Japanese Style Pancakes

Often each weekend, hubby will ask – what are we going to have for breakfast?  My answer is “something good”.  I know he typically wants eggs, some sort of breakfast meat and a carbohydrate.  Hubby loves, adores, craves and quite frequently inquires about pancakes.  This weekend was his lucky weekend.  I had been wanting to make these Japanese Style Pancakes for several weeks now.  I saw it on Pinterest, of course, where else is there – just kidding.  But seriously, that site is dangerous – it will either make you overweight or in debt – laughing out loud right now – okay, but I know you are saying to yourself, she has a point ……. right?

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You might be asking, what is a Japanese Style Pancake and how the heck does is differ from your standard American pancake.  I have the facts for you.  They are sweeter, taller and have a texture similar to a crumpet.  I find them incredibly tasty and intriguing. When I saw the recipe, I thought this is super simple but when I viewed numerous photos with some taller and some flatter, that got me to thinking.  How did they get them so tall, round and quite frankly perfect looking flapjacks.  I figured out the secret to making them appear perfect.  I used my Egg Fry Rings that I purchased from Williams Sonoma years ago and now that I think about it, I am going to pick up another package, so I have eight rings.

Hubby was in pancake heaven and said you can make these anytime. He called them the “tall pancakes”. Glad they were such a hit and next time I may drop a few blueberries inside the ring with the batter, so there is a sweet surprise inside. We were quite full after just 3 or 4 pancakes and decided to spend an hour or two doing one of favorite pastimes on a Sunday – look at the Open Houses in our neighborhood.  We love to see what folks do or don’t do to their homes and get ideas.  Very rarely do I see a house that I like better than mine, but today I did.  It was actually being built and no sheet rock even on the walls, but this was a cool house.  Fun to dream for a bit, but in the long run, not worth the hassle since we have customized our house over the last 14 years and still continuing the process – we love it!

Japanese Style Pancakes

Makes 12

2 Large Eggs

¾ Cup + 1 ½ Tablespoon Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Sugar

1 ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder

1 2/3 Cup Flour

In a large bowl add the eggs and whisk quickly then add the milk and vanilla and whisk.  Next add the sugar and whisk.  Then add the baking powder and flour slowly and whisk until incorporate well. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes.

To cook, use a stove top griddle.  Brush with vegetable oil and heat on medium.  Use a pastry brush to brush the insides of each of the egg rings.  Set the rings on top of the hot griddle and let sit for one minute.  Add the pancake batter to each ring by filling half way.  Cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until the batter begins to form bubbles on top, then gently lift off each egg ring and carefully flip the pancake to cook the other side.  Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the inside is fully cooked.  Serve with butter and syrup and your favorite berries.

Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze | Secret Recipe Club

It’s a new year of kicking it off with the Secret Recipe Club.  For January, I received Heather’s blog called – It’s Yummy to My Tummy.  While looking through her blog for the perfect recipe to make, I soon realized why her blog had a familiarity to it – she was paired with me back in June and made my Caprese Bites.  Heather likes to make people happy with her food and decided to add her collection of delightful treats to one place – her blog.

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It is Sunday morning and I am a bit behind in my grocery shopping and realized I only had 4 eggs.  Hubby asked what’s for breakfast and I thought can’t make scrambled eggs since the egg supply was at an all time low along with no milk to be found in the refrigerator.  Then while deciding what to make from Heather’s blog, I found pumpkin scones, which would be just perfect, since they required no eggs and I did have some half n half in the refrigerator.  The big plus was that hubby loves anything with pumpkin. I know it is well past the pumpkin season, but what the heck – you have to make things you love regardless of the time of year. Who says you have to follow those “seasonal” rules?

I chose to make the spiced glaze for the top and doubled the spices to add that extra flavor to these breakfast treats.  In addition, I used a large cookie scoop to form round scones versus the triangle version.  The overall results were a yummy in my tummy treat and a great way to start a Sunday!

Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze

2 Cup Flour

7 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

½ teaspoon Ground Cloves

½ teaspoon Ground Ginger

½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin puree

3 tablespoons half n half

1 Egg

6 Tablespoon of Chilled Butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices and mix together.  Next add the chilled butter and break down with your fingers into small pieces and mix into the flour until small flakes appear.  In a small bowl, mix together the half and half, egg and pumpkin puree and mix well.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.  Use a large ice cream scoop to form large balls of dough on a baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.

Let cool then glaze with the spiced glaze. (Recipe below)

Spiced Glaze

1 Cup + 3 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

2 Tablespoon Water

½ teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger

¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves

Mix all together in a medium bowl and let sit for 10 minutes then glaze the cooled scones.  Enjoy!!

To view all other recipes for the Secret Recipe Club January reveal, click here
   

   
   

   
   

   

   
   

    
   
   

   
   

    

   

   

Strawberry, Apricot & Coconut Scones | Secret Recipe Club

It is hard to believe it has been just a week.  A week since our little Max went to heaven. Max came into our home when he was just 8 weeks old and was a bundle of joy.  Max was our furry four legged child.  He battled cancer for the last couple months of his life and on Sunday last week, he went to the great dog park in the sky.  It had to be one of the most difficult days for hubby and me.  The next day was especially challenging since the house seemed so big and empty without our little guy.  Since then, time is beginning to make things a bit easier. The tears have lessened. I can talk about and think about him, without getting so emotional.  I will have always have a special place in my heart for Max. They say time heals and I believe it does.

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We adore dogs and will begin exploring and researching our next fur babies soon.  Our new normal is becoming reality and look forward to the day we have one or two little guys running around again.  They will never be Max, but we will bestow the same amount of love on the new doggies and love them forever, like we do Max. 

Today in the Bay Area, we have some warm humid air, which is quite abnormal for us.  I wanted to make something happy for this Sunday morning to brighten our day.  With this month’s Secret RecipeClub match, I had the honor of being paired with Sara from Cook with Sara.  After browsing through her extensive collection of recipes, I landed on her Strawberry Almond Scones.

Sara is a Midwest girl who adores cooking and eating.  She is my kind of friend. I can only imagine that her house always smells divine and she is probably the favorite house in the neighborhood.   Her mom was her inspiration for her old and new recipes that she always tests prior to posting on her blog.  Sara creates tasty treats and has a wide variety of recipes on her site.

After making my selection – by the way, Sara made it very challenging to choose from, I knew I had to put my own twist on the recipe.  I had some beautiful apricots lying around and felt they would pair perfectly with the strawberries that are so luscious at this time of year.  Our lemon tree is exploding, so the zest of a lemon added that something special to the scone.  I did not have sliced almonds, so I went for some rough chopped marcona almonds and toasted up some coconut to flatter the flavor profile.  All in all, hubby adored the scones and had a second one in the afternoon.  This was a winning recipe and will be made again soon. 

Strawberry, Apricot & Coconut Scones

3 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½  tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 ¼  cup buttermilk
¾ cups strawberries, small dice

¾ cups apricots, small dice

zest of one lemon
2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
½ cup marcona almonds, rough chop

½ cup Shredded Coconut, toasted

In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest and salt. Mix until combined.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. If you are not using a food processor, use a pastry blender or your fingers to crumble the butter.

Add the buttermilk and the strawberries and apricots, mixing until well combined.

Gently scoop out the dough onto the parchment-lined or non-stick baking sheets and slightly flatten each with your fingers until it forms a large circle.  Cut into eight pieces like a pie.  Gently lift and separate to have about an inch in between each one. Lightly sprinkle each scone with the turbinado sugar. Bake the scones at 400 until lightly golden around the edges, about 30-35 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before glazing. 

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Once slightly cooled, carefully drizzle the glaze over the scones (I found it helpful to put the cooling rack that the scones were on directly over my rimmed baking sheet while glazing-super easy clean-up!). Top each scone with a small handful of marcona almonds and toasted coconut.  I added a bit more glaze on top.

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Greek Yogurt Handmade Granola Parfait + Tillamook Farmstyle Brunch Highlights

When an invitation came via email from Kelly at SodaPop PR to attend a Farmstyle Brunch sponsored by Tillamook at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in the Mission district in San Francisco, it was an instantaneous YES! Tillamook is one of those well respected brands that I have enjoyed for years.  I have long associated them with their infamous medium sharp cheddar cheese and learned quickly that they have expanded their brand into other products.  The focus of the brunch was to introduce their new Farmstyle Greek Yogurt.  By the way, Tillamook makes butter, sour cream, yogurt and ice cream.  Note to self, need to buy some of their ice cream pronto.

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It was a rainy Saturday morning which this year is rare for us in the Bay Area.  I ventured over to the city for the Farmstyle Brunch in the Mission district of San Francisco to The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen.  Okay anything being held at a restaurant where grilled cheese sandwiches are front and center, I knew I was in for a treat.  Heidi and Nate opened this quintessential grilled cheese palace in May of 2010.  Both were affected by the downturn in the economy, but took it as an opportunity to utilize their talents and realize some dreams.  With Heidi winning her 7^thnational grilled cheese championship, her hobby became her new day to day career.  They partner with some of the best artisan food companies to create their award winning sandwiches.

After shaking off my umbrella, I was greeted by Kelly and met several of the other food bloggers including Jennifer, Claudya and Kristianne.  My food blogging buddy Azmina sat next to me and it was great to catch up since we had not seen each other since our food blogger brunch in December.  I had a sneaking suspicion that we would not leave hungry, so I purposely did not eat breakfast.  Nate was a perfect host along with Kelly and Heidi did not disappoint with her array of tasty delights. 

I started off with a piping hot cappuccino and mingled with the other guests.  Once everyone arrived, we learned about Tillamook’s new Farmstyle Greek Yogurt which was the headliner at the brunch.  Their Greek Yogurt is different from other brands since it is churned slowly with farm fresh milk and buttermilk cultures which takes a bit of the traditional tartness away.  It is mythically good, especially the Coffeehouse Blend. It is like eating coffee ice cream and sipping on a piping hot cup of coffee all in a neat little cup of yogurt – this one brilliant. 

*Photo of Nate and Heidi is courtsey of their website and all other photos are originals by me

We kicked off the brunch with a yogurt, fruit and granola bar.  The combination was magical especially with the divine yogurt and the handmade granola from Heidi.  Oh and the fruit was simply perfect.  Next handmade muffins were passed down the long family style table and we had our choice of Apple Cinnamon or Pumpkin with Currants and Walnuts.  They were ultra moist due to being made with the Tillamook yogurt.  Heidi was kind enough to make enough of each flavor for everyone to try each flavor.

Heidi was very proud of her Strata and a small warm individual serving was given to each person – can you say “out of this world” delicious.  You too can make this at home by simply clicking here for the recipe.  Next we could choose a made to order breakfast sandwich.  All the selections were mouthwatering but the Breakfast Popper simply sang to me.  It was made with their signature Jalapeno Relish, Zoe’s Bacon, Chevre, Tillamook Monterey Jack and a sunny side up egg.  It was simply delish!  I made the Jalapeno Relish and you can see here what I made with it. Along side was a Kale Slaw with a Tillamook Greek Yogurt Dressing and had the perfect balance of creamy and crunchy.

Overall it was a magical brunch filled with great food, much fun and new friends. I am now hooked on the new Farmstyle Greek Yogurt from Tillamook.  I typically bring Greek yogurt, fruit and oatmeal to work everyday for breakfast, so now I will replace my current brand with Tillamook.  We received a gracious gift to bring home of a sample of all of the flavors for the New Greek yogurt.  On my food bucket list was to make handmade granola, so I thought this was the perfect moment to cross it off my list by making these cute parfaits.

Handmade Granola

2 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut + 1/2 Cup 

2 Cup Slice Almonds

¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

¼ Cup Honey

¾ Cup Dried Apricots

½ Cup Dried Figs

½ Cup Pecans

½ Cup Currants

½ teaspoon Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the oats, 1 cup coconut, almonds and salt in a large bowl.  Stir together the veggie oil and honey together and pour over the oat mixture and stir well until the oats are coated well.  Pour onto a 13 by 18 by one inch sheet pan.  Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula until golden brown – about 20 to 30 minutes depending on your oven. (If you need longer, add 5 minutes to our timer or until golden brown.)

Remove the granola from oven and let cool.  Add the 1/2 cup coconut, apricots, figs, pecans and cranberries and store in an airtight container.

To assemble the parfaits, choose a glass that is clear and begin by layering fruit then yogurt and then granola and repeat until done.  I used raspberries and blueberries but you can use strawberries, boysenberries, bananas or any other fruit in season.

Lemon Currant Cream Scones | Secret Recipe Club

Weekend mornings at our house are sometimes quite frankly lazy days.  Hubby and I work long hours all week and come the weekend, it is time to let our hair down, keep our pajamas on, sip on some freshly brewed coffee and enjoyed a handmade breakfast.  Lately I have been on a Steel Cut Oatmeal kick and can’t get enough.  The hearty flavor with a touch of brown sugar is simply love in a bowl.  Albeit, the time (almost 30 minutes) one must put into coking this bowl of love, it is very much worth the time for tasty and healthy reasons.

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On the polar opposite side of the scale is the ever popular scone.  It is rich with butter, flour, sugar and cream – oh and some sort of fruity addition.  Knowing that the Secret Recipe Club reveal was a week away, I jumped on my computer to search Cinnamon Freud’s website since I was matched up with Karen’s Blog for February.  Karen is graduate doctoral student who is studying Counseling Psychology but also loves food, cooking and baking.  I can completely understand that having an outlet to relax during studies is probably simple perfection.  She wanted to eat healthier so she explored food blogs and food TV then created Cinnamon Freud.  After searching her site over and over again, I kept coming back to the Classic Cream Scones.

Oh by the way, if you want to join in the fun or simply check out The Secret Recipe Club, simply click here.  As with each month of Secret Recipe Club, the most fun part is searching for a recipe that resonates with me and putting my simple spin on the recipe. And seeing on reveal day, who had my blog and what they selected.  Since my lemon tree is currently abundant with lemons, I knew I needed to infuse these classic scones with fresh lemon zest and serve with creamy lemon curb. These lemony delights were the perfect weekend morning nosh.

Lemon Currant Cream Scones

Makes 8 Scones

2 Cups Flour

3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

5 Tablespoons Cold Butter, Cut into pieces

2/3 Cup Currants

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Cup Heavy Cream

Turbinado or Demerara Sugar*

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Stir to combine.  Add the chopped chilled butter and blend into the flour mixture with your hands.  Break down each cube with your fingers and work quickly until pea sized pieces remain.  Add the currents and lemon zest and stir to coat.  Add the heavy cream and stir or use your hands to form a soft ball.

Transfer to a non-stick cookie sheet and form a 9 inch circle about 1 inch thick.  Use a sharp knife to cut into eight pieces.  Cut in half then half the other way and repeat on the diagonal until eight wedges are present.  Brush lightly the top with the heavy cream and sprinkle the turbinado or demerara sugar on top.  You can use regular sugar if desired.  Cook for about 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Let cool for 10 minutes and then serve with lemon curd or your favorite jam.

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Monte Cristo Bites with Raspberry Bourbon Jam | Secret Recipe Club

Time seems to be spinning faster and faster.  Do you feel that way too?  It is hard to believe we are entrenched in the fall season with the leaves changing to those beautiful autumnal shades of brown, orange and yellow.  Living in Northern California, we experience the changing of the seasons however it is subtle as opposed to other regions around America.  I am still sporting my flip flops on the weekends and perfect painted toes, but this shall become a distant memory in the next month or so.  We are currently enjoying what we deem – Indian summer.  It is a time where we have mildly warm weather, shorter daytime light and little to no rain.  It is an exquisite time of year in Northern California.

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Speaking of time whizzing by, it is that time of the month for the Secret Recipe Club big reveal.  If you are not familiar with the Secret Recipe Club, let me give you the readers digest version.  Essentially there are 200 food bloggers who belong to this online cooking club and we are paired with another bloggers to peruse through their blog for a few weeks and then select a recipe that we create and have the option to add our own spin. 

This month I was paired with Debbi from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy.  Debbi is also the “Hostess with the Mostess” for Group C of Secret Recipe Club.  Debbi is a Day Care Provider who lives in Minneapolis.  She made a conscious decision to cook differently for her family by making healthy, low calorie meals without loosing any flavor in the process. In addition, she has a keen eye for stretching her dollar while producing fantastic meals. 

After reviewing her blog for a couple weeks and drooling over so many delicious recipes, I selected her Monte Cristo Sandwich for a few reasons.  First, it has been on my food blog bucket list and second, they are just plain DELICIOUS!  If you are a regular to my blog, you know that I adore appetizers.  With that spirit in mind, I decided to kick up the traditional Monte Cristo sandwich by making mini bite sized sandwiches along with an enhanced raspberry jam.  The result was nothing short of supreme!  Although not a healthy and low calorie version, they were quite tasty and a true treat.  Thank you Debbi for the inspiration and I hope you like my kicked up version!

Monte Cristo Bites with Raspberry Bourbon Jam

Make 24 Bites

Batter

1 Egg

2 Cups Water

1 ¾ Cups Flour

¼ teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

In a large bowl, add the egg, water and vanilla and whisk until combined.  Add the salt, baking powder and flour and whisk until smooth.  Set aside until ready to prepare sandwiches.

Sandwiches

8 Slices White Bread

6 Deli Sliced Jarlsburg

4 Large Slices of Deli Turkey

4 Large Slices of Black Forest Ham

Take two slices of bread and lay on top of a board.  Add a slice of turkey to one side and black forest ham to the other side.  Add 1 ½ slices of the jarlsburg to the top of the ham.  Lay the turkey side on top of the cheese.  Press lightly together.  Trim the edges with a sharp knife.  Proceed to cut the bread into 6 cubes. 

Tip:  Use white bread that is a couple days old so it is firmer.  I like potato sandwich bread.

Topping

2/3 Cup Raspberry Jam

2 teaspoons of Bourbon

Powdered Sugar

To assemble:

Heat a quart of canola oil in a cast iron skillet to 360 degrees.  Use a thermometer to check temperature and reduce heat if getting too hot or the sandwiches will burn. 

Dip each cube into the batter and shake off the excess.  Gently lay into the hot oil and flip on each side until golden brown.  Cook in batches of 6.  Lay cooked sandwiches on a cookie sheet and keep hot in a 350 degree oven until all batches are complete.  Lay on a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with the raspberry bourbon jam.

Bouchon Bakery Bacon Cheddar Scones

Each time I visit Yountville I must wait in the long line at Bouchon Bakery.  At first, you may think that it will be eternity until you get inside to preview all of the delightful goodies that await you, but it does goes rather quick, especially if you have a friend with you to pass the time.  If you are by yourself, then listening and watching all of the people will surly pass the time for you.  People come from around the country and the globe to have one of those light green boxes filled with the spectacular treats that Thomas Keller is so well known for.

Last time I went to Yountville, I purchased the Bacon Cheddar Scones and devoured it in the car on the way home.  I could not believe how absolutely delicious this scone was.  As I was driving home, I kept trying to determine what made these so tasty.  Was it the butter, bacon and white cheddar cheese?  I think those were definitely part of the tasty equation.  There was something else that was added that I could not quite put my finger on.

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I saved half the scone to examine closer when I got home.  I proceeded to sift through my Thomas Keller Bouchon Bakery Cookbook to find the recipe for the Bacon Cheddar Scones. Ah ha – there it was.  After I looked at the recipe, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  There was a certain smoky sweetness on the top of the scone and according to the recipe it was just brushed with heavy cream and sprinkled with white cheddar cheese.

I truly believe that they brushed a coating of bacon drippings (a.k.a. bacon fat) on top of each scone along with a tad of sugar then the heavy cream and cheese.  It was not in the recipe, but I think it was the “secret” ingredient.  So with that bit of discovered information, I slightly altered the recipe by brushing bacon grease on top then a quick sprinkle of sugar and proceeded to lightly brush with cream and top with cheese.  The result was out of this world delicious! 

Bouchon Bakery Bacon Cheddar Scones

¾ Cup plus 1 teaspoon All purpose Flour

1 ½ Cup plus ½ teaspoon Cake Flour

1 ½ teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder

3/8 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons plus ¾ teaspoon Sugar

1 ¼ teaspoon Salt

4.7 oz. Cold Butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces

¼ Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream

¼ Cup plus 2 ½ Tablespoons Crème Fraiche

12 oz. Applewood Smoked Bacon, cooked, drained and cut into ¼ inch pieces

2 Cup Grated White Cheddar Cheese

¼ Cup Minced Chives

½ Cup Grated White Cheddar Cheese (for top of scones)

Freshly Ground Pepper

Secret Ingredients:

3 Tablespoon Bacon Drippings

¼ Cup Sugar

Directions:

Place the all-purpose flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sift in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar and mix on the lowest setting for about 15 seconds to combine. Add the salt and mix to combine. Stop the mixer, add the butter and, on the lowest setting (to keep the flour from flying out of the bowl), pulse to begin incorporating the butter. Increase the speed to low and mix for about 3 minutes to break up the butter and incorporate it into the dry mixture. If any large pieces of butter remain, stop the mixer, break them up by hand, and mix until just incorporated.

With the mixer running, slowly pour in the cream. Add the crème fraîche and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough comes together around the paddle. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and paddle and pulse again to combine. Add the bacon, the 2 cups cheese, and the chives and pulse to incorporate.

Mound the dough on the work surface and, using the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper, push it together. Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and, using your hands, press it into a 7-by-9-inch block, smoothing the top. Press the sides of your hands against the sides of the dough to straighten them. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until firm.

Line a sheet pan with a Silpat or parchment paper. Cut the block of dough lengthwise in half and then cut each half crosswise into 6 rectangles. Arrange them on the prepared sheet pan, leaving space between them. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen solid, at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. (The scones can remain in the freezer for up to 1 month.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (convection) or 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Arrange the frozen scones 1 inch apart on the sheet pan. Brush the tops with the reserved bacon fat and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of sugar the sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and black pepper. Bake until golden brown, 24 to 27 minutes in a convection oven, 33 to 36 minutes in a standard oven. Set the sheet on a cooling rack and cool completely.

The scones are best the day they are baked, but they can be stored in a covered container for 1 day.

Note:Recipe slightly altered from Thomas Keller Bouchon Bakery Cookbook

Cherry and Coconut Scones

On Saturday hubby sent me a text that a Boeing 777 crashed at SFO.  At first, I could not believe it.  Knowing that he was flying himself that day, I asked him like I do every weekend when he flies – text me when you land.  Hubby has been flying as a private pilot for over 25 years and I trust him more than some of the commercial pilots.  Unfortunately on Saturday two young girls lost their lives and numerous others sustained a vast variety of injuries.  We will not know for a while what the actual reason was for the crash but based on what I know from flying with my hubby for a long time and the thoughts he shared with me - we have our theory as to the reason for the crash.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families and that they soon have some sort of peace and comfort to cope with this tragedy.

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I made these Cherry and Coconut Scones on Sunday Morning to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee out in our backyard to relish our last day of the long holiday weekend.  These scones were light and flaky.  The fresh cherries gave a sweetness and texture to the scones along with the slight crunch of the coconut - these were a culinary home run.  You can certainly substitute the fruit with your favorite in season fruit or even cut up dried fruit for enjoying these during the winter months.

Cherry and Coconut Scones

Makes about 15 scones

3 Cups Flour

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

½ teaspoon Salt

1 ½ Sticks Butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 large Egg

¾ Cup Buttermilk

½ Cup Shredded Coconut, toasted

1 Cup Cherries, pitted and diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl add the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon.  Add the chilled butter and using your hands work in the butter into the flour mixture, breaking it up with your fingers until it is the size of small peas.  Some of the mixture will resemble oatmeal and that is okay.

Add the egg to the buttermilk and whisk with a fork until combined.  Add to the dry mixture and stir with a spoon then add the cherries.  Finish mixing the dough with your hands and be careful to not over mix but just until no flour remains. 

Cover a wooden board or similar with flour and place the dough onto the surface.  Pat down until it is about 1 inch thick.  Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out the scones.  Rework the dough carefully and repeat until all dough is gone.

Add scones to a cookie sheet that is covered with parchment paper.  Leave at least one inch between scones.  Brush top of each scone with buttermilk and lightly dust with granulated sugar.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with jam or simply enjoy plain.

Gruyere & Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day. However, it is my hubby’s favorite hands down. If you are curious, mine would be dinner with a whole bunch of small plates. Albeit, I do eat breakfast everyday to get fuel for the day – typically a Greek yogurt along with a banana or berries.

Since hubby likes to go out for breakfast on the weekends or have me create a “full” breakfast on the weekends, I do have a few favorites including French toast. I love the custard consistency along with a crispy outside of French toast and of course, the rich maple syrup that goes along with this delightful weekend treat.

Early in our relationship, I made Grand Mariner French Toast for my hubby. My hubby never had French toast like this before, since I use thick sliced French bread. The thickness of the bread helps to absorb the luscious custard which produces a decadent and satisfying breakfast. I think my hubby had grown up on sandwich bread dipped in an egg mixture; did not take long for him to be converted.

For me, it all starts with the bread, whether it is a Semifreddi's sour dough loaf or a crunchy & chewy ciabatta, the richness of the bread makes all the difference. Next comes the rich custard with egg, half & half along with real vanilla extract - sometimes a bit of triple sec adds that extra special punch and flavor.

Taking it to the next level is stuffing your French toast with various fillings. Perhaps with ricotta and blueberries or mascarpone and orange zest OR gruyere and bacon stuffed French toast? Lately I am a bit obsessed with the later of my variations; hence I wanted to share with all of you. It is something I have been making for quite sometime and perfected the combination over time. The combination of smoky bacon, earthy gruyere, dense sourdough bread, rich custard, sweet maple syrup and hint of cinnamon is an explosion of amazing flavors all in one bite.

Just imagine all of the wonderful flavors and textures you can stuff your French toast with. Would love to hear all of your wonderful ideas for what you would stuff your French toast with!

Gruyere & Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Makes 4 Slices

4 Slices, good sourdough bread (about 1 1/4th inch thick)
8 Bacon Slices, Cooked until crispy and crumbled
1 C. Gruyere Cheese, grated
Cinnamon dusting French toast
Butter for cooking French toast

Custard

2 Eggs
1 C. Half & Half (could use whole milk or 2% milk)
1 t. Vanilla

Once you have the sour dough bread sliced, you will want to with a sharp knife cut into the bottom of each slice and gently slice to almost the end of the top and sides to create the pocket to stuff each slice.

Add the cooked bacon once cooled and gruyere cheese together in a bowl. Divide evenly among the four slices of bread and begin to gently stuff each one. Once you have completed, then gently press each stuffed bread together to prevent the inside ingredients from escaping.

Prepare the custard by adding the eggs, half & half and vanilla together and whisk gently until combined.

Use a large griddle to cook all of the French toast at the same time. Heat griddle on medium and add approximately 2 tablespoons of butter to the griddle and spread evenly. Meanwhile dip each stuffed bread into the custard mixture and add to the heated griddle. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Let cook over medium for about 5 minutes per side – if your cook top runs hot, you may want to reduce the heat to prevent burning.

Serve with your favorite maple syrup. To make more, simply double or triple the recipe to serve the desired amount of guests. Enjoy!!

Dutch Baby Pancake with Brandied Peaches | Secret Recipe Club

Boy how time flies! It just seems like I was celebrating my third month with the Secret Recipe Club yet the fourth month is here already. If you are not familiar with The Secret Recipe Club, it is an online cooking group that each participant is assigned a “secret” blog each month. The secret is that each person doesn’t know who was assigned to their blog and what recipe that person will choose to create. If you are interested in getting involved in this fun group and meeting new food bloggers like yourself, check out the website.

This month I had the pleasure of being assigned Apron Strings. They have a tag line attached to their blog – “Cooking: it’s in our D & A”. I thought this was quite cleaver considering the D&A stands for Donna and Anne who are a reunited birth mother and daughter food blogging team. How cool is that? Donna and Anne have authored a cookbook together as well as creating this blog together.

Additionally Donna has authored several other cookbooks and Anne made it to a finalist in the hit show on Food Television – Ultimate Recipe Showdown. These two ladies certainly share the same D and A. After browsing through their extensive recipes, it was hard to narrow down however my mind was made up when I saw the Dutch Baby Pancake.

You might ask, what is a dutch baby pancake – if you have never experienced this delightful treat, I highly encourage you to make it soon. You might hear it referred to as German Pancake of Dutch Puff. It is very similar to Yorkshire pudding since it is made with eggs, flour and milk. Typically it is served with fresh squeezed lemon, powdered sugar and butter. In addition, it can be served with a fruit topping or syrup. I think it is a personal choice – quite frankly a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar and lemon, I am a happy camper.

A couple weeks ago it was hubby’s birthday. I shared the chocolate espresso cake that I made for him and I wrote in the post about a new breakfast place our neighbors took us out to breakfast to celebrate his birthday. It was called The Original Pancake House and they have locations in most states. I am not the breakfast food enthusiast that my hubby is, but this place impressed me. The selection was expansive, the service was spot on and the food was extremely tasty with large portions.

One of their signature dishes is The Dutch Baby Pancake and of course I had to have it. All I can say is – DIVINE! It was perfectly puffed, crispy yet chewy inside. They served a lemon sauce on the side that was too die for with zest of fresh lemon that just puckered your cheeks. If you have not been there before, check it out. Hope you like it as much as we did.

I have long wanted to make this breakfast delight at home so when I saw it on Donna and Anne’s blog, it was settled – that would be my entry for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. With such a simple recipe, I did not need to mess with perfection. The only variation was that I used salted butter versus unsalted. The cast iron skillet is the key to a perfect Dutch Baby. If you don’t own one, run to the store and pick one up. I actually purchased mine from TJ Maxx for about fifteen dollars.

I picked up a crate of fresh peaches from Trader Joe’s and thought that some spicy brandy peaches would be a perfect accompaniment for this delightful breakfast treat. You could use apples if peaches are not in season. Enjoy and be sure to check out Donna and Anne’s blog!

Dutch Baby Pancake

4 T. butter
4 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup half-and-half

For the topping:

Juice of 1 lemon
Powdered sugar

Spicy Brandied Peaches

1 Cup sliced fresh peaches
1 T. Sugar
1 T. Butter
½ t. Cinnamon
1 T. Brandy

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter; add the peaches, sugar and cinnamon. Stir gently over medium heat and cook for a couple minutes. Remove the pan from the flame and add the brandy. Let cook off the burner for a minute and then return to heat through. Spoon gently into a small bowl to serve with the pancake.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place a large cast iron skillet in the oven until very hot. Melt the 4 Tbs butter in the skillet. In a blender, whir together the eggs, flour, salt and half-and-half.

Pour the batter into the skillet over the melted butter. Slide the skillet into the oven, and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the puffed pancakes from the oven, transfer them to a plate or shallow bowl, and pour on butter, sprinkle on lemon juice, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.