eggnog-esque pancakes

HellO 2011!

OMG am I happy to see your face - metaphorically speaking of course! I'm jumping up and down as I type this out of sheer excitement for the New Year - metaphorically jumping I mean. (Who can jump and type at the same time??)  2010 was a little crazy for my tastes so I wasn't too sad to see it come to a close - especially since that meant celebrating.

And especially since I heart holidays. Turns out.

Christmas, Halloween, the 4th of July....my birthday! (ha!)

This past New Year's will surely go down as a favorite. Friday night was filled with good food, even better company and excessive amounts of fabulous wine. There were even presents! Belated and oh so lovely Christmas presents. It was a great way to end 2010 and set the tone for 2011.

Even though the holiday season had officially ended, I decided one last decadent breakfast was necessary. I discovered this recipe while lazily perusing the internet in lieu of doing anything responsible Saturday afternoon. I was hungry (hence food blog stalking) when these pancakes became a Sunday morning must - and thank goodness they did. They were absolutely yummy and you don't even need eggnog to make them.

I followed the recipe to the letter using spiced rum, since I just so happened to have some on hand. One thing to note, don't be afraid of the thick fluffy batter. I was tempted to add extra milk once I had mixed everything together but I thankfully ignored my instincts. These pancakes are some of the lightest and fluffiest I've ever made - and I've made quite a few pancakes in my day. Trust me.

Enjoy! -jz

eggnog-esque pancakes
serves 2 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground allspice
3 Tablespoons butter melted until browned
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon whiskey or spiced rum or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
butter or a lightly colored oil for cooking pancakes
maple syrup for serving

In a small sauce pan, melt butter until much of the water has evaporated and little brown bits appear in the bottom of the pan.  Remove from the flame and add the nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice.  Set aside to cool a bit.

In a small bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk.  Add the melted butter, being to sure to scrape all the browned bits and spices into the buttermilk and egg.  If the butter seizes up a bit in the cold milk, that’s ok. Add the whiskey/rum or vanilla extract and just whisk it all together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to incorporate.  Don’t overmix.  It’s ok if there are a few lumps.

Let the batter rest, untouched for 5 minutes while you heat a griddle or skillet.  Add a tablespoon of canola oil or butter to the hot skillet.  Dollop heaping tablespoonfuls onto heated and oiled skillet and cook until evenly browned, flipping once.  Place cooked pancakes on an oven-proof plate in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Recipe repeated from: Joy the Baker (If you've never checked this blog out, now is the time! She's awesome!)

bacon and egg muffins

I have a confession to make. I have fallen in love with the incredible edible egg all over again. I'm not sure that I was ever truly out of love (?) with them come to think about it. Regardless though, our relationship has rekindled and taken a new turn. This may seem like a risky love affair considering the current salmonella outbreak - but I can't help it. I'm pretty sure it all started when I recently learned how to poach eggs. It was eye opening (think poached eggs with roasted asparagus and prosciutto) and honestly fun! Try it if you never have. There are videos online to help you summon your inner Julia Child.

A few weeks and quite a few eggs after the poaching experiment, I stumbled upon the latest issue of Edible Seattle while out for Sunday coffee with a friend. As if my subconscience was leading the way, the first thing I saw when I opened the magazine was the recipe for these muffins. A bacon biscuit with a whole egg baked right into the middle. I practically bee-lined home to try them....and have made them twice since that day. The recipe is perfect as is. They are best served hot, but are great to grab on the run in the morning and still just as satisfying, and filling, cold. I'm headed to the beach with my family in two weeks and will surely be making these for everyone to munch on for breakfast. Think I can smuggle my mega muffin pan through airport security?? -jz

bacon and egg muffins
makes 6 mega muffins

non-stick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk
7 large eggs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 6 jumbo muffin tins (or 1 cup ramekins) with the vegetable oil spray and set aside.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, bacon, chives and cheese in a large bowl. Combine the milk and one egg in a small bowl, then add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Fold the ingredients together gently until no dry spots remain.

Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each of the muffin tins. Using a soft spatula spread the batter up the sides of the tins a bit, leaving a depression in the middle of the batter. Crack an egg into the center of each cup. Divide the remaining batter between the cups making sure you cover the yolk. It's easiest if you work with small dollops of batter.

Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes until the visible egg white is set and the muffins are just barely beginning to crack. They won't be very brown. Cool 5 minutes, then run a small knife around the edges of each muffin to release. Serve hot.

Recipe taken from: Edible Seattle

mixed berry muesli

I am on my second trip in less than two weeks. Only this time instead of heading to the balmy desert to enjoy poolside mojitos paired with copious amounts of sunshine, I'm headed to the great white....East coast. Pittsburgh to be exact. While I have normally avoided the Steel City this time of year since my move to Seattle, my adorable newborn nephew pulled me homeward this February. And let me tell you, even 60 and sunny felt cold after Palm Springs. Now I'm stuck in a 27 degree snow globe with three - yes, three - feet of snow on the ground. Shivering yet?

All this cold weather left me looking for something a little more satisfying - and warmer - than my typical fruit and yogurt breakfast. Enter muesli. If you've never heard of muesli it's simply any mixture of cereals, dried fruit and nuts that is typically eaten for breakfast. I can attest that it's delicious and the perfect cure for a frigid Pittsburgh morning. Another bonus, the recipe that I'm showcasing here is reminiscent of a decadent berry crumble...but without the guilt. It's that good. Enjoy!

mixed berry muesli
makes 4-6 one cup servings

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
1/4 dried cherries, chopped
1 tablespoon cinnamon
a dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 1/2 cups low sugar mixed berry juice

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl or container that will hold at least one quart. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve warm (can be heated in the microwave) or cold with yogurt.