Asparagus, Parmesan, Tuna Frittata...

Eggs…they’re not just for breakfast anymore! I’m one of those people who can gladly eat eggs at any meal—one of my favorite no-brainer suppers is an omelet with a quick salad or vegetable dish on the side.

A frittata is like an Italian version of an omelet—however, the ingredients are mixed into the egg, rather than folded into the center as a filling. Traditionally, frittatas are cooked first in a pan on the stovetop, then popped under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. At the end of a long work day though, I like to keep things easy—I just bake my frittata in the oven and cook everything in one simple step.

You can pretty much throw anything into a frittata, and they are a great way to use up leftover vegetables or whatever items you have rattling around your refrigerator or pantry. I like using vegetables, since I always seem to have a few stray ones in the fridge. Sometimes I often added sausage, but canned tuna, cooked potatoes, shredded prosciutto and leftover pasta are also tasty filling ingredients.

Basically, it’s all up to you and your imagination or the contents of your refrigerator can be your guide. Here is one of my simple frittata ideas to try. Hope you enjoy!



Asparagus, Parmesan, Tuna Frittata

Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1 cup milk
Pinch of sea salt
1 small (3 oz) can tuna, flaked and drained
~ I use a good quality albacore tuna
8 blanched asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Olive oil for the baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly oil an 8-inch baking dish (round or square, it doesn’t matter) with olive oil. Beat the eggs, milk and salt in a large bowl. Stir in tuna, asparagus pieces, and shredded parmesan. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until set.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:

• Eggs are considered a good source of protein and choline. Because of this, the egg falls in the Meats category under the Food Guide Pyramid.
• Bird eggs have been valuable foodstuff since prehistory, in both hunting societies and more recent cultures where birds were domesticated. The Romans crushed the shell in their plate to prevent evil spirits from hiding there.
• The egg carton was invented by Joseph Coyle in Smithers, British Columbia, to solve a dispute about broken eggs between a farmer in Bulkley Valley and the owner of the Aldermere Hotel. Early egg cartons were made of paper.
• The albacore, Thunnus alalunga, is a type of tuna in the family Scombridae. This species is also called albacore fish, albacore tuna,albicore, longfin, albies, pigfish, tombo ahi, binnaga, Pacific albacore, longfin tuna, longfin tunny, or even just tuna. It is the only tuna species which can be marketed as "white meat tuna" in the United States.

Dark Chocolate Sorbet...

I really don't like Mondays, but today it seems I'm completely justified in feeling this way. According to the experts, February is the bluest month of the year, when the sky is anything but ~ today in Georgia it's rainy, dark and grey. Also, usually by now, my New Year's resolutions have been broken and the post-Christmas credit card statement has come ~ yikes, I spent how much on that country ham? Plus, I woke with a slight sinus headache, which has nothing to do with it being 'blue', but is dispiriting nonetheless.

Tempting as it is to pull the covers back over my head and hide indefinitely, life must go on. So, how am I going to pull through the day? With some good mood food ~ food that might not traditionally be considered healthy but, to be technical about it, gets the happy bits of one’s brain buzzing.

Chocolate is high in endorphins and serotonin, the brain's antidepressant, so I'll make the ultimate sacrifice and hunt down something gratuitously chocolaty. Here are 5 foods to help you feel fantastic.

• Blueberries ~ The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants.
• Broccoli ~ Guards against cancer and is rich in a wide range of anti-oxidants, vitamins C and E, folate and iron.
• Carrots ~ High in carotenes, known to boost the immune system.
• Grapefruit ~ Has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.
• Garlic ~ Strengthens the heart and blood, and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Also thought to help lower blood pressure. A key ingredient is allicin, which has cancer-fighting potential.

For lunch, I'll spice it up with a big bowl of Firehouse Chili that I happily froze several weeks ago. Chili, like chocolate, releases endorphins, and generally makes you feel more alert and less likely to dive back into bed. Then I will top it off with this Dark Chocolate Sorbet I made yesterday.

All of this should help me feel ready to tackle Tuesday. Which in the words of my favorite southern belle, Scarlet O’Hara… “after all, tomorrow is another day!”



Dark Chocolate Sorbet

Ingredients:
3 tablespoon corn syrup
2¼ cup water
¾ cup sugar
7 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2½ ounce coco powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon brandy (optional)

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a pot and bring to a full boil.
Combine the chopped chocolate, salt, and coco in a large bowl.

Slowly pour ⅓ of the hot sugar syrup into the bowl of chocolate and whisk thoroughly. Continue adding the syrup and whisking in 2 more additions. The mixture may seize up when you first add the syrup, but it will come together.

Stir in the vanilla and brandy. Strain the base through a fine sieve and chill until completely cold. The base will thicken slightly.

Once base is completely cold, churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions.

Serves 12


What foods boost your mood? And how are you coping with Blue Monday-itis? All tips gratefully received!

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George’s note:

• There's actually a scientific explanation behind those dreaded Monday morning blues. Our internal clocks naturally operate on a day that is longer than 24 hours. By the time Monday rolls around each week, we've built up a sleep deficit of at least an hour. Of course, the weekend revelries and facing another work week don't help matters.
• The blues is a form of music that started in the United States during the start of the 20th century. It was started by former slaves from spirituals, praise songs, and chants. The first blues songs were called Delta Blue. These songs came from the area near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Celebration Pork...

I descend from a long line of entertainers. My family believes that the best way to demonstrate our affection for others is to throw a dinner party. From the time I learned to walk, I've passed hors d'oeuvres and daydreamed about the menus I would serve when I ruled my own roost.

Over the years, as I've experimented with any number of world cuisines and seasonings, the beef tenderloin has proven infinitely versatile. Another crowd-pleasing favorite is my pork roast stuff with apples & apricots and basted in a apple cider.

No matter whether I've given the roast a Hawaiian or a traditional Southwest makeover, it never fails to cast an aroma-therapeutic spell over the guests. The savory smells that waft into the living room over cocktail hour have the bewitching effect of advance-hyping the meal and inspiring chef-assisting offers that can carry over the whole night from plate running to bussing and dishwashing.

For a final and virtuously thrifty hurrah, there is no more appropriate way to honor the previous night's leftovers than to give it a second life as a homemade barbeque pork sandwiches; the added sweetness of the fruit really gives the barbeque sauce a tweak.

So, breakout the fine china & stemware give the house a quick clean and invite your dearest and nearest over for an evening of relaxed fine dinning and let the fun begin.



Apple-Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
2 medium apple, chopped
2 cup, dried apricots, chopped
¾ cup bread crumbs
½ cup celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons golden raisins
4 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
4 tablespoons scallions, chopped including greens
¼ teaspoon Cardamom
¼ cup apple cider
2 pork tenderloin about 12 ounce each, trimmed
6 stripes of applewood cured bacon

Sauce:
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped

Stuffing: Combine the apples, apricots, bread crumbs, celery, raisins, walnuts, scallions and Cardamom together. Stir in the apple cider. Set aside.


Butterfly the pork tenderloin - make a single lengthwise cut down the center of the narrow edge, cutting to within ½ inch of the other side. Spread the meat open. At the center of the tenderloin, make one perpendicular slit to the right of the V and one to the left. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to ½ inch thickness.

Spread the stuffing over the meat. Roll up and wrap wit bacon stripe; then tie with string to secure. Brush the meat with apple cider.

In a 350 degree oven, place the meat in a roasting pan, uncovered, and roast for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink. Baste the meat once after 30 minutes of cooking.

Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider, cornstarch, cinnamon and apricots. Over medium-high heat cook; stirring until thickened and bubbling.

Serve 3 one-inch slices with the sauce over top.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:

• As with all animals that walk on four legs, the tenderloin refers to the muscle along the central spine portion, which more or less hangs between the shoulder blade and hip socket. This is the most tender part of the animal, because the muscles that support the inner organs are not used for locomotion.
• Although often thought of as a "subtropical" fruit, this is actually false – the apricot is native to a continental climate region with cold winters, although it can grow in Mediterranean climates very well. The tree is slightly more cold-hardy than the peach, tolerating winter temperatures as cold as −30 °C or lower if healthy.
• Dreaming of apricots, in English folklore, is said to be good luck. But for American tank-driving soldiers, apricots are taboo, by superstition. Tankers will not eat apricots, allow apricots onto their vehicles, and often will not even say the word "apricot". This superstition stems from Sherman tank breakdowns purportedly happening in the presence of cans of apricots.

Almond Cherry Chocolate Muffins...

I think breakfast is my favorite meal ~ but that totally depends on what's for dinner. Usually my morning ritual is sipping a double beaker of hot coffee with a splash of cream for color while browsing the blogs I follow and reading through various online newspapers, both here in the U.S. and London; just to see what has happen during the night. Then with my second cup, I will fix breakfast.

Breakfast has long been touted as the most important meal of the day. It gives you energy and keeps your appetite in check until dinner. Unfortunately, almost no one has time to eat it. One solution to the modern breakfast dilemma isn't faster fast food, but a mainstay of home baked goodies; like scones, biscuits, quick breads, granola and my favorite ~ muffins. These baked goods are quick to assemble and quick to bake or made a day ahead; they can be sweet, savory, full of fruit and nuts, or plain.

Quick breads are the friend of the busy breakfast lover. You can bake a batch of muffins or scones in the evening or on the weekend and freeze them to preserve their just-baked freshness; which really works. Pull one out of the freezer before bed or a couple of hours before you want to eat and grab it on your way out the door. Even if you can't help eating on the run, at least you can add some whole grains and nutrients to your homemade goodies instead of buying food that is just dessert masquerading as breakfast.

Back in the mid-90's, I was the chef at a gourmet coffee shop in Ridgefield, CT. This was pre-Starbucks on every street corner. Bright and early ~ 4:01 AM ~ I rose and headed to the shop to make the muffins, scones and croissants before the shop opened at 7 o’clock. Daily I had my usual stand-by items requested by my loyal customers and then I would make one or two “special goodies” like my Pain au Chocolat and these Almond Cherry Chocolate Muffins.

The muffin recipe below is quick and easy to make; so, don't be surprised when your family ~ even the chronic breakfast skipper starts to request home baked treats.



Almond Cherry Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped cherries (fresh or dried)
3 oz chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup sliced almonds, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prep your muffin tin with liners, or grease well with PAM.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add buttermilk and almond extract.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add the flour mixture, cherries, and chocolate to your butter/sugar mixture; gently stirring until just combined. Being careful not to over mix your batter.

Fill your muffin cups about ¾ full. Sprinkle top of muffins with sliced almonds.

Bake for 15-22 minute, depending on your oven. For me 18 minutes is the magic number. Remove from oven a let them cool on a wire rack before removing from the muffin tin.

Makes 12 muffins

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George’s notes:

• The word breakfast is a compound of "break" and "fast," referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal.
• Nutritional experts have referred to breakfast as the most important meal of the day; based on studies of the large numbers of people who skip breakfast, to adverse effect on their concentration, metabolism and weight.

If breakfast baking sounds good to you, but you question your baking know-how, fear not. All you need is three basic principles:

1. measure flour correctly
2. mix with a light hand
3. don't overbake

Dover Sole...

In my quest to eat more fish and seafood, here is one of the simplest sole recipes I could find. Dover Sole is regarded the Rolls-Royce of the fish world. It is the tastiest variety of the sole family with its firm, deliciously delicate flesh. Dover sole has a thick but flat body with a flesh that tastes clean, light and sweet. It has long been a favorite in French cuisine, but it is also an American classic and a fish that is popular in most restaurants.

Sole is a dream to work with in the kitchen, holding together well during cooking. The darker skin can be peeled off with little effort to reveal a thick flesh that can be easily filleted. It is incredibly versatile and can be baked, fried, poached or grilled.

This is a deliciously light dish but packed full of flavors. The capers that I added brings a nice bit of acidity along with the wine without over-powering the rest of the dish. I sautéed some fresh spinach to act as a bed for the sole; which also helps to absorb the sauce.



Baked Dover Sole

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
2 Dover sole fillets, about 12 oz each
½ cup white wine
¼ cup capers, drained
1½ pound fresh baby spinach
pinch cayenne pepper
chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degree F. Butter a roasting pan so that you can lay the Dover sole side by side.

Pour the wine over the fish and dot any remaining butter over the top. Season with a twist or two of fresh ground black pepper.

Bake for about 20 minutes - the fish should just come away from the bone.
Remove and keep warm.

While the fish is cooking, sauté the spinach in a little olive oil until wilted.

When you have removed the fish from the roasting pan, add the capers and cayenne pepper to the cooking juices. Heat until the capers are warmed through.

Stir in the parsley and then serve the Dover sole over the sautéed spinach with some buttered Fingerling potatoes ~ ladling the caper sauce over the Dover sole.

This is the simplest of sole recipes - you could substitute any flat fish here - try flounder, lemon sole, tilapia - anything really.

Serves 2

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George’s notes:

• Dover sole is the most delectable of the flatfish, which is quite surprising once you know that it spends most of its life buried shallowly in the sand gazing up at its prey, which consists of sea worms and tiny marine organisms of the sea bed. Its gaze, of course, is another weird thing. Like all flatfish it begins life as a regular little fry, with eyes on either side of its spine, and ends up as an adult with both eyes on one side and its mouth rather askew.
• The salted and pickled caper bud is often used as a seasoning or garnish. Capers are a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, especially Italian. The mature fruit of the caper shrub is also prepared similarly, and marketed as caper berries.
• Capers are pickled or boiled and preserved in jars with brine cf. caper buds. Caper leaves are excellent in salads and in fish dishes. Dried caper leaves are also used as a substitute for rennet in the manufacturing of high quality cheese.

Mongolian Beef...

The Year of the Tiger began Sunday, February 14th and was brought in with fireworks shows around the world. While I am not Chinese, I have an appreciation for the variety of styles and flavors that Chinese cooking encompasses. I recently received a copy of Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking for my birthday.

Eileen’s book is filled with specialty recipes that range from the familiar to the completely new: Wuxi Braised Pork Ribs, Fujian Red Rice Wor Bah, XO Sauce, Mu Shu Pork, and Beijing Baked Breads, to name a few. What is helpful, each section is accompanied by its own shopping list, techniques, and basic recipes.

For the ultimate payoff of delicious food, you'll need patience and perseverance; the book demands dedication. Then again, if Chinese cuisine were so easy to master, would Lo have devoted more than 300 pages to the topic? In the words of James Beard, who is quoted in the book: "In all the world there is only two really great cuisines: the Chinese and the French. China's…is the most complicated cuisine; it uses ingredients no other employs; and it is distinctive in that, for the most part, it is cuisine à la minute."

My challenge is to try a wide variety of her recipes and see if my taste buds can handle some of the hotter dishes. I decided last night to start in Mongolia with a modest spicy taste. It turned out quite delicious and an easy recipe to follow.

Here's wishing everyone a prosperous new year: Gong Xi Fa Cai!



Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:
1 pound flank steak
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
4 garlic cloves; finely minced
6 whole green onions
12 small dried red chilies, crushed
¼ cup Peanut oil

Wok Sauce
1 teaspoon minced tangerine zest
⅓ cup freshly-squeezed tangerine juice
¼ cup Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cut the flank steak lengthwise into ¼ -inch-wide strips. Cut the strips in half. In a small bowl, combine the flank steak with the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, and garlic. Mix thoroughly to coat flank steak. Cover and refrigerate the flank steak for at least 15 minutes but not longer than 8 hours.

Cut the green onions on a sharp diagonal into 1½ -inch lengths. Combine and set aside the green onions and the dried chilies.

Set aside the peanut oil.

In a small bowl, combine the wok sauce ingredients and set aside.

All advance preparation may be completed up to 8 hours before you begin the final cooking steps.

Place a wok over the highest heat. When the wok is very hot, add half the cooking oil. Roll the oil around to coat the inside, and when the oil gives off just a wisp of smoke, add the flank steak. Stir and toss the flank steak until it loses its raw exterior color, about 1 minute. Immediately transfer the flank steak to a plate.

Immediately return the wok to the highest heat. Add the remaining peanut oil and, when the oil is hot, add the green onions and chilies. Stir and toss until the green onions brighten, about 2 minutes.

Stir the wok sauce, and pour into the wok. Return the flank steak to the wok, stir and toss until all the ingredients are glazed with sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Immediately transfer the stir-fry to a heated platter or 4 heated dinner plates and serve.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• Mongolian cuisine refers to the local culinary traditions of Mongolia and styled dishes. The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat, and animal fats. Use of vegetables and spices is limited. Due to geographic proximity and deep historic ties with China and Russia, Mongolian cuisine is also influenced by Chinese and Russian cuisine.
• With the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Mongolia under the Bogd Khaan declared independence in 1911. However, the equally newly established Republic of China claimed Mongolia as part of its own territory.
• Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how the people behaved and what they believed in the most.

Beignets (Ben-YAYS!)...

Today is Ash Wednesday, so you might be expecting a recipe for fasting, but I am in more of a Mardi Gras mood. So instead of a recipe for King Cake, I offer you the quintessential New Orleans doughnut.

In France, a beignet is fruit that is dipped in batter and fried; what we would call a fritter. I recently posted a great Apple Fritter that is worth a look. But in the United States, beignet means New Orleans, the French Quarter, the Café du Monde and chicory coffee. Beignets have been served at the Café du Monde since 1862, just after the Civil War. Some say the chicory coffee was made extra strong to discourage unaccustomed Northern palates from partaking. It’s a little snotty, not the usual southern hospitality ~ wouldn’t you say? The beignet itself, and the tradition of sweet fried dough, are thought to have been imported by French nuns in the 1700's.

Is there anything quite like a fresh out of the deep fryer beignet with a cup of thick chicory coffee? No matter who you make these Beignets for, they are going to love them. My beignets aren’t Café du Monde beignets, which are a baking powder-based beignets; my recipe is for a yeast beignets. However, just as there are “cake” doughnuts and “raised” doughnuts, there are baking powder beignets and yeasted beignets. Chacun à son goût... Variety is the spice of life!



Beignets

Recipe from Kit Whol’s New Orleans Classic Desserts

Ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm water
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, room temperature & beaten
2 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup evaporated milk
4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
Vegetable oil*
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

* Use just enough vegetable oil to completely cover beignets while frying.

Using a mixer with a dough hook, place water, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flour, and yeast in the bowl. Beat until smooth. If using a bread machine, select dough setting and press Start. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. Form dough into an oval, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled (3 to 4 hours) or overnight.

To prepare dough, remove from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured board to ½ -inch thickness. Cut into approximately 3-inch squares.

In a deep fryer or large pot, heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the beignets (2 or 3 at a time) 2 to 3 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown on both sides, turning them in the oil with tongs once or twice to get them evenly brown; beignets will rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff. If the beignets don't rise to the top immediately when dropped into the oil, the oil is not hot enough. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle heavily with Confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

NOTE: The dough can be kept for up to a week in the refrigerator - it actually improves with age; just punch down when it rises. Dough can also be frozen; cut and roll, or shape your beignets before freezing.

Makes 18 beignets

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George’s notes:

• Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable holy day, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4th or as late as March 10th.
• In France, beignet is an umbrella term for a large variety of pastries made from deep-fried dough with fruit or vegetable filling.
• In 1723, the capital of Louisiana was moved to New Orleans, founded in 1718. The tradition has expanded to the point that it became strongly associated with the city in popular perception, and embraced by residents of New Orleans beyond those of French or Catholic heritage. Mardi Gras celebrations are part of the basis of the slogan, Laissez les bon temps rouler, ~ Let the good times roll and the nickname "Big Easy".
• In the late 1980s, beignets were named the official state doughnut of Louisiana.

Yippee, it’s pancake day...

I recently posted how in France, crêpes are traditionally served on February 2, known as Candlemas ~ La Chandeleur. Well today is the day before the beginning of Lent and known as Shrove Tuesday. To shrive someone, in old-fashioned English ~ he shrives, he shrove, he has shriven or he shrives, he shrived, he has shrived ~ is to hear his acknowledgement of his sins, to assure him of God's forgiveness, and to give him appropriate spiritual advice. The term survives today in ordinary usage in the expression "short shrift". To give someone short shrift is to pay very little attention to his excuses or problems. The longer expression is, "to give him short shrift and a long rope," which formerly meant to hang a criminal with a minimum of delay.

Shrove Tuesday is also called Fat Tuesday ~ in French, Mardi =Tuesday; gras = fat, as in "pate de foie gras", which is liver paste and very fatty ~ because on that day a thrifty housewife uses up the fats that she has kept around for cooking, but that she will not be using during Lent. Since pancakes are a standard way of using up fat, the day is also called Pancake Tuesday. In England, and perhaps elsewhere, the day is celebrated with pancake races. Where the contestants run a course while holding a griddle and flipping a pancake. Points are awarded for time, for number and height of flips, and number of times the pancake turns over. There are of course penalties for dropping the pancake.

The day or sometimes a longer period immediately preceding Lent, is also called Carnival, which means "farewell to meat." The first part of the word "carni" as in carnivorous, and "vale" as in valediction. I have always said, one last hamburger before the Lenten fast begins.

Now back to those pancakes… it is hard to believe how many different variations of pancakes there really is. It seems most cultures have their own form of pancakes. Most are like a crêpe or very thin pancake; like the Chinese ones used for moo shu dishes. In Australia and New Zealand, small pancakes known as pikelets are traditionally served with jam and/or whipped cream, or solely with butter, at afternoon tea. In India, the Pooda or Cheela is a pancake, that can be made either sweet or salty and are of different thicknesses in different places of India. In the Netherlands, pancakes are called pannenkoeken and eaten at dinnertime. Pannekoeken are slightly thicker than crêpes and usually quite large (12" or more) in diameter. The batter is egg-based and the fillings can include sliced apples, cheese, ham, bacon, candied ginger and many other ingredients.

Well you get the idea ~ I submit to you here, two of my favorite ways to serve & eat pancakes. The first is just your basic pancake batter, which I like to stack about three high and top with lots of butter and warm maple syrup. And the second, which I made this morning, is like the Dutch pannenkoeken, made with apples and puffs up like a soufflé then topped with melted butter.

Basic Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, and oil.

Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just moist. Let mixture rest about 2 minutes. Spoon or pour batter onto greased, hot griddle or nonstick skillet.

Cook pancakes on the first side until bubbles appear on the upper surface. Turn over and cook until the bottom is golden. Slide onto an oven proof platter; and keep warm in a 300 degree oven until ready to serve.

Serves 2




Spiced Apple Pancake
For the puffiest pancake, use a cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have one, choose a heavy 12-inch skillet with a bottom that is at least 10 inches in diameter and has an oven-safe handle.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons water
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored
~ and cut into 8 wedges
3 large eggs
¾ cup milk
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
¼ teaspoon salt

* can substitute ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat butter, water, and ½ cup sugar over medium-high heat to boiling. Add apple wedges; cook 12 to 15 minutes or until apples are golden and sugar mixture begins to caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in blender or food processor with knife blade attached, place eggs, milk, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, adding liquid ingredients to blender first. Blend until batter is smooth.

When apple mixture in skillet is deep golden, pour batter over apples. Place skillet in oven; bake 15 to 17 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Serves 4



__________

George’s notes:

• Today is traditionally the day when you feast, in preparation for what you’re about to give up for Lent. It’s also a day when it’s traditional to cleanse your soul - to confess and be absolved. There are records of this over a thousand years old, written by an Anglo-Saxon monks.
• Nowadays it’s pretty much just Pancake Day. Not that this is a bad thing. Pancakes have been part of Shrove Tuesday in England for centuries. Pancake racing still takes place and is thought to have started in 1445, when a woman cooking her pancakes heard the church bells ring, calling to confession. She ran to church wearing her apron and carrying her pancake still in its pan!
• Lent is not something I think too much about in my faith, but I like the idea of cleansing the soul, then cleansing our bodies in preparation for Easter. It is also good for ones health & diet to fast.

Presidential Salsa...

We all know the story of George W and his trusty little hatchet cutting down the cherry tree from our childhood. But did you know cherries can be used for more than just filling pies. This sweet and zesty salsa can be a condiment for your favorite chicken, seafood, pork entrées or you can try it as a dip with whole-grain crackers. I came across this recipe many years ago and usually pull it out of my recipe collection around President’s Day weekend ~ thus the name. Saturday night I decided to use it as a condiment and ladled it over some grilled tilapia fillets.

Believe me when I say this simple salsa is a keeper. What is great is you can embellish upon it and make it as hot & spicy as you want. The sweetness of the cherries helps to balance whatever fire you want to add. So, if you like your politics filled with passion and excitement ~ old George W the first and Abe will understand.



Presidential Salsa

Ingredients:
1 cup dark sweet cherries, frozen or fresh and pitted
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
⅛ teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
Salt, to taste

Chop the cherries into course pieces and combine them with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate the salsa for at least 1 hour. Use this like any other salsa: with crackers, in burritos, as a condiment with chicken, fish or pork.

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George’s notes:

• The story goes that when Mr. Washington saw his beloved cherry chopped down he asked his son George if he know how it happened. "I can't tell a lie, Pa. You know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet," replied George. From all historical evidence, the story is not true. The story was the work of a writer named Mason Locke Weems in his book for young readers called The Life and Memorable Actions of George Washington published in 1800 a year after George's death.
• According to the federal government, the holiday observed on the third Monday in February is officially Washington's Birthday. But many Americans believe that this holiday is now called "Presidents' Day," in honor of both President Washington and Lincoln, whose birthdays are Feb. 22 and Feb. 12, respectively. It turns out that whether you honor one or the other or both of these presidents may depend on where you live.
• Cherries are loaded with anthocyanin, a phytochemical that accounts for their deep red color and helps prevent chronic disease. They are also a significant source of dietary fiber and potassium.

Bacon Toffee...

The enticement of bacon has jumped from the breakfast table into the mainstream. It's been showing up in some of the damnedest places ~ at birthday parties, school bake sales, at wedding chocolate fountains, even at cocktail parties. It might even turn up in a box of one of your Valentine's presents. And I am not talking the famous English essayist, Sir Francis Bacon either. I’m talking the kind that is cured pig!

It’s no secret that I enjoy a good piece of bacon. And, it’s possible that I seek to integrate bacon into more recipes than I should. But, how can you resist the rich sweetness that is bacon?

The recipe below was emailed to me by a friend, who saw it in the Richmond (VA) Times~Dispatch newspaper and let me tell you, it is easy to whip up. It’s been awhile since I worked with candy and I know I’ve heard various Food Network stars give advice on candy making do’s and don’ts … but they all escaped me yesterday, as I was making up a batch of this recipe. My candy thermometer might have been a little off — I cooked the mixture to the temperature specified in the recipe but it seemed a little darker than I would like. So, I might cook it just a bit shorter next time.

But when I offered the finished product to my skeptical friends and after giving me a few funny looks; they were wowed by the salty sweet combination of this incredible treat. I can say they are hooked for life!



Bacon Toffee

Ingredients:
3 sticks butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for topping the toffee if desired
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and cut into 1-inch squares

Heavily butter a rimmed baking sheet and cover with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently with a heat-resistant spatula or a wooden spoon.

Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Make sure the bulb doesn't rest on the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently and continue to boil the mixture about 20 minutes or until it reaches about 290° on the thermometer.

Remove it from the heat and, working quickly, stir in the vanilla and the bacon pieces. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a spatula to about ¼-inch to ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.

Let the toffee cool at least 2 hours before using a hammer to break it into pieces. To keep pieces from flying, cover the toffee with a piece of waxed paper before striking it.

Store it in an airtight container and top each single layer with wax paper to minimize clumping of pieces.

Makes about 2½ pounds

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George’s notes:

• The process of making toffee involves boiling the ingredients until the mix is stiff enough to be pulled into a shape which holds and has a glossy surface. The resulting mixture will typically be poured into a shallow tray and allowed to cool to form a sweet.
• A popular variant in the US is English toffee, which is a very buttery toffee often made with almonds. It is available in both chewy and hard versions. Heath Bars are a type of candy made with an English toffee core.
• The word bacon is derived from the Old High German bacho, meaning "buttock", "ham" or "side of bacon", and having a common ancestor with the Old French bacon.