Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes thanks to Derek

Derek's Christmas morning pancakes 

2 lemons

2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

3 tbsp. melted butter

2 cups fresh blueberries - wash and set aside as these go on top of the pancakes on the griddle.

Zest lemon into a bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix well

Add all the wet ingredients to another bowl including the juice of 2 lemons. Beat well.

Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Set aside while the griddle or pan is heating up.

Ladle 1/4 cup of the batter onto the hot griddle for each pancake. Sprinkle the raw pancake rounds with blueberries and cook until little bubbles form on the batter.

Flip over each pancake and cook until golden brown.

Serve hot with syrup, jam, whip cream, or any topping you desire.

Thanks Derek for the tasty Christmas Morning pancakes.

 

Cinnamon Buns 'Land of Nod' style from The Best of Bridge Cookbook

 

This is a winner recipe to serve when you have a crowd. Easy to make and very easy to serve Thanks to the 'Best of Bridge'

20 frozen dough rolls

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding

2-3 tbsp. cinnamon

1/4 - 1/2 melted butter

options: raisins, pecans, apple chunks 

Grease a 10" bundt pan and add the frozen bread rolls.

Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding, cinnamon. 

Pour melted butter over all.

Cover with a clean damp cloth and leave on the counter to proof at room temperature.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350° and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the buns sit for 5 minutes and then turn upside down onto a serving platter.

Thanks to 'The Best of Bridge Publishing Ltd.' for the Best of the Best & more cookbook.

French Toast - Baked - overnight easy recipe

 serves 6 for breakfast

left over bread of any kind

10 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp. vanilla

1-2 tbsp. cinnamon (our family loves cinnamon so I tend to use the 2 tbsp.)

1/4 cup maple syrup

Grease a 8 X 13 glass baking dish and line the bottom with the leftover bread that has been sliced.

Beat eggs, milk, vanilla, and syrup well. 

Sprinkle cinnamon onto bread first and then pour egg mixture on top of the bread.

Cover well and hold in fridge overnight. In the morning remove from the fridge and let stand on the counter for 1/2 an hour.

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes until the eggs are not runny.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for Aunty Angie

Today I am baking with a treasure that Aunty Andrea found on the top shelf of her downstairs cold room. Anna Borys (Baba), my kids grandma, kept her original 'Sunbeam Mixmaster' in mint condition and I have the pleasure of using it today to mix up a batch of these cookies for Aunty Angie who is recovering in the University hospital. 

Baba's Sunbeam Mixmaster

Yield:  80 small cookies

Ingredients:

1/2  lb. butter (1 cup) - room temperature (I use salted or non salted, which ever one I have in the house at the time)

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar 
2 cups flour 
2 eggs
1 tbsp. Vanilla
2 cup large oat flakes (not instant) 
1 cup coconut flakes
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1  tsp. Salt
2 1/2 cup of chocolate chips 

1. In a mixer, cream butter and sugars together.
2. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix. 

3. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well with your mixer of choice. I am so very happy to be using Baba's today.

 4. Add chocolate chips and mix well again.

5. Scoop to bake

Bake cookies at 350° for 10-12 minutes (bake for 12 min. if you like them crispy)

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥

Bake the cookies or for a great time saver roll the dough in parchment paper and store in a large zip lock to freeze for later use.

Frittata for World Cup Game Day for Auntie Andrea

Serves 6 people

12 eggs

1 cup milk

1 1/4 cups shredded cheese - save 1/4 cup  for a garnish before placing in the oven

tomatoes (any kind) 1 cup diced (I used cherry tomatoes that were left over from last nights charcuterie tray)

Left overs from the fridge included: 

sliced ham & salami 6 slices - sliced thin

bell pepper - 3/4 cup diced

artichoke hearts (from the jar) - 1/2 cup

green onion diced - 4 - save a little for a garnish before going into oven

baguette - dried and left over from last night - 12 slices

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp. hot sauce (optional) 

Process:

grease the 8 X13 baking dish

Line the bottom of the dish with leftover bread or baguette (thin sliced bread)

In a large bowl add eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt & pepper. Whisk together and set aside.

Sprinkle evenly onto the bread in the baking dish the diced green onion, meat, artichokes, peppers, cheese.

Pour the egg mixture on top of the bottom layers, gently so as not to disturb the placement of all of the ingredients.

Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and green onion.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F (180°C). You will know it is properly baked when the eggs have risen and are puffy and the center is firm and not runny.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ This recipe is a crowd pleaser and can be prepared the night before and held in the fridge overnight. Cover with plastic wrap first. 

Remove from the fridge 1/2 an hour before baking time and bake as per above instructions.

Aunty Andrea enjoying the World Cup.

Shortbread Cookies - melt in your mouth

Thanks to 'The Endless Meal' for this recipe that I have just tried and believe me it is delicious and so easy. I add a bit more powdered sugar to my recipe and I used a little touch of almond extract as I ran out of vanilla. Either flavor would be awesome in this recipe.

Please click here to go to the original recipe on 'The Endless Meal' blog.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour - sifted flour is better
• 2 cups butter (1lb.) - room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar - always sift icing sugar when using it in baking
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/4 tsp. almond
•  coloured sprinkles (green & red) for Christmas adds a nice touch.

Mix flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla/almond together in a bowl. I use a stand mixer but this equipment is not necessary.

Mix well and when the dry ingredients are mixed in beat until light and fluffy and it looks like cookie dough.

Scooping/Rolling 

I rolled my dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into rounds, or Christmas trees.  Just before baking I sprinkle with the red and green sprinkles.

Bake at 350 ° for 10 -12 minutes.

 

Herb Spatchcock Turkey for Christmas dinner

 This recipe is so easy and my turkey using this method is probably the best I have tasted. 

I would suggest that you get your butcher to spatchcock the turkey as you really do need strong hands to remove the back bone. 

Once the back bone is removed place the turkey (skin up) on a large baking sheet. Rub the entire skin surface with olive oil as this helps to hold the herbs in place once you sprinkle them on.

In a small bowl, mix together dried or fresh (I use both) 

1 Tbsp. rosemary (fresh and diced)

2 tbsp. sage

2 tbsp. thyme

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 tbsp. sea salt

1 tbsp. pepper

Italian seasoning optional but tasty ( 2tsp.)

herb de Provence if you have it.(2tsp) optional but tasty.

Sprinkle the above herbs all over the skin of the turkey.

Place the turkey in the fridge overnight.

On serving day, preheat oven to 400°. Once preheated place the turkey in the hot oven (middle rack) for 25 min.

Reduce the heat to 350° and continue to roast until the internal temperature of the breast is 165°F. Once the bird is out of the oven the internal temp. will climb to around 173°, which is recommended. I use a probe thermometer to ensure the internal temp. is correct.  See pic below.

Remove from oven and let rest before carving.

The following video from 'taste of home' shows exactly what to do to spatchcock your Turkey. Please click here to see the video.