Oatmeal Pancakes

These oatmeal pancakes are the basis of almost every brunch I make. Back in pharmacy school, my friends would make a batch after our exams (which were at 7 am!). It would be a way of celebrating having our lives back if only until the next exam. These were ladies who joined me in many adventures, bikes tours, and cooked meals. Also lots of studying that didn't get done. And sleeping in class. The recipe is from an old school cookbook, but I couldn't find it online. Does this count as citing my source? Am I the worst? Probably. 

I had the recipe written on the back of my pharmacology notes with doodles and stickers from my friends. I'll keep it forever but just in case of zombie apocalypse, etc I'll have it on the internets just in case. Just kidding, I have it memorized. 

This is my adaption. The recipe does great with substitutions. Just don't use gluten free flour. They will turn into rubber. Trust me. You can double, triple, etc the recipe.

Other substitutions/additions:

For the flour:

1/2 cup buckwheat + 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour 

For the sugar:

1/3 white sugar for brown sugar

Oats:

Same amount of instant oats

Buttermilk:

1 1/3 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar

Same amount of thinned plain yogurt

Egg:

Flax egg instead

Chia egg instead 

Additions:

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tbsp flax seed

Makes 9 medium pancakes

1 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1 egg

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk. Make a well and pour in wet ingredients. Whisk until just mixed and few lumps remain. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Keep in oven at 200 degrees until ready to serve.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

I originally saw a recipe for these lemon pancakes in a recent issue of Instyle that uses quinoa and rice flours. These are the perfect pancakes for spring! However, I lost it while my sister was turning the house upside down. I did find a similar recipe on Food and Wine's website. We've been trying to work towards a more minimalist life. There's a blog in which the author has a total of 50 personal possessions (clothing, furniture, technology). That goal was tried and failed, but I think it is a gradual process. By the way, he doesn't count kitchen supplies, things that are shared by the family etc. He does count books though which are the hardest things to cut down on for me (and dresses). Anyway, Kelly and I have been giving more and more things away and I feel so much better. The feeling will be even greater once I cut down even more I think. I love the idea of being able to pack everything you have easily so you can go anywhere on a whim. As a side note, my mom (the hoarder) thinks we're nuts and goes through our donation bags all the time to rescue our stuff.

3/4 cup quinoa flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

2 tablespoons raw cane sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

zest of 2 lemons

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds 

6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Firstly you want everything at room temperature. Sometimes I just leave the eggs and butter out overnight for ease the next morning. Whisk dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix all the liquid ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid. Then cook pancakes on a skillet over medium heat with plenty of butter. I used a 1/3 cup measure. This recipe makes enough for about 4 people. Serve with maple syrup and butter.

Mango Smoothie

I've been meaning to do a mango smoothie post for ages now. This one is based off of the blood orange smoothie post but with mango instead!! These saved me when I was in Vietnam. I love mangoes. I would eat them daily there. Here, I just settle for frozen mango smoothies. Still delicious!

This recipe makes 2 servings 

1 ripe mango (or equivalent amount frozen mango)

1 large ripe banana, frozen

6 clementines, peeled

1 can light coconut milk 

1 tbsp hemp seeds

5 ice cubes

Coconut flakes for topping 

Peel and cube the mango. Slice the banana. Place all ingredients in blender except ice and blend on high for awhile. Since we're adding whole clementines it takes longer to blend the pith. Add the ice and blend for a bit. Then pour into glasses and top with coconut flakes and additional hemp seeds. Also you can throw in a handful of spinach but it'll change the color.

Croque Monsieur Overnight French Toast

Overnight French toast is a staple for my group of high school friends. We've been making it forever. It has gotten us through many a rough morning after lots of crazy nights. You do all the prep the night before and in the morning all you have to do is get up and put it in the oven. Any hungover or sleepy person can do it. Really. Usually we do a sweet version with cream cheese or brown sugar. But this bread pudding takes it to another level. It reminds me of my asparagus and mushroom strata and Laura's croque monsieur sandwich- like if they had a baby this Croque French toast would be it. I found this recipe on the blog Salt and Wind. The original recipe calls for Canadian bacon but I don't know what that is so I didn't use it. I even tried to google it and got even more confused. I fail on the bacon front.

You will need:

1 medium white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

8 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

2 tbsp Dijon mustard (I used whole grain)

1/8 tsp cayenne powder 

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound loaf stale French bread (1 + 1/2 baguettes), cubed 

3 cups shredded cheddar and Gruyere cheese

1 pound thick sliced ham, cut into smaller pieces

Toasted Oatmeal

I've been eating oatmeal daily with a cherry smoothie. This is how I've been making it! Actually I've been making toasted oats and oats the regular way too depending on how much time is on hand. The toasted oats from A Couple Cooks take oatmeal to another level. So yum. Also coconut manna is a must. I am so obsessed. You can make it at home easily in a food processor.

The goji milk is part of recipe from Earthsprout's 30 raw breakfasts app. It's actually the first thing I've made from Elenore's recipes. Check out her blog from Sweden! It is gorgeous. Also she just posted about foods that we can use for skincare! 

Toasted oats (serves 2 people):

1 cup rolled (old fashioned) oats

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 cup cashew milk 

1/2 cup water

Pinch salt 

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the oats and toast for about 5 minutes until they smell nutty and delicious. Don't toast so much that they start browning. 

In a separate pot, boil the water, milk, salt, and cinnamon. Turn off the heat as soon as this happens, add the oats, cover, and let sit for 7 minutes. Serve with goji milk and toppings!

Goji milk:

1/2 cup cashew milk

2 tablespoons goji berries, soaked overnight in 1/4 cup water

Blend cashew milk, goji berries, and soaking water until completely smooth. This recipe makes extra.

Toppings:

Coconut manna (same as coconut butter)

Goji berries

Almond butter

Maple syrup 

Banana Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes

I made these for a quick weekday dinner the other night and they were perfect, just what I wanted to eat right then. I've been working a lot of evenings lately so I come home, feeling like I've worked a full day, and then I need to go back out for another hour or so - I need something to pick me back up. Since I was making them just for myself, I ate half the batch for dinner and the other half for breakfast the next morning.

Banana Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from Inspired Taste

Makes 6-7 smallish pancakes

1 cup flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

3 tbsp butter, melted

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Granola

Since it is still freezing (does anyone else want to move to Hawaii forever?), I'm making all of the cozy breakfasts. Seriously super cereal from My New Roots, baked oatmeal from our archives, and lemon poppyseed pancakes (coming up). I'm also (obviously) making granola. I like to start with a basic recipe and then change it up. My friend Kate introduced me to making granola. Before her, I didn't know it was possible to make granola at home. We both like to consume this granola with plain yogurt and some honey. Best breakfast on the go ever. I got this recipe from chow.com.

3 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup flax seeds

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pecan, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat up the olive oil, honey, and sugar until sugar is dissolved and little bubbles form at the sides.

In a large mixing bowl, throw together the oats, flax, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the liquid ingredients and stir to mix. Spread an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 30-45 minutes, stirring mixture every 15 minutes. Add the pecans in the last 10 minutes or so. I like my oats a little more toasty but the beauty of making your own granola is that you can do whatever you want. Once the granola is cooked, cool completely and add raisins. Store in an airtight container. 

Mote Pillo (Hominy Scramble)

Michelle's Vegetarian Tortilla Soup recipe, which includes hominy, reminded of this Ecuadorian dish, mote pillo, so the next time I was at Giant Eagle, I picked up a big can of hominy. I've made the mote pillo, now I've got to make the tortilla soup.

Twilly's dreaming of Ecuador

Mote Pillo

From Laylita's Recipes

Adapted to serve 2 for a small breakfast or side

1 tsp butter
1/4 tsp ground achiote (you could probably sub paprika (normal, not smoked)?)
1/2 onion (or leek), diced
salt & pepper
1/2 lb hominy (I used canned)
2 tbsp milk
2 eggs, whisked
1 tbsp chopped green onions or chives

French Yogurt Cake

Yesterday my sister and I went to Ikea planning on just looking around... and we left with a big new kitchen island and a heart-shaped silicon cake pan. I am equally satisfied with both purchases and made use of both while making this cake.

Gâteau au yaourt/Yogurt Cake

From Chocolate & Zucchini

2 eggs

1 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)

3/4 cup + 1 tsp sugar

1/3 cup oil (original recipe calls for veg. oil but I used olive oil)

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp dark rum

Fresh Cranberry Scones

I still had some fresh cranberries in the freezer leftover from the holidays. Now they are in these scones, which are really easy, flavorful and smell like Christmas is coming all over again.

The recipe includes a rum glaze - I would go for that in a brunch scone, but it doesn't seem like the right fit for a weekday breakfast scone. I'm opting for butter and honey instead.

Fresh Cranberry Scones

Recipe from the Kitchn

Makes 12 to 18 scones, depending on size (I made pretty huge ones and I got about 9...)

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 small orange or clementine, zested
2 1/4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup milk
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling, optional

Brown Butter Banana Bread

I've made a few dry, plain, not that tasty banana breads, so I don't really agree with what most blog entries about banana breads say - that it's so easy and foolproof. My past few attempts have been extra good, though, including this one with brown butter, so it makes me want to make banana bread a lot more often.

My all-time favorite banana bread is the Nutella-swirled one I posted way back in March 2013. Also, if you want to do the opposite of this brown butter version and not include butter at all, you could try Michelle's vegan version with homemade vegan Nutella. And Julia posted a whole wheat flour version almost exactly two years ago! 

When Joy the Baker's posted this recipe, it was made with cranberries - I have fresh cranberries in the freezer and was fully intending to put them in the batter but decided not to at the last minute. Even though I really like baking with fresh cranberries, I just wanted a more simple banana bread this time. In Joy the Baker's recipe, she adds 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries to the batter, folding it in right before turning the batter into the loaf pan. 

Brown Butter Banana Bread

Adapted from Joy the Baker

For the bread

6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 large eggs

3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt

For the crumble

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup oats

Apple Custard Pancake

I'm always on the lookout for brunch recipes since it's my favorite meal to host. Back in college, we would call it epic brunch. After Sunday mass, we would gather any friends that showed up and have what we called epic brunch. Brunch would last until the late afternoon and we would put off our studies to eat and spend more time together. It is a tradition that has carried on even after graduation. Even though we're all miles away, we still have brunch during our reunions. Since Sunday is a day for sleeping in and general relaxation, I like simple recipes that can be thrown together quickly. This apple pancake is one of them. I made it with the anticipation that it would be more like a German pancake. It wasn't. It was really more of a custard- at least, to me! It reminded me of Laura's apple cinnamon bread pudding minus the bread. The recipe is from the Kitchn.

Apple Custard 

3 medium Granny Smith apples

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 eggs

Gluten Free Cornmeal Waffles

These waffles are even better than the last cornmeal ones that I posted. The best part is that they are so light since they are gluten free. I tried this recipe with standard flour and it wasn't as good so I wouldn't substitute here. I also doubled the recipe which I found on the Yellow Table. The author went to Grove city for college so she lived in Pittsburgh (!!!) for a bit.

I made these for my family and once again for a New Year's brunch with my high school friends. I made Laura's maple bacon scones as an extra treat. We had mimosas, doughnuts, meats, and giant eagle brand buffalo chicken chips. The chips were a bonus on the guys' run to geagle. During brunch at Lacey's, Rex went crazy with her pups (she has 2!!) in between snatching some bacon and sausage from the table. I mean, how could you resist that face? The blur in the corner is Khaleesi, Lauren's puppy!

1 1/2 cups medium grind cornmeal

1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

2 cups buttermilk

4 eggs

4 tablespoons melted butter

Cook according to waffle iron instructions. This makes enough to serve 5-6 people. 

So the version above does really well with sweet toppings. Maple syrup, honey, and butter. You could also make them like my last batch of waffles and add 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, and 1 bunch chopped green onions. These are good with salsa and eggs. 

Cornmeal Jalapeño Waffles

It would make sense to blog some cookies since I have been baking hundreds of them. Those will probably be posted tomorrow since we're busy spending time with friends and family! I've been making brown butter nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies (find the recipe on Ambitious Kitchen's blog- they are as amazing as they sound). Instead of posting a cookie recipe, I'm going to share something savory that is perfect for brunch. It's the perfect follow- up post to Laura's. I've been meaning to make these cornbread waffles for ages ever since I found them on Warm Vanilla Sugar's site. I added some Jalapeños and cheddar cheese to make the waffles even better. I made these for breakfast the day my sister came home from California!

This is how I make my waffle:

This is Tiffy's waffle:

And they were too spicy for Kelly so she didn't get any :(

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cornmeal 

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2/3 cup melted unsalted butter

4 large eggs

2 1/2 cup buttermilk

4 tbsp chopped green onions

2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Toppings:

Salsa

Fried eggs

Shredded cheese

Soft butter and honey 

Make-Ahead Sweet Potato & Sausage Hash

I'm all about the breakfast foods, just usually not for breakfast. Later in the day pancakes, omelets, french toast and co. are awesome, and I make them occasionally for a weekend lunch or anytime dinner. However, I'm not a morning person, and I normally wake up with just enough time to get to work looking like a somewhat normal person - that doesn't leave enough time to make food.

I also don't want to spend time cooking on Christmas morning (and I don't want my mom to have to spend time cooking either). Especially since we started hosting Christmas dinner at my mom's house a couple years ago, Christmas morning is for presents and relaxing before all of the early dinner and holiday hosting crazy prep time.

Today I made sweet potato hash, inspired by a Kitchn post to make it ahead and reheat on Christmas morning in a cast iron skillet with some fried eggs for an easy brunch/breakfast. Hash is my go-to with eggs, like eggs florentine, quiche or scrambled eggs, but I never thought about making it in advance.

Sweet Potato Hash

Adapted from the Kitchn

2 tbsp butter

2 medium onions, sliced

1/2 lb Italian sausage

2 large sweet potatoes

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup rosemary leaves, chopped (about 4 stalks)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp salt, plus more to taste if necessary

Black pepper

Lavender Coffee Cake

This a a recipe I haven't made in years. Just this weekend my friend Kate came to visit in Philly which meant brunch!! This cake is great because it can be made the night before. It's really moist and the crumb topping is fantastic. There's just enough lavender flavor so the cake is not overpowered. I bet substituting 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs would work too (Rosemary, perhaps?). I know Laura would like that! 

Recipe from The Joys of Lavender

Topping:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together and set aside in a small bowl.

Chocolate Glazed Donuts

Ever since I bought a donut pan, I feel obligated to use it as much as possible! I especially feel this way since I generally don't like to buy any kitchen supplies that are beyond the basic ones. In fact, a friend of mine bought me a potato masher since I kept painstakingly and stubbornly using a fork. I have to say, this has been one of the most worthwhile additions to my baking collection. 

Donuts for brunch all the time!!! Also the best part is that I can double the glaze on the donuts! Nick and I made these ones twice already. I usually double the recipe from the Fauxmartha since they taste just like the chocolate munchkins from Dunkin Donuts. I've also made her apple cider donuts and they are delicious too.

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. buttermilk

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tbsp. honey

1 large egg

Glaze (doubled recipe)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk 

1 tsp vanilla

dash of sea salt

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Ramps

It's ramp season! After mass on Sunday, we've been stopping at the Emmaus Farmer's Market. It's the cutest market that is even bigger than in Pittsburgh. There's even a flower CSA that is being offered. Nick and Kelly snuck away to surprise me with some locally sourced wood-fired pizza.

Growing up, I was never a big fan of my hometown. Being here for about a month has given me time to actually explore the area where I grew up. It's surprisingly pretty awesome. What I didn't like back in high school has turned into what I love about this place- the farms! 

I live a couple miles from Rodale Institute which is one of the frontrunners of the organic farm movement, for example. I snagged the ramps from a farmer who has about 40 acres of them growing wild on his farm. They are essentially wild leeks and taste like garlicky goodness. Add them to everything, seriously. It's spring! Go wild!

I decided to create a recipe for scrambled eggs since Brittany, Laura, and I had life changing undercooked eggs at Bar Marco. This is how I want my eggs for the rest of my life. Since you'll essentially be eating raw eggs, source them from someone you trust! 

5 ramps
4 eggs
1 tbsp butter
Goat cheese
Salt and pepper

Discard any yellowing leaves off the ramps. Trim off the roots. Chop the entire ramp from the white to the green part.
Heat a skillet on low heat. Add pat of butter. When melted, sauté the ramps until tender. Just 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs straight into the pan. As the eggs cook on the bottom of the skillet, gently scrape and fold the eggs with a spatula. This process should take about 5 minutes. If they're cooking too fast, take the skillet off the heat for a minute or so. It takes some time but completely worth it. To be honest this took me a couple tries to get the hang of undercooking the eggs.
The eggs are done when they are super soft and still kind of runny. Take the eggs off the stove right before you think they're ready as they will continue to cook even when taken off the heat. Drop some dollops of goat cheese right on top of the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

Orange Cranberry Bread (for bread machine)

I had an epiphany over the weekend: Homemade bread is a damn miracle. Especially when a machine practically makes it for you.

It's Kate here. It's been a long while since I last posted, so I hope you enjoy my new and slightly ambitious cooking adventure!

Mark and I inherited his grandma's bread machine after she passed away a few years ago. I guess they had used it a lot together growing up. But for one reason or another, the bread machine sat in our laundry room until Saturday night, when I thought it would awesome to have some homemade bread in the house. I've baked sweet breads, and I've baked breads with yeast, but I've never made bread using a bread machine. I'm now a believer.

I found this Cranberry Orange Bread recipe from AllRecipes.com, and knew I had to make it because we already had all of the ingredients for it.

Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dried cranberries (the cool kids call them Craisins)
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon orange oil
• 2 teaspoons dried orange zest (my own addition, for additional orangey flavor)

Directions:
Add ingredients to bread machine, wet ingredients on bottom, dry ingredients in middle, and yeast on top. Press start button.

WHO KNEW IT WOULD BE THAT EASY?

Full disclosure: I didn't realize the machine even mixes everything for you. It's like magic. Also, the bread machine has an overnight setting, for fresh bread first thing in the morning, so we opted for that. It came out with a slightly dark crust, but aside from that, it was delicious.

We decided to make french toast with it, and we topped it with cinnamon and sugar. Perfection.

All hail to the bread machine.

In other news, I had to show off the breakfast-themed clock I finally hung up in the kitchen. It still needs batteries, but it looks great up on the wall. My sister Ashley got it for me for Christmas. :)

You can also view this recipe on my blog, Thriftburgher.