips for making these light lemon-scented pastries:

• If you don't have pure maple syrup on hand, then substitute honey.  Do NOT use the imitation syrup!  If you don't have coarse sugar, then use regular sugar.  Coarse sugar just holds its shape better during the baking process and presents better.
• The scone dough can be prepared and then refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, for up to two days.  It can also be pre-made and frozen, wrapped in plastic, for up to one week.  Bring to room temperature prior to serving.
• Instead of dried cherries, try this recipe with dried cranberries or blueberries.  Use orange zest in place of the lemon or use a combination of the two zests.
• In order to bake flaky and light scones, it is important to not overmix the dough.  You should be able to see the little pieces of butter in the dough when you cut out the scones.  These create "pockets" and layers of dough during the baking process.
• Instead of making round scones, you can cut the dough into wedges. 

Cherry-Lemon Cornmeal Scones

Makes about 12 small or 7 large scones

Ingredients:

1 cup dried sour cherries

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Zest of two lemons

6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Coarse sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a heatproof measuring cup, cover the cherries with hot water and let soak for 10 minutes; drain and dry.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest to combine.  Sprinkle the pieces of butter over the mixture and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. 

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the cherries.  Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, and stir with a spatula until just combined.  Do not overmix.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and, with floured hands, pat into a 1/2-inch thick round.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut out rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.  Gather the scraps and continue to cut out rounds until all of the dough had been used.

Brush the tops of the rounds with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.  Transfer the scones to a rack to cool slightly.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Maple, Gruyere, and Bacon Quiche

I vividly remember the very first time that, when I was about nine or ten, my mother let me go out to lunch alone with my good friend Melissa.  We lived in a very safe, small town of about 3,000 people, the kind of town where it was fine for me to walk to my dentist appointment or the library on main street, because I knew all of the neighbors if anything should happen along the way.  As with many small towns, there were only a few dining establishments appropriate for two young ladies who lunch, so we went to the Book Peddler's Cafe, a small, lunch-only bistro that was built as an addition to our town's boutique book shop.  We knew the owner, and, looking back, I'm sure that my mom gave her a call prior to our arrival to let her know that we were coming.

Arriving at the cafe, I recall feeling very grown-up, so it was without question that I should order something grown-up from the menu.  To me, quiche was the ultimate adult food and something that I had never ordered at a restaurant.  It was what my mother served when she hosted her bridge group or a brunch, and, more importantly, it was a fancy French dish. I played it safe and ordered the ham and cheese quiche (I really liked ham and cheese sandwiches in my lunch box, so how different could it be?).  Melissa, feeling equally mature, ordered the chef's salad.  We were the perfect little ladies, chatting about summer camp, and what we were playing in the piano recital, enjoying a delicious grown-up lunch.  Gosh I hope we tipped enough.....

This quiche recipe is a little bit different from many in that it is made in a springform pan as opposed to a traditional fluted tart pan.  The sides are deep, giving the finished product more of a rustic look, and offering a much higher filling to crust ratio.  The maple flavor really comes through and the sweetness balances nicely with the salty bacon and sauteed onion.  The crust is flaky and buttery and comes together in minutes using the food processor.  Make it ahead of time and reheat just prior to serving.  Here are a few tips for this slightly sweet and savory quiche:

• "Pate brisee" is just another term for a standard pastry or pie dough that is made with butter.  The recipe below is very simple and forgiving, so it is a good one to keep on file.  The pastry can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and it can be frozen for up to 1 month.  Thaw overnight in the refrigerator prior to using.
• To lighten up this recipe, use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon.  Instead of reserving the bacon grease, wipe the skillet clean and saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of heart-healthy olive oil.  In place of the 4 eggs, use 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites.  Opt for the half-and-half over the heavy cream and use low-fat cheese in place of the full-fat version.
• The quiche can be served warm or at room temperature.  The cooled quiche can be covered loosely with foil and refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Reheat, covered, in a 300F degree oven for about 45 minutes. 
• Instead of Gruyere, try substituting other cheeses, such as sharp cheddar, fontina, parmigiano-reggiano, or smoked gouda.

Maple, Gruyere, and Bacon Quiche

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

For Pate Brisee

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 pound cold butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup ice water

For Quiche

6 ounces bacon (about 8 strips)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon water

4 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream or half and half

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the crust:  Pulse the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 10 pulses.  With the machine running, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream until the dough just holds together.  Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick.  Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan, then fold the sides of the dough down to create a 2-inch high border.  Prick the bottom several times with a fork and then freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Line the dough with parchment paper and cover the bottom with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake until the edges are just firm, about 20 minutes.  Remove the weights and parchment, return to the oven, and bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes more.  Let cool.

Reduce the oven to 375F degrees.  Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes.  Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly.  Break into 1/2-inch pieces.  Pour off the dripping, reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet.

Add the oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the maple syrup and water and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet, for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, Gruyere, and thyme in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Whisk in the onion mixture.  Pour into the cooked quiche shell and scatter half of the bacon on top.  Bake until the edges of the egg mixture are just set, about 15 minutes.  Scatter the remaining bacon over the top and bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more.  Let cook for at least 30 minutes and serve.   

Toasted Coconut Pancakes

This is the time of year when people start to think about possibly dropping a few of those extra pounds in preparation for swimsuit and sundress weather.  The realization that this might be necessary usually occurs somewhere between that fifth Cadbury Cream Egg and bravely trying on last year's shorts.  After months of indulging in everything from handfuls of Halloween candy corns to flocks of Easter Peeps, suddenly doing a "180" and quitting sweets cold turkey is no easy task.

There are plenty of wonderful low-fat and low calorie recipes out there.  I have made some mouth-watering meals using the recipes from my Cooking Light  subscription.  Seasonings and fresh, high-quality ingredients can work miracles in the absence of sticks of butter and cups of cream.   But among all of these healthy recipes, I have found that very few outstanding ones fall into the "satisfy your sweet tooth" category, so I often try to create some that do.

These pancakes are both light and decadent tasting.  By incorporating a whole can of the light coconut milk in place of the typical whole milk or buttermilk, an almost custard-like texture is created on the inside to complement the crisp exterior.  This also eliminates the need for a large amount of butter or eggs.  The coconut flavor really comes through and, served with some fresh fruit, gives the pancakes a tropical twist!  Here are some tips for these creamy, calorie conscious, and coconutty pancakes:

• I really enjoy the pancakes topped with some macerated fruit and a little bit of pure maple syrup.  Wash and cut the fruit (bananas, strawberries, blueberries, etc.) and then toss it with a few tablespoons of sugar.  Let it sit for ten minutes.  The sugar will cause the fruit to start to soften and release its juices, or macerate.
• If desired, replace half of the flour with whole wheat flour.  This will give the pancakes a heartier, granier texture.
• Be sure not to overmix the batter so that the pancakes are light and fluffy.  Overmixing can work the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in a tough texture.
• For easy and even portioning, I like to use an ice cream scoop to drop the pancake batter onto the skillet or grill pan. 

Toasted Coconut Pancakes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons toasted flaked sweetened coconut

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 egg

Sliced fruit and pure maple syrup (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250F degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, coconut, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Combine the coconut milk, butter, and the egg in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Add the coconut milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium and brush with melted butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour about 1/4 cup of the pancake batter per pancake onto the skillet.  Cook until the tops are covered with small bubbles and the edges begin to look cooked.  Turn the pancakes over and cook until the bottoms are browned.

Transfer the pancakes to an oven proof pan and keep warm in the oven while you make more pancakes with the remaining batter.

Serve the pancakes with sliced fruit and/or warm maple syrup.

Mixed Berry Coffee Cake with Almond Streusel

I grew up on the east coast, in central New Jersey, but I have lived in Las Vegas for several years now.  There are many tri-state area transplants out here--actually, there are quite a few people from everywhere  in Las Vegas because so few people are actually from Las Vegas.   When a group of east coasters gets together, it is inevitable that the topic of conversation at some point turns to "foods that we loved back east but can't seem to find out west."  Some of the foods are here, but they are being disguised by different brand names.  For example, what is Edy's ice cream back east is called Dreyer's out west, same packaging, same product.  Other foods, you just can't find her in the desert, such as potato chips by Utz or Rt. 11, or Charles Chips, which were packaged in that very cool large yellow tin that was delivered to your front door by the Charles Chips delivery truck. 

Another brand sold primarily in the northeast is the lunch box favorite, Drakes Cakes.  Drakes, which started by selling pound cake out of a Brooklyn bakery in the late 1800s, is the maker of such treats as Yodels, Ring Dings, Yankee Doodles, and my favorite, the Drakes Coffee Cake.  These small, round, buttery delights came two to a pack, were topped with a crumbly cinnamon-sugar streusel, and were perfect for dunking into your milk.  This coffee cake recipe is like my homemade version of the Drakes coffee cake, but I have made it even better by adding a mixed berry ribbon through the center and incorporating toasty sliced almonds into the streusel.  The result is a moist and attractive treat, which would be perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.  Here are a few tips for baking this "berry" yummy coffee cake:

• The cake is best served the day that it is prepared, but it will keep, tightly covered at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
• Do not replace the fresh raspberries with frozen ones.  Frozen berries will add too much liquid to the filling, which will affect the baking and rising process.
• Feel free to mix and match the type of fresh berries and the flavor of jam that you use for this recipe.  Fresh blueberries, blackberries, or even halved and pitted cherries would work nicely, as would raspberry, strawberry, or blueberry jam. 
• Room temperature eggs will aerate better than cold eggs, and they will help to keep the texture of the cake light.  To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before cracking them.
• As a substitute for the 2 1/2 cups cake flour, use 2 1/4 cups regular all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup cornstarch.

Mixed Berry Coffee Cake with Almond Streusel

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Streusel

1 cup flour

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sliced almonds

8 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Cake

12 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 heaping teaspoon lemon zest

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Berry Filling

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

2/3 cup blackberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Spray a 10 inch tube pan with a removable bottom with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Make the streusel:  Whisk the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and almonds in a medium bowl.  Using your fingers, work the butter into the mixture until coarse crumbs form, about the size of peas.  Sprinkle the mixture with the almond extract and toss to combine.  Set aside.

Make the cake: Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and then add the sour cream and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is thoroughly mixed.

In a small bowl, fold the raspberries into the jam until well incorporated.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife.  Mound the berry mixture in a ring in the center of the batter.  Top with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly with a knife or small offset spatula.  Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top.   Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate, removing the tube portion.