Category Archives: Breakfast

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

January 9, 2012

This is the basic pancake recipe I’ve been waiting for. Nothing fancy or unusual about this breakfast specialty. Easy to whip up on a whim and reliably satisfying. We’ve had pancakes for breakfast and/or lunch or dinner several times over the last few weeks. Pregnant and picky, I eat whatever sounds good to me (and that I can get down without regretting) and lately, this has been it! Luckily, my husband loved them too and hasn’t complained about the pancake overdose- yet. This makes a big batch (if you’re only serving 2 1/2), but the best part is they can be frozen and reheated to enjoy later. Pop ’em in the microwave to defrost followed by a minute in the toaster and you’ve got breakfast on the go! They’re perfect served with butter and syrup. Or opt for Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey, and out-of-season strawberries, like me.

On a non-food note, I was lucky and thrilled to get a Canon Rebel camera for Christmas. I’ve yet to use it out of automatic mode though. (And this is the first picture it has taken to grace this blog.) I’m a DSLR novice and currently know nothing about manual settings. I’m amazed that’s I’ve gotten by the last three years using a point and shoot and figure it’s about time I learned how to be a “real” photographer. But just a warning that my photos will probably get worse before they get better. I’m fully expecting to suck at first. We’ve signed up for a photography workshop and have some expert friends who have offered to show us the ropes. I’d be happy for any recommendations on photography books, websites, or classes (preferably in the Richmond vicinity) that could help a girl out…

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat flour)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat griddle over medium heat (we set our electric griddle at 350 F).

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, butter, and egg together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently whisk until just incorporated with a few lumps remaining (don’t overmix, the batter will be fairly thick).

3. Brush the preheated griddle with butter. Pour batter in 1/4-cup portions onto the griddle and cook until golden brown and bubbling. Flip and cook until golden on the other side. Serve warm.

Makes 12-15 pancakes.

(Adapted from One She Two She)

French Toast with Mixed Berry Compote

September 6, 2011

Most of you can probably whip up a batch of french toast without consulting a recipe. An egg or two, a splash of milk. Maybe a dash of cinnamon. That’s how I used to do it. (I had a phase of undergrad where I made myself french toast every single morning. It’s a wonder I didn’t gain twenty pounds.) You can find numerous opinions on how to prepare the perfect french toast batter. Heated debates on the proper egg to milk ratio. I did a little research and settled on this concoction- now my classic french toast recipe. I used hearty whole grain bread, but any thick-sliced loaf would work (brioche, cinnamon-raisin, etc.) And the spices and vanilla, while not essential, add a rich aroma and burst of flavor.

And then there’s the berry compote. (I can’t let summer slip away without making a few more berry recipes.) Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries simmered in butter, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Just until soft and warm and juicy. Ladle it over hot-off-the-griddle french toast topped with a knob of butter and dusted with powdered sugar.

French Toast with Mixed Berry Compote

INGREDIENTS

French Toast:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch salt
4-6 thick slices whole grain French/Italian bread
butter, for brushing the griddle and for serving
powdered sugar, for serving (optional)

Mixed Berry Compote:
3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the french toast, in a shallow dish whisk to combine the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Season with a pinch of salt.

2. Preheat griddle to medium-high heat. Brush with butter. Dunk each slice of bread in the egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place on the hot griddle and cook on both sides until golden. Serve warm with butter, powdered sugar, and mixed berry compote.

3. To prepare the mixed berry compote, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the berries and toss gently. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the berries are warm and begin to release their juices. Serve immediately.

French toast serves 2, Compote makes about 3 cups.

(French Toast adapted from All Recipes, Mixed Berry Compote adapted from Gourmet)

Huevos Rancheros

August 31, 2011

Another breakfast turned dinner. It’s kinda my thing right now. Breakfast all day long. This dish is quick, flavorful, satisfying- exactly what I want to have up my sleeve for a rushed weeknight or a lazy weekend morning. And you know how I feel about anything served in a tortilla with salsa and cheese. If it happens to have a fried egg cooked right on top all the better. I almost felt silly writing out this recipe. It’s painfully simple to make (albeit possibly messy) and although I suggested a few choice toppings, you can add whatever you want to your huevos. (I’m considering avocado next go-around.) I found Smitten Kitchen’s detailed photos of the process helpful when it came to flipping the tortilla and egg. The hardest part is keeping your yolk in the skillet and off the wall.

Huevos Rancheros

INGREDIENTS

corn tortillas
sharp cheddar, shredded
eggs

black beans (or refried beans)
salsa fresca
cilantro, chopped
sour cream
hot sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease it with cooking spray. Add a corn tortilla and cook until lightly browned on one side. Flip and sprinkle with cheese. Once the cheese has begun to melt, crack an egg over the center of the tortilla. Season the egg with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites have begun to set before carefully flipping the tortilla. Cook until the yolk is still runny or set (however you like your eggs). Remove from the heat and repeat. Serve toped with black beans, salsa fresca, cilantro, sour cream, and hot sauce (optional).

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Summer Veggie Omelette

August 25, 2011

Can you believe I’ve never made an omelette/omelet (same thing- spell it however you want) until now? I have no idea why not! It just never crossed my mind. It might have something to do with not being much of a breakfast person. But that’s changing. And I admit that my first attempt at an omelette was intimidating. I was completely flustered by the process. A good omelette (as I learned after reading bunches of recipes) is soft and fluffy and neatly folded. That’s a lot to live up to. And then there’s the decision of what to stuff it with. Oh the possibilites…

For the filling I sauteed a few summer vegetables, garlic, and onion, and topped it with a little lot of cheese. Easy. To the omelette itself I incorporated fresh chives, although any fresh herb would work. I followed a basic recipe that produced a near-perfect omelet (based on the above description) on three separate attempts. (With only minimal sweating involved.) This will be my go-to recipe from here on out. And if I can do it, so can you.

Summer Veggie Omelette

INGREDIENTS

Omelette:
2-3 large eggs (I used 2)
1 Tbsp. water
fresh herbs, chopped (chives, basil, etc.)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
butter, to grease the pan

Filling:
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
onion, thinly sliced
garlic, minced
bell pepper, diced
fresh corn, kernels sliced off
zucchini, diced
tomato, seeded and diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, Gouda, etc.)

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the filling, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and saute until tender. Stir in the corn and zucchini and continue to cook until tender-crisp. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. To prepare the omelette, crack the eggs into a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. water, a generous pinch of salta and pepper, and any fresh herbs. Gently whisk with a fork to combine.

3. Heat a 6-8 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is HOT, add the butter, making sure it coats the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to spread the egg mixture evenly. Once the eggs firm up a little, use a spatula to gently direct the eggs away from the sides and into the middle. Tilt the pan to allow the remaining liquid to flow into the space left at the sides of the pan.

4. Continue to cook for another minute or so until the eggs begin to set. While the middle is still a little runny, add the filling (about 1/3 cup per omelette) near the center and sprinkle with cheese. Use a spatula to fold the sides of the omelette over the middle (or simply fold it in half like I did). Let it continue cooking until the cheese has melted, then slide the omelette off the pan and onto a plate. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Makes 1 omelette.

(Adapted from Epicurious)

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

August 11, 2011

I’m bringing breakfast back. It is definitely the most neglected meal around here and I’m promising to change my ways. Even if we don’t eat it at the traditional time of day. You see I am a morning person. The kind that wakes up with the sun, obnoxiously bright-eyed and energetic wayyy too early (no matter how late I was up the night before). For me there is no such thing as sleeping in. So you’d think breakfast would be right up my ally. But I’m not a big meal in the a.m. kinda girl. (Which has a lot to do with some pesky stomach issues that I try not to mention too often. They’re not pretty.) So most mornings I eat whole wheat toast or yogurt or a banana. Stomach settling foods. And save the cooking for later in the day.

But breakfast for dinner I can do. And lately that’s exactly what has happened. It started with this quiche last week. And then when Sunday rolled around and I couldn’t decide what to make for dinner, I turned to pancakes (and chicken sausage and scrambled eggs). And oh my gosh it hit the spot. These blueberry cornmeal pancakes reignited my interest in breakfast foods. This recipe originally came from Martha Stewart and I simply incorporated whole wheat flour and reduced the sugar. The cornmeal gives these pancakes extra oomph- great texture and flavor. I made a full batch and froze the leftovers for snacking. They were wonderful reheated in the microwave and/or toasted the next day.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted + extra for the griddle and serving
1 large egg
2 cups (1 pint) fresh blueberries

pure maple syrup, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk, butter, and egg. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (batter will be lumpy).

2. Preheat oven to 200 F. Heat a large griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush the griddle with melted butter and spoon the batter onto the griddle, 1/3 cup at a time. Sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp. blueberries per pancake. Cook until edges are set and bubbles form in the center, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 minutes on the other side, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries. Keep prepared pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Serve with butter, pure maple syrup, and more blueberries.

Serves 3-4.

(Adapted from Martha Stewart via The Little Red House)