Fried Apple Pancake Rings

Holy Smokes Folks!

I came across this recipe today on Pinterest and *droooooooooool* I'm gonna need to try this and soon. But I couldn't wait until then to share it with you. So here we go!

Fried Apple Pancake Rings

Skill Level: Easy
Time: Approx. 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 C Bisquick Pancake Mix
1 Egg
1/2 C milk
1 tsp Pumpkin Spice Mix
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 medium apples, peeled and cored

Directions:

Step 1. Beat baking mix, egg and milk with rotary beater until smooth. Add pumpkin pie spice and lemon zest to batter and mix until incorporated.

Step 2. Core and cut apples crosswise in 1/8-inch slices.

Step 3. Using a toothpick dip slices into batter. Cook on hot griddle until golden brown, turning once. Serve hot with apple cider syrup.


Apple Cider Syrup Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Lemons juice and zest
Apple Cider
Cinnamon

Directions:

To make hot apple cider syrup: Add apple cider, lemon juice and zest, and cinnamon to a saucepan and bring to a boil. (Use your own comfort/judgement with how much to mix.) Reduce the liquid to a syrup consistency, by half.

(Note: A friend I showed the recipe to is worried the apples will still be crunchy after the process and not soft like in most traditional apple pancakes. I'll let you know the crunch-factor once I make them)

Vacation Food

I spent this past weekend at Seaside (in Oregon) on a mini-vacation and I thought I'd share some photos of the yummy (and meh) food I had.

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First the meh.

Now we have a Pig'n Pancake in Portland but this was the ORIGINAL :)

My "poached" eggs were more like soft boiled.... how hard is it to poach an egg!?

Overall it was just "meh" and not that impressive - same as the one in Portland.

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Now for the "not too shabby".

Camp 18 is out on Hwy 26 - it's a restaurant and logging memorial -
went once before and the food wasn't too bad. Mostly though you go for the fun atmosphere

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Now for the yummy.

We originally had plans to go to a Southern place - but it apparently closed (for good)
the previous weekend, so this was one of the restaurants recommended
to us by the woman at our hotel front lobby.

As soon as we saw "Fried Artichoke Hearts" on the menu I was hooked -
they were garlic covered and so yummy.
You almost didn't need the garlic lemon ailoi dipping sauce

I ordered a Huckleberry Mojito before my dinner - only part of the meal I regretted. It was a tad too sweet (too much Huckleberry syrup) and left me burping tasting Huckleberry all night.

Mom ordered the Cod fish and chips

I ordered the 1/2 order of Baby Back Ribs...and we swapped 1/2 way through the dinner
...just so we got a taste of everything, not because we weren't enjoying the food

 

 

At the end of our meal we thought we'd take a dessert back to our hotel room to share later that evening. We asked to see a dessert menu....a few minutes later our waitress comes out with a tray of desserts! No menu just a visual display. They all looked yummy but we went with a chocolate layered cake. Can't go wrong with chocolate can you?

The vacation was refreshing and fun and the food was yummy. What else could I ask for?

Cookin' a bit better

I came across these great tips on some cooking techniques and tips. I didn't copy all of them below so if you want to see more (boiling lobsters, seasoned meats, spice rubs, etc) go to the link.

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How to Cook Everything a Little Better

by Esquire.com

Cook Corn

Instead of boiling corn on the cob, dot it with a little butter, salt, and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast (350 degrees) until tender. Caramelize a little honey in a sauté pan and, when the corn comes out, brush with the honey.

—Alex Guarnaschelli, Butter, New York; host of Alex's Day Off (Cooking Channel)

Bread Meat

After you've breaded a piece of meat for panfrying (dip in flour, dip in a water-and-egg-white mixture, dip in bread crumbs), spray the breaded meat with a little water from a spritz bottle. The moisture will prevent the crumbs from absorbing too much oil while still preserving that crispy crunch.

—David Burke, David Burke Kitchen, New York

Make a Sandwich

Less is more. Proportion is key, making sure each element balances the next. I like a fresh slaw tossed in a light vinegar for some crunch and some acidity. Throw in the protein of your choosing, bearing in mind the salt that comes with cured or smoked meat. And when is adding a fried egg a bad thing? Butter the outside of your bread, griddle it, and that's a sandwich.

—Michael Schwartz, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami

Scramble Eggs

For two eggs, add two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of heavy cream, season with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, and whip the hell out of them with a whisk until frothy. Melt some butter over medium heat and cook the eggs, not touching them until they are partially set. Then start some light stirring until they're almost finished, and turn the heat off. They will finish cooking because the pan is still hot.

—Randy Zweiban, Province, Chicago

Grill Fruit

Start with ripe, juicy fruit with a high moisture content. Lightly brush on all sides with melted butter or coconut milk. Make a dessert rub by combining one cup sugar with one tablespoon cinnamon. Set up your grill for direct grilling — a preheated grate over a hot fire: Brush the grate clean with a stiff wire brush. Oil it with a paper towel folded into a tight pad, dipped in oil, and drawn across the bars of the grate. Oiling prevents sticking and gives you killer grill marks. Dip fruit in rub to coat on all sides, shaking off excess. Grill the fruit long enough to turn the sugar and fruit juices into bubbling, golden caramel.

—Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible; host of Primal Grill (PBS)

Sauté Garlic

Start with a cold pan, add olive oil, then garlic, and turn burner to low heat. Through the gradual increase of temperature, you'll infuse the oil with the flavor of garlic while it turns slightly brown.

—Marco Canora, Hearth, New York; author of Salt to Taste

Sweet Brie Ring

We made this on Sunday morning for my sister's birthday. It was way rich but way yummy. Here are a few pictures I took while prepping the Brie Ring (super fast to make btw) - the ingredient list and directions are at the bottom.

This is enough for 2 rings. But we found 1 was more than enough.

Preheat to 400*

Remove Brie from paper wrapper and place in middle

Arrange crescents around the brie

Sprinkle brown sugar on the top

Now it's ready to bake!

In the oven for 20 minutes

And it's ready to devour!

Ingredients:
2 Pillsbury crescent roll tubes (the large ones work best)
1 round baby brie
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a baking sheet with sides on it with a Pam or oil.
Place 1 round baby brie in the center of the baking sheet and put the crescent dough around the brie. 
Spread the butter over the top of the bread evenly. 
Sprinkle approximately 1/8-inch brown sugar on top of the dough and a little less on the brie. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. 
Cool at least for 10 minutes so you don't burn yourself on the sugar. 
Pull apart the individual crescents and spread cheese on the bread.

Grilled Cheese Month!

Did you know that April is Grilled Cheese Month? 

I didn't. But now that I do. Mmmm. It sure makes me want a grilled cheese sandwich. 

I have to admit sometimes I'm a purest. I want generic white bread with plastic flavored Kraft American Cheese. No tomatoes, no provolone, no doctoring of any kind. Grilled cheese and tomato soup - what a comfort food. 

But then there is a time and a place for everything. Going through this LA Times food article (in honor of National Grilled Cheese Month) it sure made me want to experiment and spice up the idea of the grilled cheese. 

Here are the 11 grilled cheese sandwiches from the LA Times Test kitchen. Be prepared to drool.

1. Grilled blue cheese and pears on raisin brioche bread (recipe)

2. Grilled cheddar and apple butter on rosemary bread (recipe)

3. Panini with mustard greens, Gruyere and roasted peppers (recipe)

4. Huitlacoche Quesadillas (recipe)

5. Mixed greens and feta quesadillas (recipe)

6. Mushroom and goat cheese quesadilla (recipe)

7. Croque-Madame (recipe)

8. Fontina and sage grilled cheese (recipe)

9. Shallots and Cantal (recipe)

10. Croque-monsieur - aka Ham and Cheese (recipe)

11. Stuffed french toast with bacon, dandelion greens and Gruyere (recipe)

I don't even know where to being with making these sandwiches....but I do know that the next time "Grilled Cheese" is on the menu it won't include Kraft.

Photos: Chicken, chorizo and green chile hash

Made the Chicken, Chorizo, and Green Chillies hash last night for dinner. Ate it with an over easy egg on top - and then took some leftovers wrapped in a tortilla for a breakfast burrito this morning. Here are some pictures (sorry they're a little blurry - used my camera phone).

Cook onions, chicken and chorizo in a pan.

Quick boil cubed potatoes than brown in a pan.

Add the meat mixture into the potatoes. Add sour cream and left simmer/cook.

Then I cooked an over easy egg (Mmm)

Add on top and enjoy.

Chicken, chorizo & green chilies hash (pics)
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Recipe: Chicken, chorizo and green chile hash

I found this in the LA Times today - and plan on making it for dinner later this week (will post pictures). I'm a fan of chorizo; one of my favorite finds is a Chorizo y Garbanzo recipe. I eat is as often as my sensitive stomach will allow.

"Almost anyone can make a great dish out of luxury ingredients. It takes a special kind of genius, though, to make something from scraps. But that's what frequent contributor Sarah Karnasiewicz did in her story on hash. Grab some onions, potatoes, leftover meat and flavorings and with a little bit of technique and a lot of creativity, you too can make something delicious. You'll have a hard time bettering this hash made from chicken, chorizo and green chile though. It's hearty and soul-satisfying and just the thing to take the chill off a winter night."

Since some of us are still having those colder "winter" nights....and even though I haven't done this one myself yet I still had to share. 

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Chicken, chorizo and green chile hash

Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound Mexican chorizo, squeezed from casing and crumbled
1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, chopped into ½-inch cubes
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted green chiles
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 green onions, chopped

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and chicken, and cook until the chorizo is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

2. Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the potatoes, cover and cook without stirring until browned and beginning to crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the chiles, stirring them into the potatoes, then re-cover and cook until the potatoes are well browned, about 4 minutes longer. Stir the chicken and chorizo mixture into the skillet, then drizzle over the cream, paprika, and oregano. Stir to combine, scraping up any crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Top with chopped green onions and serve.

Cookies for Breakfast

Cooking with my Kid is another food blog with a number of yummy recipes (all kid-help friendly) and I'd recommend it to any friends/readers with children interested in helping out. 

One of the recipes that I think is just fantastic is Breakfast Cookies...I mean who amongst us doesn't have our inner child begging for a cookie in the morning (now and then). So why not bake muffin-like cookies and indulge in a healthy way.

Breakfast Cookies

Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 stick butter
2 1/2 cups applesauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl whisk together flours, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugars in an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix until JUST blended. Do not over mix. Fold in the applesauce, oats and dried cranberries. Scoop out batter onto a greased cookie sheet (I highly recommend using a Silpat), flatten slightly and bake for 12 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. These come out tasting more like muffin tops than cookies. That’s what makes them great! Makes about 2 dozen.

Breakfast Cookies II


Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oatmeal
3 mashed bananas
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl whisk together flours, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugars in an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix until JUST blended. Do not over mix. Fold in the banana, oats and raisins. Scoop out batter onto a greased cookie sheet (I highly recommend using a Silpat), flatten slightly and bake for 12 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Store these as you would muffins so they remain moist.