Best Fluffy Pancakes

 https://cafedelites.com/best-fluffy-pancakes/

Best Fluffy Pancakes

Look no further because a steaming stack of perfectly soft, Best Fluffy Pancakes are right here! Weekends will never be the same again!

Prep Time5minutes mins

Cook Time20minutes mins

Total Time25minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 pancakes

 

Calories: 156kcal

Author: Karina - Cafe Delites

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose | plain flour, (290 g | 10 oz)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar or sweetener, (60g | 2 oz)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups milk, (440ml)
• 1/4 cup butter, (60g | 2 oz)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Instructions

• Combine together the flour, sugar (or sweetener), baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large-sized bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, slightly cooled melted butter, vanilla and egg. 
• Use a wire whisk to whisk the wet ingredients together first before slowly folding them into the dry ingredients. Mix together until smooth (there may be a couple of lumps but that's okay).

  (The batter will be thick and creamy in consistency. If you find the batter too thick -- doesn't pour off the ladle or out of the measuring cup smoothly -- fold a couple tablespoons of extra milk into the batter at a time until reaching desired consistency).
• Set the batter aside and allow to rest while heating up your pan or griddle. 
• Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over low-medium heat and wipe over with a little butter to lightly grease pan. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the pan and spread out gently into a round shape with the back of your ladle or measuring cup.
• When the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Serve with honey, maple syrup, fruit, ice cream or frozen yoghurt, or enjoy plain!

Kale Mushroom Butternut Frittata

 Kale and Butternut Squash Frittata | Downshiftology

garlic

onions 

oil

kale

cooked butternut

mushrooms

eggs

yogurt

cheese

Cast iron - saute garlic and onions, wilt the kale (3-4), add butternut, then mixed eggs/yogurt/spices, cheese on top.

Stovetop for 8-10, broiler for 8-10.

Spicy Roast Butternut

(guest appearances by Ottolenghi magic brussel sprouts and Smitten Kitchen garlic mushrooms)

Inspired by:

Spicy potatoes with tahini and soy - https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/dec/21/yotam-ottolenghi-recipes-green-chilli-con-carne-spicy-potatoes-leftover-christmas-loaf or https://jonoandjules.com/2020/11/05/spicy-roast-potatoes-with-tahini-soy/  

https://bourbonbarrelfoods.com/

Butternut squash

Roasted with sesame oil, smoked salt and pepper, garlic, harissa; 400 - 25 ish

Sauce - miso, soy, mirin, rice vinegar, peanut butter

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/10/pumpkin-spice-streusel-muffins-recipe.html 

For the Streusel:

1 1/2 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats (1/3 cup; 40g), not quick-cooking or instant

1 ounce light brown sugar (2 tablespoons; 30g)

1/2 ounce all-purpose flour (2 tablespoons; 14g)

1/4 ounce ground cinnamon (1 tablespoon; 7g)

1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much

1 ounce unsalted butter (2 tablespoons; 30g)

1 1/2 ounces green pumpkin seeds, raw (heaping 1/4 cup; 40g)

For the Muffins:

6 1/2 ounces whole wheat flour (1 1/3 cups; 185g)

5 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (1 cup; 155g)

5 1/4 ounces sugar (3/4 cup; 150g)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (1/4 ounce; 7g)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg

6 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks; 170g), soft but cool, about 68°F

8 ounces pumpkin purée, fresh or canned (1 cup; 225g)

4 ounces plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (1/2 cup; 110g)

2 large eggs, cold

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (1/2 ounce; 14g)

Directions

1.

For the Streusel: Combine rolled oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low to form a crumbly meal, then fold in pumpkin seeds by hand. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic, and freeze until needed, up to 1 month.

2.

For the Muffins: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (no need to wash after making streusel). Mix on low to form a mealy powder, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin purée, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, mixing only until dry ingredients disappear. With a flexible spatula, fold batter once or twice to make sure it's well mixed from the bottom up.

3.

Lightly grease a standard muffin pan. (You can line with muffin papers if desired, but you'll still need to grease the flat part of the pan.) Divide batter evenly between cups, filling each to the brim. Sprinkle generously with streusel, then bake until puffed and firm, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for about 2 days.

Bourbon Spice Nuts

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/bourbon-old-fashioned-glazed-pecans-recipe.html 

Ingredients

1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
1/4 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/ 4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups raw pecan halves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon zest from 1 small orange



Directions
1. Combine the bourbon and the dried cherries in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. In another small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir until well-combined. Set aside.
2. Place the pecans in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until they just start to brown and smell toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter to the pan and stir until the butter is completely melted and the pecans are coated.
3. Add the sugar and spice mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and immediately pour in the cherries and bourbon. Stir for 1-2 minutes more, off heat, until everything is well incorporated.
4. Return the pan to medium heat and continue to stir everything in the pan until the liquid thickens and a glaze forms on the pecans, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pecans to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
5. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, separate the pecans and spread them into an even layer on the parchment paper. Allow the pecans to cool completely. Once the pecans have cooled, zest the orange over the pecans. Transfer the pecans to a large bowl and serve.

---> sticky, cook longer??? up the spices, no more salt

6. 
   

Jambalaya

 https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/jambalaya-recipe/

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
• 3 small bell peppers, cored and diced (I used a yellow, red and green bell pepper)
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3–4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup thinly-sliced okra*
• Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stock pot (or a very large, deep sauté pan) over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and sausage and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned.  Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the stock pot.  Add bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, onion and garlic. Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, and stir to combine.  Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes or so along the way so that the rice does not burn.
4. Add the shrimp, okra, and stir to combine. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink. Stir in the chicken and sausage, and remove and discard the bay leaf.
5. Taste season the jambalaya with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning if needed.  (I typically add about 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.)  Remove from heat.
6. Serve warm with your desired garnishes.  Or refrigerate and store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Purple Plum Torte

https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/10/purple-plum-torte/

1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder (the aluminum-free kind, if you can find it)
Large pinch of salt
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoon (depending on sweetness of plums)
1/2 cup (115 grams or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
12 smallish purple Italian purple plums, halved and pitted
2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon or tablespoon ground cinnamon (see Note up top for explanation)

Heat oven to 350°F. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy and light in color. Add the eggs, one at a time and scraping down the bowl, then the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. 

Spoon batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan (but if you’re worried, you can always lightly coat it first with butter or a nonstick spray) and smooth the top. Arrange the plums, skin side up, all over the batter, covering it. Sprinkle the top with lemon juice, then cinnamon, then remaining sugar. 

Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into a center part of the cake comes out free of batter (but of course not plum juice), about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on rack. 

Once cool, if you can stand it, and I highly recommend trying, leave it covered at room temperature overnight as this cake is even better on the second day, when those plum juices further release into the cake around it, becoming not just “cake with plum,” but cakeplumughyum (official terminology, there).

—> added spices to the cake (1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 nutmeg, 1/4 cardamom); baked in cast iron at 400 for 30. 

 

Baked Spanish Rice with Chorizo

 https://food52.com/recipes/75260-spanish-baked-rice-with-chorizo-and-chickpeas

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  
• 10 ounces chorizo, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes (fully-cooked Spanish or smoked, Spanish-style chorizo)
  
• 1 whole head of garlic, rinsed but not peeled
  
• 1/2 cup currants (raisins can be substituted)
  
• 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes, including juice
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (smoked or regular)
  
• 1 16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or double the chickpeas if you like them!)
  
• 2 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice (or Carnaroli rice or Spanish paella rice)
  
• 5 cups chicken stock (ideally homemade; unsalted or reduced sodium if purchasing)

1. Heat oven to 400° F. 
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide, ovenproof braiser or cazuela with at least a 3 1/2–quart capacity. (Alternatively, use a Dutch oven with an equivalent capacity, or start the dish in a large pot and transfer to a baking dish that holds at least 3 1/2 quarts). Add the onions, season with a pinch of salt, and saute until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook until it starts to brown and render a bit of its fat, stirring occasionally, another 2 to 3 minutes. 
3. Stir in the whole head of garlic and currants, stirring well to integrate and coat in the fat, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and chickpeas, and cook until the tomatoes start to gently simmer. Add the rice, stirring well to evenly coat, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes to toast the grains. Add the chicken stock and position the garlic in the center of the rice. Bring the stock to a boil, then put the pan (uncovered) in the oven.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all of the stock has been absorbed. (Check at 25 minutes.) If using a Dutch oven, the cook time will be closer to 40 to 50 minutes.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature, making sure everyone gets a few garlic cloves.

—— skipped the chickpeas, measured nothing, added corn

Cream Cheese Frosting

 

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/08/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe.html

• 3 1/2 ounces sugar (about 1/2 cup; 100g); see note
• 5 ounces heavy cream (shy 2/3 cup; 140g)
• 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume
• 8 ounces plain, full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, cold (one 8-ounce brick; 225g)

1. With kitchen temperatures above 74°F (23°C), start by refrigerating the mixing bowl and sugar until they have cooled to 70°F (21°C). At elevated temperatures, these ingredients and equipment can act as a heat source to the cream, preventing full aeration.

2. 2.

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, combine sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix at medium-low speed until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is about as thick as Greek yogurt, about 2 minutes longer. Begin adding cream cheese 2 tablespoons at a time; this should take about 30 seconds all together. Once it is incorporated, shut off the mixer. The frosting will look a bit curdled, like cottage cheese; this is the result of incomplete mixing rather than over-whipping, so don’t be alarmed.

   Thoroughly scrape bowl and whisk, then continue whipping on high until frosting is smooth and light, with only a few small flecks of cream cheese (they will disappear into the frosting over time). This may take 2 to 3 minutes with a stand mixer, or more if using a hand mixer. After whipping, the frosting should be about 60°F (16°C). Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

   
   

   
   

Alton’s southern biscuits

 https://altonbrown.com/southern-biscuits-recipe

• 12 ounces all-purpose flour (plus an additional 1/2 cup for dusting)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ounce unsalted butter (chilled*)
• 2 ounces shortening (chilled)
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (chilled)

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Whisk together all the dry, powdery stuff (except the flour for dusting, of course) in a large mixing bowl.
3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter and shortening into the dry goods until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Make a well in the middle of this mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir with a large spoon until the dough just comes together. Then knead in the bowl until all the flour has been taken up.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then start folding the dough over on itself, gently kneading for 30 seconds, or until the dough is soft and smooth.
6. Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out biscuits, being sure to push the cutter all the way through the dough to the work surface before twisting to “punch” out the biscuit. Make your cuts as close together as possible to limit waste.
7. Place the biscuits on a half sheet pan (preferably aluminum, which is highly conductive) so that they just barely touch. Reroll scraps and punch out as many biscuits as possible.
8. Use your thumb to create a shallow dimple in the top center of each biscuit**, and bake until the biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the biscuits out into a kitchen towel-lined basket and let cool for several minutes before buttering and devouring.

Skillet Dark and Stormy Banana Bread

 https://joythebaker.com/2016/04/one-skillet-dark-and-stormy-banana-bread/

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup lightly packed muscovado brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• heaping 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. 
   
2. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Melt butter in an 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Melt until the crackling subsides and the butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined. The mixture may seem broken as the butter won’t completely absorb into the sugar just yet. Allow mixture to stand and cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. The mixture will begin to emulsify, be glossy and no longer greasy. Whisk in the vanilla and rum. Add the mashed bananas, fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger and stir to combine.
5. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir carefully until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and spread the batter evenly across the pan.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes until mixture is dry on top, but still slightly soft in the center. I like to slightly under-bake this cake.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you’d like and enjoy warm.