Pancakes FROM SCRATCH!

So we ran out of Bisquick, and I was feeling like it was time for pancakes (after maybe 2 months - that's forever long. Actually, it might be since July when Sam and Eliza came for breakfast on her birthday...). Anyways, the boys are over this morning, and they might revolt and stage a mutiny if there are not pancakes in the morning. So I had to find a recipe from scratch. Here is what I found at allrecipes.com.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients.

Easy.
No big deal.
I decided that even though it was the first time making this recipe, I would try something interesting. I used SILK instead of MILK, and it made for some very creamy pancakes. I couldn't get them all the way firm. We also added pumpkin filling for yumminess. They were eaten rapidly! This recipe made about 20 pancakes.

Eggplant Rollatini

From Woman's Day | November 1, 2007

* Active Time: 30 minutes
* Total Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar (24 oz) puttanesca sauce (or whatever kind of sauce you prefer)
  
• 2 eggplants (about 1 1/4 lb each)
• + 2 Tbsp oil
• 12 oz linguine fini

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 400°F. You'll need 2 large baking sheets lined with nonstick foil and a 13 x 9-in. baking dish.

2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in baking dish. Cut each eggplant lengthwise in 6 slices, trimming to make slices even. Brush both sides with oil. Place on baking sheets. Coarsely chop trimmings; add to sheets. Bake 20 minutes; turn and bake 10 minutes more or until tender.

3. Cook pasta; drain and return to pot. Stir chopped eggplant trimmings into remaining sauce, remove 1 cup sauce and reserve. Toss rest of sauce with the pasta.

4. Top each slice eggplant with 1/4 cup pasta and roll up. Spread remaining pasta in baking dish; top with rollatini, seam side down. Spread with the 1 cup reserved sauce; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Easy Granola Recipe

Okay, I finally did it! I made granola from scratch. It was super easy - and cheap, especially considering that Matt eats it faster than I can make it...

I googled easy granola recipes and every site sent me to Pam Anderson (no, not from Baywatch...). She was published in a USA Today article. Here is my scaled down version, just the parts that were helpful to me. I have been playing with the extras and mixing and matching these recipes. It has been delicious!

Some suggestions from Pam:

• Don't use quick oats - that is not going to work because they are not the right kinda oats.
  
• use both liquid and dry sweeteners - Pam uses maple syrup in the recipe but also suggest molasses and honey (in different proportions). This adds flavor and color to the granola.
  
• bake at low temperatures - I don't actually think we are cooking in the baking sense of the word. It was more about crisping the oats.
• make clusters - just like in the granola you bought at the store. The clusters hold whatever you put it on.

Master Recipe - makes about 1 quart
DRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup wheat germ (I don't know what this does)
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar (I found dark brown, I don't know what the difference is to regular brown sugar)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Extra ingredients (see below)
  

WET INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup maple syrup - To replace maple syrup, use 2 tbsp each maple syrup & molasses
  
• 3 tbsp oil (it said flavorless, I used olive oil)
• 1 tbsp water
• flavorings (see below)

1. Classic Granola
Extra ingredients: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes (yea right, not in my kitchen), 1/3 cup raisins (yea right, maybe 1 1/2 cups)
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2. Crunchy Granola
Extra ingredients: 1/4 cup slivered almonds, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 6 tbsp currants (?)
Flavoring: none

3. Granola with Tropical Flavoring
Extra ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews, 1/4 cup chopped banana chips, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup dried pineapple
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp ground ginger

4. Granola with Cherries and Almonds
Extra ingredients: 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dried cherries
Flavoring: 3/4 tsp almond extract

5. Trail Mix Granola
Extra ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Flavoring: none
***chips go in at the very end, after the baking, and after it has COOLED - DUH

6. Orange-Berry Granola with Pecans
Extra ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup dried blueberries
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp orange zest

7. Pear Granola with Hazelnut & Vanilla
Extra ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries, 1/4 cup dried pears
Flavoring: 1 tsp vanilla extract

FINALLY HOW TO MAKE THIS!!!

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees
2. Coat 9x13 metal pan with cooking spray (I didn't see the metal part and it worked fine!)
3. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl - NO FRUIT - and set aside
4. Simmer wet ingredients together over low heat
5. Drizzle wet over the dry (in the bowl) and stir to combine
6. Pour into prepared pan
7. Working in handfuls, seriously, squeeze to make clusters (if not clustering, add a little more water)
8. Bake for 30 minutes
9. ADD FRUIT NOW, not earlier so it isn't soggy granola
   
10. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more
11. Cool, and EAT!!!

Don't forget to store in airtight something so it stays crunchy.

Chili (Matt's Favorite)

Matt is a huge chili fan - I could care less about chili - and this has been the biggest problem with dinnertime. Matt will eat chili regardless of the heat outside. So, here is a chili that even I enjoy eating! This recipe is from Giada de Laurentiis.

You will need:

• olive oil
• 1 lg. onion chopped
• 4 cloves minced garlic (I used the stuff that comes minced in the grocery store)
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• salt
• 1 tbsp fennel seed
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin (my personal favorite, I probably added more)
• 2 tsp chili powder (I did use all of this)
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 (15 ounce cans) cannellini (white beans) rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (or you can use Spinach)
• 1 1/2 cups corn (I used canned)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (I forgot this at the end)

1. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently under chicken is browned (about 10 minutes). If you want a spicier chili, add the red pepper flakes now.
   
3. Stir in the flour (this will help thicken the sauce later, but not have the flour taste).
   
4. Add the beans, Swiss chard (like spinach, this will cook down a lot so don't feel like it will overpower anything), corn, and chicken stock. Add a little salt at each layer, like now.
5. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced (no lid) by about half and the chili has thickened.
6. Add the red pepper flakes here for less spicy chili, and simmer another 10 minutes (no lid). Season with salt and pepper.
7. Ladle into bowls (duh) and sprinkle with cheese and parsley.
   

It was awesome. This made enough for us to have seconds and Matt had lunch and dinner the next day.

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake (but not like you think)

with thanks to Connie Aubuchon

1 box chocolate cake mix (or any other flavour)
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened (again, any other flavour)
3 eggs
1 c water

Preheat oven to 350^o. Grease a tube or bundt pan, then dust with cocoa powder.

Beat all ingredients together for 4 minutes, pour into pan and bake 45 minutes. Serve with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, a thin icing, whipped cream or the frosting of your choice.

French Fries

I stumbled on this recipe and wanted to keep it until I was ready to try it. So I thought I might as well share it with you too!

You will need:

• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 russet potatoes (about 8oz each), each cut into 12 wedges
• 3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 225°C/475° F.
2. Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to the baking dish, coating it well.
4. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the bowl to redistribute the potatoes halfway through cooking.
5. Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.
6. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Serve with ketchup, mayo or sour cream.

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

Okay - I love cookies. And chocolate chip are definitely my favorites; no competition. So when I stumbled on this recipe for more chocolate, I had to try them. Now before you make them and then question my intellect for calling these cookies, realize that they are supposed to be more moist and brownie or cake-like than actual cookies. Do not hold it against me, just modify the amount of melted chocolate and flour that you use.

You will need:

• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used Bakers, because it is an 8 oz box)
  
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus an extra 1/3 cup (or maybe a little more at the end)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (or maybe a little less)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks. (I did this by hand instead of using the mixer... my batter looked more like cake than cookies. It might have needed more beating but I wanted to do less cleaning and so opted out of using the mixer.)
   
   
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 (we only did 10) minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

They were different. We didn't know ahead of time that they would have a different consistency. They need a glass of milk with them definitely. But in the end, no real complaints. They tasted like semisweet chocolate; a combination of different kinds of chocolate would have been interesting. Maybe milk, or butterscotch would have made for a better combination.