More Than Whole Wheat Pancakes

My sister Lindsey and I have a huge distaste for store bought pancake mixes. We've always made buttermilk pancakes from scratch for our kids. They taste amazing. We know exactly what goes in them, and can pronounce every ingredient in them without a college degree.



Last year I had come across a whole wheat buttermilk pancake that was actually quite good. It was around the time of my Get Fit Challenge, and even though whole wheat is quite healthy, I felt I needed to adapt the recipe to make it fit in with the nutritional direction I was going in.


So I swapped out some ingredients with a few delicious ones I have fallen in love with. Agave Nectar has become my go to sweetener in place of honey for almost everything. It doesn't give a spike to your blood sugar like honey does, making it a great substitute if you are a diabetic.


Greek Yogurt has got to be just about the best thing ever created, and is an amazing swap for buttermilk in these pancakes. If you've never tried it before, you must. Rich and creamy, even the non-fat version will make you do a double take, making you wonder if you accidentally picked up a full fat version.



Now, I've never been one much to drown my pancakes in maple syrup. I prefer a simple dusting of powdered sugar and some orange marmalade...sometimes peanut butter. I just prefer the fresh taste of a fluffy home made pancake with a touch of sweetness- and fluffy these are, which can be difficult to come by in a whole wheat pancake.


It's unusual to find a whole wheat pancake that is not only nutritious, but delicious and kid friendly as well. This recipe may just find your kiddos waiting impatiently for theirs...

More Than Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbs Agave Nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c non fat Greek yogurt
2 eggs

In a small bowl blend together the whole wheat, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the agave nectar, vanilla extract, olive oil, skim milk, Greek yogurt, and eggs.

Stir in the whole wheat mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pour approximately 1/4 c batter onto medium hot non stick griddle, slightly buttered. When batter bubbles slightly and looks a little dry around the edges, flip and cook on other side until pancake has risen and is nicely browned.

Makes approximately 7 pancakes (4").

Nation Food Bloggers Great American Bake Sale Success!

I can't think of any other time that I planned an event that wasn't stressful- they usually are. But this one was different. All the "cards" just sorta fell into place, and this past Saturday we had our long awaited National Food Bloggers Great American Bake Sale! We had a great time and a great turn out!


I can't begin to say enough good things about the great folks that hosted us, 5th and Wine, in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. Not only did they let us use all of the tables and chairs we needed, but let us have an entire room in the restaurant with it's own entrance off a main touristy intersection. Restaurant patrons were encouraged by the amazing staff to stop by our display after dining to purchase some goodies to take home. They even went so far to include the details of the event in a mass email to their customers, as well as promoting it on Facebook to their fans. Scott Yanni, the establishments General Manager, continuously made sure we were well taken care of at all times, and even had his own (huge!) family come to the event. Scott, I thank you from the bottom of my heart...


We had a fantastic raffle with donations of One hour Zoom teeth whitening and Sonicare Electric toothbrush from Harris Dental, two $25 Gift certificates from 5th and Wine, a $50 online gift certificate from DeMarco's Italian Specialties, a King Arthur Flour gift basket and a beautiful glass Apothecary jar filled with chocolates.


We met so many happy, joyful people excited to help and splurge on sweets for the cause. We also heard so many comments on not only the variety of the goodies we had, but their uniqueness as well. Lemon Basil Shortbread was one fabulous donation from a friend, Sharon, excited to bake for the cause. She said she lie awake at night trying to come up with something different, and let me tell you, they were fabulous!

For a couple years now I've been a huge fan of Arizona's own Food Hunters Guide to Cuisine, a fab blog for all things Tuscan and tasty. She helped tremendously behind the scenes, promoting and baking delicious Frosted Orange Bars, Lemon Ricotta Muffins (to die for!), amazing Mosaic Biscotti and more. It was a joy to meet her for the very first time at our bake sale!

My friend Kim made her signature Coconut, chocolate chip, and almond drop cookies, which are absolutely fantastic... I considered buying half even before the bake sale!

Through the Share Our Strength website a gal named Meg, here in Arizona, got a hold of me to find out how she could help. After making 125 brownies decorated with cute little bows, she drove them to my house, almost 40 miles one way, a couple days before the event!

Thanks to Andrea of All Caked Up, a local bakery within Dominics Bistro Italiano for providing some fabulous cupcakes and frosted Toll House treats as well. I still havent met Andrea yet, but if she is half as sweet as her mom, who raved about her baked goods, then I can't wait to meet her!

My friend Gail made dozens of Pizelles to my utter joy, and my mother in law, Lynda, made so many wonderful treats I considered keeping them for myself ;)


After reconnecting with a dear friend, Victor, from high school who is now located in Hawaii, I received an email from his wife, Vicki. They had a friend who had recently moved to Arizona who didn't know anyone, "is a prolific baker", and would I mind some help for the bake sale..?! We made a new friend that day in Sara, who has to have made the best Scharfenberger brownies I have ever tasted, and stayed to help all day with the sale.

Some months ago at the signing for the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook (that's me and my kidlet in the second photo down with Ree!), I happened to be Tweeting about the event while I was there, and met a sweet gal named Stephanie, a tweet addict as well, that just warmed my heart and entertained my little one with bubble gum. When she heard me tweet about the bake sale she volunteered to bake immediately. She stayed to help as well on Saturday, bringing Donut Pops, Neopolitan Mini Cupcakes, and the truly coveted French Macaron's in toffee and s'mores flavors....Mmmmmmm!

With the help of my mom, Marian, who handled taking care of the sale of goodies and raffles while us gals grabbed passer's by with some hoots and hollers, our team was able to earn just over $500 for Share Our Strength!


Thanks to all that came out to visit us on Saturday- purchasing, donating, encouraging, and keeping us laughing. We had a blast, and couldn't have had a sale without all of you!

National Food Bloggers Bake Sale

Did you know that even today, in the year 2010, that almost 17 million— almost one in four—children in America go hungry every day? It's hard for me to fully comprehend that number. Even in my worst of times, when things seemed impossibly lean, I can't say that I have ever known hunger. But millions of children do, right here in our own back yards.

I have joined hands with Food Bloggers everywhere who have partnered with Share Our Strength to help end childhood hunger in America by 2015. Together, on April 17th, Food Bloggers across the country will be having a bake sale to benefit Americas hungry children. All the funds raised here in our community stay here to benefit "our" children.

With our location generously donated by the fantastic folks at 5th and Wine, a fabulous restaurant and wine bar, Team LaDue and Crew will be hosting an amazing bake sale on Saturday, April 17th from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. that will tantalize your taste buds! With exceptional Italian desserts provided by Andrea of All Caked Up, Theresa of Food Hunters Guide to Cuisine, Jennifer of Jennifer's Cooking Spot, myself, and many others, we know we have something to satisfy everyone's craving!

If sweets don't catch your fancy, no worries! Come out to visit us anyway for a fantastic dining experience and raffle prizes from the fab folks at 5th and Wine, Harris Dental, a King Arthur Flour gift basket and more! What..? You say you can't make it that day..?! Well how about joining our team behind the scenes! Leave me a comment with your contact info and I'll tell you how you can help!

I can't wait to see all of you on Saturday April 17th from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.- Let's help Americas children!!

5th and Wine
7051 E 5th Avenue
Scottsdale, Arizona 85251
(480) 699-8001

(located west of the Horse Fountain at the corner of 5th Avenue and Marshall Way, right in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale)

Edna's Cafe Biscuits

There is something just so comforting about a fresh homemade biscuit. Just out of the oven, steam rising off the top, bathed in butter. It can send you down memory lane in a few blinks of an eye.



In this day and age of everything from a can, and freezer to oven convenience, the art of making biscuits for dinner has largely gone by the wayside.

There was a time when making a stellar biscuit got a gal a husband, and heck, in the movie "McLintock" it even got Yvonne DeCarlo a job when Chill Wills handed John Wayne a biscuit she had made.



Over the last 30 years I have been obsessed with making the perfect biscuit. I've made some good, but many bad. I'd get the flavor right but then they would be too hard. Some were supremely tall, but tasted like aluminum because I had added too much baking powder.


Over time I'd make little notes in my cookbooks as to what I had liked and disliked about a certain recipe. The flakiness. The flavor. The crunch of that first bite. I found that two things stood out the most. Many recipes called for shortening. Maybe it's just me, but I've found that shortening leaves a coating and somewhat of an unpleasant taste in my mouth after I eat one containing it.

The other was the liquid ingredient. So many people love a buttermilk addition to many recipes, and generally I am one of those people. But I found that most often, like most people, I would have to use a substitute for it. Buttermilk is not something I usually keep on hand, and I really don't care for the powdered variety. I found though, that I actually preferred the flavor of lemon juice and whole milk combined, as a substitute for the buttermilk.



Thirty years is a long time to figure out how to make a biscuit. I'm happy to say now though that I am done. I don't care to peruse recipes for another, or jump when someone else says they have a great recipe. These are delicious. They are satisfying. They keep my hubby happy. Need say more?

Edna's Cafe Biscuits

3 c flour
1- 1/2 tsp sugar
2- 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt, slightly heaping
1/2 c unsalted butter, cubed small and very cold
Scant 1- 1/4 cups whole milk
1 Tbs lemon juice

In a large measuring cup, add 1 Tbs lemon juice. Then add whole milk up to the 1-1/4 c mark. Mixture will start to curdle. Stir and set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add unsalted butter and using pastry blender, blend until butter is the size of large peas. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir only until just combined. Place dough onto a well floured surface and pat out to a large square or rectangle, of about 1/2" thick. You can cut biscuits into squares with a knife, or use a round biscuit cutter to make approximately 9 to 12 biscuits. Pat together any remaining scraps and form into biscuits as well.

Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray and place biscuits on pan about 1" apart. Bake in a pre heated 425F oven for about 10 to15 minutes, depending on your oven, until light golden brown. Serve hot with butter, jam, honey, or whatever your heart desires. Me, I just like 'em plain. Enjoy!

Blue Corn Macarons with Prickly Pear Requeson Cream

Love is in the air, and it's time for Mac Attack 4- my contribution to my latest addiction, the French Macaron. Wanting to give my macs a bit of Southwestern flair, I thought long and hard about which ingredients I wanted to make them of, knowing that I wanted to steer very clear of the traditionally anticipated Valentines chocolates.


I really wanted to showcase ingredients abundantly available here in Arizona, yet used in a non traditional way. My first thought was to use mesquite flour, which I seem to find everywhere I go from mid summer to fall. That is when most local people harvest them from their own trees and and have them locally ground. Mesquite has a sweet, nutty flavor, which I felt would be a perfect mac companion. But none was available this time of year, and I really didn't feel like driving 30 miles to pay $12 for a pound at Whole Foods. If any local readers know of another place, please, do tell...


When I went into my pantry to gather ingredients one day for cornbread, as I was reaching for the bag of cornmeal, it struck me- blue cornmeal would be a fantastic addition to my macs, still keeping within my quest for the Southwest, and adding an interesting speckled color as well. I decided in addition to that, to flavor the macs with a cinnamon- vanilla flavored Mexican toasted barley drink, that is similar to Horchata, made most often from rice.



Everywhere I go in the Valley I see prickly pear cacti. Sadly, I don't even think of them as a food or ingredient much anymore, rather, an ornament for ones yard. But the fruit harvested here, when its little spines are removed, have a deliciously sweet, berry- melon like flavor, with almost a hint of spice. Flavor can also change, depending on where you live. I just thought it would be the perfect companion to my Blue corn macs. Blended with a fresh Mexican Requeson cheese (similar to ricotta), would make a rich filling even cupid would love.


Macarons are absolutely French, subtly elegant, and worthy of the finest establishment. No doubt about it. But here in the great Southwest, well, we just pull up a cactus, pour ourselves a margarita, and eat 'em on our patio ;-)

Blue Corn Macarons

3 Tbs Cebada con vainilla y canela (Barley with cinnamon and vanilla) mix
1/4 c ground almonds
1/4 c Blue Cornmeal
1-1/2 c powdered sugar
3 large egg whites- room temperature
5 Tbs granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Prickly Pear Cream

3/4 c requeson (or ricotta, fully drained)
1/4 c prickly pear jelly
1 tsp unflavored gelatin

Place the almonds, blue cornmeal, cebada (barley), and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is well blended and like a fine powder. You will still have some larger pieces of blue cornmeal throughout; that's okay. Sift once into a medium bowl and then set aside.

Place room temperature egg whites into bowl of stand mixture, and beat until foamy. At that point add vanilla, and slowly add granulated sugar, beating until shiny, but not stiff.

Add the cornmeal mixture to the egg whites, folding gently, yet mixing thoroughly, to be sure there aren't any lumps.

With a pastry bag, pipe 1" circles on a parchment lined baking pan, about 1" apart. Lightly tap pan on the counter to let any air bubbles surface and pop. Let piped macarons sit for about 15 minutes before placing in a pre heated 350F oven. Bake for 10 minutes, watching carefully, until you notice "feet" and the shells are hard. Let cool on parchment before removing.

For the filling:

In a food processor or blender, combine the requeson and the prickly pear jelly. Pulse until smooth, and well blended. Pour mixture (will be runny) into a small bowl. Then add 1 tsp unflavored gelatin to mixture, stirring well. Chill for 30 minutes.

Pipe or spoon filling mixture onto a single mac, sandwiching with another. Best when chilled for about 30 minutes.

Blood Orange and Jicama Salad

I adore the crunch and flavor of jicama. It's sweet, starchy, crunch is a nice change of pace from blah carrots and celery. It has zero fat and cholesterol, and fits in perfect with my commitment to #10in10: Ten Weeks to Healthy in 2010. Thanks to Lori over at Recipe Girl for putting together this challenge, there are now 336 participants from 41 states and 15 countries!



I first made this salad ten years ago, after seeing an episode on foodtv.com featuring Curtis Aikens. I loved it's freshness and simplicity. The crisp, pear-like jicama combined with the sweetness of orange, and the spicy edge of the jalapeno... a winning combination. If you're worried about jalapeno in this salad, don't. For the most part, once the seeds and membranes are removed, it retains the flavor but loses most, if not all, of its heat.



Originally this salad called for everyday oranges- and made that way is absolutely fabulous. However, when I was at my local market the other day, I came across these amazing blood oranges for $.19 cents each. They were so sweet and so pretty, and a gorgeous alternative to the original recipe.


With blood oranges at pennies, and the combined remaining ingredients coming in at just under $3.00, not only was this a very healthy salad, but an inexpensive one as well. Perfect for the #10in10 challenge!

Blood Orange and Jicama Salad
adapted from Curtis Aikens

1 jicama, peeled and julienned
3 blood oranges, supremed
1 small red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed, minced (wear gloves!)
1 Tbs honey (I prefer orange blossom honey)
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped- I love cilantro, so I used more
Salt and pepper to taste- I only used a touch of salt

Combine all ingredients and chill. Best served when cold. Serves approximately 4 .

Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Chili Cream Cheese Filling

Having taken an unannounced hiatus of sorts, I knew I had to come back from the holidays with a bang. What not a better way than to participate in MacAttack3, a virtual mac kitchen that was the brainstorm of Deeba and Jaime.




Having gotten to know Deeba via Twitter over the last year, I kept hearing her and many of my other Twitter friends getting ecstatic over these things called "feet"- the ruffley bottom, a sign of a perfectly "born" French Macaron. Monthly, the cries of joy, literally, from around the world, were like a wave through the Twitterverse, all full of happiness and parental pride. Supposedly, this little thing called a mac, simple in its ingredients, was a stubborn little mule.



So I decided to try my hand at the infamous mac a few weeks ago, using cardamom as my signature flavor. You know, Moi, the maker of custom cakes and all things fondantly difficult..? How difficult could a mac possibly be...pffft!

I ground the almonds. Try as I might they took forever to come to the consistency needed for a smooth batter. I whisked my egg whites and, for the very first time in my life, they refused to stiffen properly. I folded in my almonds and spice, battling the lumps with each fold. Finally, piping the mac batter onto a dark, non-stick liner, I placed them into the oven, certain that my macs would listen to their momma.

Not.

They baked all too quickly, and, while they had something resembling "feet", they were only a couple millimeters tall, too dark, and harder than the pan they rested on. Just like a difficult child.


After more encouragement from my Twitter friends, Deeba, Barbara, Paula, Renee, and Barbara, I decided to give it another go, this time using Paulas Chocolate Macaron recipe. The reason I chose her recipe, besides the fact that her macs are simply gorgeous, was simply because her recipe had all the conversions from grams to cups, which had been part of my prior difficulty, already done.

So today, on my second mac attempt, I gave birth to 20 pretty and perfect Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Chili Cream Cheese frosting... complete with all their chubbby little "feet".

One prepared recipe of Paula's Chocolate Macarons
Chocolate Chili Cream Cheese Filling

4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1.5 oz StoneGround Guajillo Chili Chocolate (or your favorite chocolate)

In medium bowl whip cream cheese with vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar until well blended. Set aside.

In a small microwave safe bowl, grate chocolate, preferrably with a microplane grater. Place bowl into microwave and heat, in 15-20 second increments until melted.

Add to bowl with cream cheese and beat until well incorporated. Slowly add remaining powdered sugar, mixing well, until a nice smooth (but not runny) consistency, adding more if necessary.

Spread mixture on the flat side of one mac, making a sandwich with another.

Makes approximately 20 Macarons.

Cranberry Ginger Bars

"OMG I just went to Starbucks and I bought a Cranberry Bliss Bar. They are so good but they are so expensive can you make them for me?!"

That was a frantic text that I received early one morning from my friend, Jennifer.

"LOL, of course... when?", I replied.

"Really?! You'll make them?! Oh man, now you're talkin' dirty to me!!"

That's Jennifer. When I talk food, it's "dirty" to her. She's a devoted follower of anything I make that remotely involves buttercream. That's why her and I work out together.



I was actually craving those bars myself that week, having seen a copy cat version of them on my local news station, which is why I found it pretty funny that Jennifer had text me that request early that morning.


While I didn't have the exact ingredients specified in this copy cat version, I knew I could make do with what I had on hand. Fresh ginger root on hand..? Yup. Did you know that a thin slice, slightly simmered in a cup of milk (with a touch of sugar), will calm a nauseous tummy? Now you know...


The recipe called for crystallized ginger, actually. But since I didn't have it, and to keep the texture in the recipe the same, I added some chopped citron (sprinkled with sugar to help with abrasiveness while chopping)



While these aren't exactly like the bars you may have had, I have to say they are pretty close. I love the addition of lemon in the cream cheese frosting, and the fresh ginger is a welcome change of pace from everything previously pumpkin.

Cranberry Ginger Bars
adapted from Todd Wilbur as submitted to azfamily.com


Bar

3/4 c unsalted butter
1 c dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbs fresh grated ginger root
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used homemade)
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 c AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs citron, mixed and chopped with 1 tsp sugar
1/2 c white chocolate chips
3/4 c chopped Craisins

Frosting

1/2 c soft cream cheese
3 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp lemon juice

Topping

1/4 c chopped dried Craisins
4 Tbs white chocolate chips, melted

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the unsalted butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs, fresh grated ginger, vanilla, and salt, beating well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Gradually add into the butter mixture until creamy.

Mixing with wooden spoon, add the dried Craisins and citron. Pour batter evenly into a greased 13x9 inch pan (or larger if you prefer a thinner bar). Bake at 350 F for approximately 30 minutes until top is golden brown. Let cool.

For the frosting combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Spread frosting evenly over cooled baked bars.

Melt white chocolate chips and place in a pastry bag with fine tip, or use a small sandwich bag with corner cut off. Pipe white chocolate onto cream cheese frosting in a diamond shape pattern. Sprinkle with chopped Craisins. Bars are best eaten when slightly chilled, and can be frozen.

Irish Cream

Well throw me a pair of curly toed shoe's and call me an elf~ it's actually been cold here in good 'ol Phoenix, AZ! For us desert dwellers, we start doing a little jig when the cool weather hits, only because we know that all too soon, our AC will be back on and our utility bills will rise. Here, cold weather is a welcome reprieve.


We actually enjoy sitting outside on a cold winters night with a fire pit blazing, a blanket to snuggle in, and a wee bit of the Irish to keep us warm.

Years ago, my sister gave me a recipe for Irish Cream, and it was amazing. But the one thing I wasn't too crazy about was that it contained raw egg. Arizona + raw egg = potential problem. So deep in the throes of an Irish cream crave when our temps dipped to a frigid 45 F the other night, I found this recipe for an egg- less, deliciously rich Irish Cream. With ingredients I already had on hand, my little elf toes are not only curly, but nice and snugly warm tonight.

Irish Cream
adapted from Kathy Fredricksen, as submitted to the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel

1 c half and half
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 c Irish whiskey (I used what I had- Jim Beam)
2 tsp instant coffee
3 Tbs chocolate syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used my homemade Bourbon Vanilla)
1 tsp almond extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until well blended. Pour into a covered glass bottle and store in refrigerator. Shake before serving. Serve over crushed ice or in a steaming cup of coffee. Recipe makes exactly 4 cups and keeps approximately 2 months refrigerated.

Surf's up!

Hi, I'm Crabby! Well, no, not really...but I could be. It's been cake city around here, and that's why I've been a tad MIA these days here at the 'ol blog. I posted on Facebook and Twitter recently that I make cakes and wouldn't ya know, people came a callin'!


This cake was for little Kade who recently turned one. His mom said they were having a surfboard themed party, drawing inspiration from his party invitations. So, using the invitation as a guide, I molded and slightly carved the surfboard out of Rice Krispy treats. Later I covered it in fondant to match the invitation.



Mr Crabs here I molded out of white fondant and rested him on my coffee scoop to harden a bit. Later I painted him with various food colorings until he got that mottled look.


I formed starfish and sand dollars out of fondant, letting them rest on various sized measuring spoons. That gave them more of a realistic shape. I painted, then sprinkled them with a bit of edible glitter to give them that slightly wet, shiny look.



Of course, every little surf boarder has to have some surfwax so he doesn't fall off the board.



A bit of golden sugar crystals on top of tons of real buttercream give us that sandy beach effect.



From crab, to surfboard, to cake, all completly edible...



I know 'ol Ace of Cakes and the Cake Boss can whip their cakes out at a moments notice with a team of plenty. Not me though. I'm just a team of one. Think I can get a show..? I'll even do my own dishes...