Apple Cider Pancakes

I adapted these from a gluten free recipe, and while they might still need a little tweaking, but I think they're delicious!  This makes enough for about 4 people.  Serve with cinnamon sugar, or if you want to take it over the top, caramel syrup.

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and ground nutmeg. Add eggs, cider, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Lightly oil a flat griddle pan. Heat griddle over medium-high heat. Pour batter, approximately 1/4 cup, onto griddle. Batter should "sizzle" when it hits the pan.

Flip pancakes when bubbles appear all over the surface of the pancake and begin to pop, about two minutes. (The batter should look almost dry). Cook another 1-1 1/2 minutes.

Spread warm pancakes with butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Soy Yogurt

Super easy, super quick alternative to dairy yogurt, and way cheaper than store bought soy yogurt. This one is from Oh, She Glows.

1 cup soymilk
1 T fresh lemon juice
1-2 T agave (or any other sweetener- I used 1 T agave)
1 T cornstarch
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
fresh strawberries, chopped small (optional)
Directions:

1. Mix soymilk + lemon juice together and allow to curdle. The milk bubbles a bit when you add the lemon juice. Embrace your inner mad scientist and cackle ever so evily!

2. After 30 seconds or so, add in the agave and cornstarch. Blend with a hand blender until smooth.

3. Pop into microwave for 60 seconds on high.

4. Stir, stir, stir.

5. Microwave for another 60 seconds. Stir, stir, stir.

6. Add any mix-ins you want (she suggests vanilla extract, lemon zest, fruit, etc). I added fresh chopped strawberries (about 3) and 1/2 t vanilla extract.

7. Microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and then pop into the fridge to chill. Stir before eating.

Easy as that!

Banana Bread pancakes

Banana Bread Pancakes Recipe:
(Recipe from How Sweet It Is)

makes 12 pancakes

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I've used all purpose flour before and it works just fine!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Measure out the milk and add the vanilla extract to it. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add in milk and vanilla, stirring to combine. The mixture will still be dry. Add in mashed bananas and mix. Add in melted butter and stir until batter is somewhat smooth.

Heat a skillet or grilled on medium heat. Using a 1/3 cup measure, spoon batter into rounds and cook until bubbles form on top – about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for a minute or two more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with butter and syrup, or the vanilla maple glaze.

*If you don’t have/can’t find whole wheat pastry flour, use 1 cup of regular whole wheat and 1 cup of all purpose. Or 2 cups of all purpose.

Vanilla Maple Glaze:

1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Pour over pancakes.

Originally from: 

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/banana-bread-pancakes-recipe-with.html?m=1

Best waffles ever

Waffles of Insane Greatness (I triple this for our family.) 

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. sugar
½ cup whole milk
½ cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Whisk together to blend.
In another mixing bowl, beat together the whole milk, buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk just until incorporated and few lumps remain. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat a waffle iron. Fill waffle wells and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cook until crisp and golden. Serve immediately. Yield: depends on the size/shape of your waffle iron. I doubled the recipe and got 4 1/2 Belgian waffles.

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

Yogurt

Yes, that does indeed say yogurt. If you have ever wondered how it is made I am here to answer your question. I have been making it for a while, but it took some practice to get it right.  So, here is my perfected recipe.

8 cups milk (half gallon)

Pour milk into crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours. Turn the crock pot off and leave it in there to cool for 3 hours.  Take about 2 cups of the milk out and stir in

1 cup plain yogurt (store bought)
1/4 c. dry milk

Stir until dissolved.  Pour back into the crock pot and stir it all together.  Then pour all of it into a thermos or cooler.  We have a one gallon cooler that is perfect for this. The idea is that it needs to be insulated so that the cultures from the yogurt can do their work.  Let it sit overnight.

The next morning, you're done!  It will be pretty thin, so if you want to thicken it up a bit you can strain it with cheesecloth and a colander.  Put it in the fridge over a bowl and let it strain for a few hours.  When you eat it, mix in a little honey and whatever else you want.  Fresh fruit, jam, granola even chocolate.  You can also use the plain yogurt as sour cream.  It saves lots of money if you eat yogurt.

Good Luck!

Easy Maple Syrup

This is my go to Maple Syrup recipe.  I make it about once a week. We use maple syrup in our oatmeal so we go through it really fast. This tastes way better than store bought and is so much cheaper.  You'll never go back.

2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. mapeline (you can find it with the spices and extracts)

Combine all three in a pan and stir constantly over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, allow to boil about 30 seconds and remove from heat.  Store in the fridge.

Cinnamon Syrup

This recipe also come from The Sister's Cafe. This is a delicious change from regular old maple syrup.  I love this syrup and so do all of my kids. It doesn't make as much as the maple syrup recipe, but it is worth it.  

1 cup sugar
slightly less than 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup evaporated milk

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cinnamon.  Pour in corn syrup and water, and stir to dissolve.  Boil, stirring constantly 2-3 minutes.  Cool. Stir in evaporated milk and serve.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Blueberry Sauce

We made this to go on waffles this weekend and it was awesome.  It's not super sweet, but it is really full of blueberry flavor.  I imagine that it would be pretty easy to use this recipe with other berries, but I haven't tried it yet. I fully intend to throw raspberries in over the summer, though!

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 
  
• 1/3 cup water
• 
  
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 
  

In a 2-qt. saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in 

water. Add blueberries; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring 

constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or 

cold over French toast, pancakes or waffles.

Green Smoothie (Monster Juice)

I have recently discovered a fun new recipe site. Healthy Kids for Life is based in Utah, and is one mom's journey to keep her kids healthy.  I have been really impressed with the quality of recipes, not to mention the ease. Most of these recipes are based on ingredients that most of us have in the pantry or fridge.  This one is a fun but healthy smoothie.  The main ingredient, spinach, is pretty much flavorless, but it does lend it's color to the smoothie.  It tastes great, but if your kids are like mine they judge food by looks.  And a green smoothie is a little scary.  Which is why, as soon as I called it MONSTER JUICE everyone was happy to give it a try. And they were not disappointed!


3 cups packed baby spinach
2 cups frozen peaches
1 cup frozen mango  (or pineapple, fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup orange juice
1 scoop EAS vanilla protein powder (I've used vanilla instant breakfast in a pinch)
(If you don't have either, add a little vanilla extract to boost the flavor)
1 cup vanilla Light and Fit Dannon yogurt

Mix all ingredients in a blender and serve cold, preferably with straws!

serving size: 16 oz
3 servings
224 calories

Orange Juice French toast

This is another recipe from Healthy Kids for life.  It's a great french toast recipe that you cook in the oven, which definitely make things easier. The orange juice doesn't add a huge amount of flavor, but this is a lot sweeter than your standard french toast. And by using egg whites and whole wheat bread, it will be extra healthy!  This recipe will be enough for about 5 or 6 pieces of bread.  

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 TBL honey
• 3 whole eggs, 3 egg whites.

Whip up egg mixture until frothy.

Soak bread in egg mixture for 5 minutes.

Grease a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan very well!   (I melted butter in the pan).  Then sprinkle half the wheat germ along the bottom of pan.  Lay soaked bread on the prepared a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle the rest of the wheat germ over the top.

Bake in oven at 400 for about 10 minutes, or until eggs are cooked.

Good Day Pear Crisp

This would be a great way to use up pears in the fall.  This is wonderful. My kids, however, did not appreciate it as much as I did.  Hopefully yours will!

1/2 of a ripe Bartlett pear

1 small lemon wedge

1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon rolled oats

1/2 tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Pinch of cinnamon

1 rounded tablespoon cottage cheese or plain whole milk yogurt, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Halve the pear half and core; cut crosswise in slices and place in a 6-ounce custard cup. Squeeze the lemon on top, add the sugar, oats, nuts, butter and then cinnamon and bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden and pears are soft.

3. Let cool for 5 minutes and add a dollop of cottage cheese or yogurt.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

A lot of recipes that I have discovered lately have been tried in an effort to use up the produce from Bountiful Baskets.  It's food co-op,  You pay a weekly fee and every Saturday you pick up a box of produce. The kicker: you never know what will be in it.  Last week I got 5 zucchini. A small problem because no on at my house likes it. Luckily, there are lots of great zucchini recipes out there, where the zucchini disapears!  This was one of them.  Everybody loved it. 

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.

Pecan Stuffed French Toast

This stuff is AMAZING.  We ate it for dinner, but it would be great for a nice weekend or holiday breakfast. You could easily leave the pecans out, but don't skimp on the syrup. Even if there is apricot jam in it!  I found this one on Real Mom Kitchen. (can you tell that is one of my favorite recipe sites?)

Filling: 
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Toast:
14 pieces of Texas toast
4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
butter (about 4 Tbsp)

Syrup:
1 cup Smucker’s Apricot preserves
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix together cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in chopped pecans. Spread on one side of 7 slices of Texas toast a spoonful of the filling mixture. Top with remaining 7 slices of Texas toast. (I did this the night before and put the sandwiches in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator. Then I took the bread out of the fridge while I prepared the syrup and made the egg mixture.)

At this point make your syrup. Combine the syrup ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. The syrup will thicken up while it cools. You want it to cool for about 15 minutes.

Mix your egg, milk, and vanilla together.

Preheat the oven to 400F . Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place in oven to warm up. Melt 1/2 tbsp or so of butter in a frying pan. Take the sandwiches, one by one, and place in the egg and milk mixture, turning so that the mixture covers both sides. Transfer the sandwich to the pan and cook until the first side is lightly brown. Flip over and cook the other side. When both sides are lightly brown, place the sandwich on the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

Serve with the Almond Citrus Syrup or regular syrup.

Maple Syrup

I plan on trying this one out as soon as we have depleted our maple syrup stash. This recipe is from my neighbor's blog, Jomade.  Check it out for lots of great recipes.  



Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp maple extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter

Directions

1.While I am making my pancakes I put the first four ingredients into a sauce pan and tun on the heat to high. Stir to mix all ingredients.
2. When it starts to boil turn heat to med-med low. making sure it does not boil over, (it smells bad on your burner and is a pain to clean up).
3. When my pancakes are done I take off the heat and add the vanilla and butter. (about 10 minutes)
4. Stir and serve warm.

Jo's tip's: Store extra syrup in the fridge. If you let it sit too long in the fridge it will form sugar crystals, but hot water cleans those up nicely.

Homemade Biscuit Mix

10 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. shortening

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and 4 tsp. Salt. With pastry blender, cut shortening in till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Store in covered airtight container up to 6 weeks at room temp.  To use, spoon mix lightly into measuring cup; level off with a straight edge. (For longer storage, place in sealed freezer container, store in freezer up to 6 months. To use, allow mix to come to room temp.)

Biscuits: Place 2 c. Mix in a bowl; make a well in center. Add 1/2 c. milk. Stir with fork till dough follows fork around bowl. On lightly floured surface, knead dough 10 to 12 strokes. Roll or pat to 1/2 in. thickness. Cut dough with floured 2 1/2 in biscuit cutter. Bake on baking sheet at 450 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 10.

Muffins: Combine 3 cups Mix and 3 tbsp sugar. Mix 1 beaten egg and 1 cup milk. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir till moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12.

Pancakes: Place 2 c. mix in a bowl.  Add 2 beaten eggs and 1 c. milk all at once, stirring until slightly lumpy. Pour on greased griddle. Cook until golden brown.

Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

I discovered these little gems over at The Idea Room. These muffins are incredible. They are so moist and the flavor is wonderful. If you want a little extra sparkle ad the cinnamon sugar topping. But they are so good by themselves, you really don't need it. 


2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 1/4 cups sour cream (10 ounces)
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (wild)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.

3. Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. (Small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick. Do not overmix.)

4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and insert toothpick into the center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes. Serve as is or with the cinnamon sugar topping below.


Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
While muffins are cooling, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in small bowl and melt 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan. After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, and working one at a time, dip top of each muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. Set muffins upright on wire rack.

Overnight Pull Aparts

12 to 16 frozen white roll dough (still frozen, I use 16)

1 (3.4 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 orange ring, grated

½ cup butter or margarine, melted

Frosting (recipe below)

Sprinkle cranberries in the bottom of a greased bundt pan.  Arrange rolls evenly in pan.  Mix sugar and dry pudding together and sprinkle over rolls.  Combine orange rind with melted butter and spoon over rolls.  Cover pan with sprayed plastic wrap.  Place pan in cold oven overnight (8 to 10 hours).  Remove rolls from oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove plastic wrap from pan and bake for 25 min.  Immediately invert pan onto a serving platter.  Cool slightly and drizzle with frosting.

Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

To make the same thing in a cinnamon version you can use:

¾ chopped nuts in place of the cranberries

4 oz package of butterscotch pudding in place of vanilla pudding and sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in place of the orange rind

(Then you don’t even need the frosting, but if you really want it use milk in place of the orange juice.)

Ranchero Beef Hash

1 lb. small red potatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 med. carrot, shredded (I leave this out)
leftover roast or steak, chopped
Salt and ground pepper
1 tbsp. butter
4 eggs
salsa

For hash, place potatoes in a 1 1/2 quart microwave safe dish.  Add 2 tbsp. water. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes in microwave, stirring once.  Drain potatoes.

In a large skillet heat oil over med. high heat. Add potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally until potatoes are lightly browned and tender. Stir in carrot; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add roast or steak, using a spoon to break beef in bite-size pieces, heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In large skillet melt butter over med. high heat. Break eggs in skillet; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cook eggs 3-4 minutes, until whites are set and yolks begin to thicken. For more doneness turn egges and continue cooking 30 seconds.
Divide hash among plates. Top with one egg and salsa.

Sausage Cheese Balls

Lindsay Walden
1 lb. Jimmy Dean Sausage
1 cup Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheese

Mix all ingredients together really well in bowl. Form into one inch balls. Place on a greased, foiled, cookie sheet. Bake at 350˚F for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Wheat Pancakes

Lindsay Walden
1 1/2 cups wheat flour (hard white)
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 ½ cups milk

Beat egg whites until stiff. Mix all other ingredients. Gently fold in egg whites. Cook at 350-400˚F on griddle or non-stick pan. A waffle iron is good too. (Grease or spray beforehand.)