Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles

These waffles are great for fall! I love using buttermilk in pancakes/waffles; they turn out so light and fluffy. These call for just one cup of pumpkin puree; I gave the rest of the can to my dog over a couple days- he loves it and pumpkin is good for dogs. :) 

Pumpkin Buttermilk Waffles 

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 ¼ cups (303 g) buttermilk (see note)
1 cup (245 g) canned pumpkin puree
4 large (200 g) eggs
6 tablespoons (86 g) butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (27 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, butter and vanilla until very well-combined. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon baking soda, nutmeg, salt, ginger and allspice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Don't over mix or the waffles may cook up tough instead of soft and fluffy.

2. Heat a waffle maker to medium. Scoop batter into hot waffle maker and cook until golden. Serve with butter, maple syrup, or whatever you want. 

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Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes II

I already have a recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes on here.  It's similar but not exactly the same.  I wanted to try this new one and was very happy with it.  The family enjoyed these too.  (Except my then 5-year old is now 14, and still didn't want to try them!!  Dork!! Lol).  I used my own pumpkin puree for this but feel free to use canned.  Whatever you prefer or have on hand.

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes
adapted from Cooking Classy

2 cups (282g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups (350ml) buttermilk
3 Tbsp (1.5 oz) butter, melted, plus more cold butter for griddle
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Preheat a non-stick electric griddle to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Make a large well in center of mixture and set aside.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Pour into well in dry mixture and whisk just until combined (batter should be slightly lumpy, don't over-mix). Let batter rest 3 minutes.

3.  Spray griddle with non-stick spray.  Pour about 1/3 cup of batter at a time onto griddle. Spread out a little if needed.  Cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and cook opposite side until golden. Repeat process until all of the batter has been used. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.

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Cornbread Pancakes with Strawberry Compote

We just got back from a long vacation, and I made these before that. They were very good.  I just used a 16-oz bag of frozen sliced strawberries for this and it worked out perfectly. I put Mascarpone cheese on mine instead of butter- I really liked this with the strawberry compote.  (We had to use up the mascarpone before our trip)

I'll post about my trip later- we went to Westport, WA, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton.  I loved it!

Cornbread Pancakes with Strawberry Compote
adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 4-6

For the compote:
3 cups stemmed and quartered strawberries (or 16 oz. frozen strawberries)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the pancakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Butter or neutral oil, for cooking

1.  Make the compote: Place the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have released much of their liquid, and the liquid is syrupy and fragrant, about 15 minutes.

2.  Make the pancakes: Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl; set aside.

3.  Place the buttermilk, milk, and egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter and whisk to combine. Pour over the flour mixture and stir gently just until you no longer see any dry flour; set aside.

4.  Place the egg whites in a small bowl and whisk until foamy and doubled in volume. (Can use a stand mixer for this.)  Fold the egg whites into the batter and stir until you no longer see any streaks of whites. Let the batter rest until thickened and slightly foamy, at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour.

5.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil or pat of butter in a large nonstick frying pan, a griddle, or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams but doesn't brown or the oil shimmers. Using a 1/4 to 1/2-cup measure, drop the pancake batter into the skillet. The batter should spread.

6.  Watch for bubbles to start forming on the surface of the pancake. Cook until the bubbles burst, the edges of the pancake look set, and the bottom is golden-brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed if it seems like the pancakes are cooking too quickly or slowly. Flip the pancake and cook until the second side is golden-brown, about 2 1/2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with more butter and the strawberry compote.

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Overnight Yeast Pancakes

I love recipes like this- you do most of the work the night before, and then get to sleep in on a weekend morning and wake up to a super-easy breakfast.  (We haven't had a nice weekend breakfast forever, and it was finally time last Saturday morning).  I have favorite recipes for yeast waffles, but none for pancakes so far, so I did a quick online search and landed on this recipe, using both yeast and buttermilk, which is just perfect for me.

Overnight Yeast Pancakes
adapted from the Washington Times

1 teaspoon (about ½ package) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons lukewarm water
2 cups flour (used half white and half whole wheat pastry)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons tablespoon honey
Butter, as needed

1.  Using a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the the buttermilk, eggs, oil and honey. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine (the batter will not be completely smooth). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2.  To cook pancakes, heat a griddle or nonstick skilled over medium heat. Lightly butter the griddle and let melt. Stir the batter and pour 1/4-1/3 cup into the skillet for each pancake, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes.

3.  Flip and cook until the bottom is lightly golden and pancakes are springy to the touch. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven.  Makes 10 to 12 large (6-inch) pancakes.

Note: Pancake batter will keep for 3 days, refrigerated.

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Overnight Buttermilk Yeasted Waffles

These waffles combine everything I love about waffles into one recipe; using buttermilk, for tenderness, yeast, for that fluffy, light and crisp texture that only yeast can provide, and mixing up the batter overnight, for ease the next morning.  (Or, make the batter in the morning and let it rest until evening... breakfast for dinner!)  Also, these waffles use only one bowl!!  I think this is the perfect waffle recipe.  You can even use one cup of whole wheat pastry flour and they taste exactly the same. I've made these three times since discovering them a few weeks ago, they even were requested by my daughter on her 13th birthday breakfast recently.  I love, love, love this recipe.  PS: As with a lot of waffle recipes, I cut the butter in half in this recipe without any problems whatsoever.  I only use 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup.

Overnight Buttermilk Yeasted Waffles

adapted from Baking Bites

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (.25-oz)
1/2 cup warm water (approx 100-110F)
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour (can use one cup whole wheat pastry)
1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1.  In a large bowl, stir together yeast and warm water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk in buttermilk, melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in flour and salt until batter is smooth.  Cover bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (for 8-12 hours.  You can also make this in the morning and let it sit in the fridge until dinnertime).

2.  In the morning, remove waffle batter from the refrigerator. Stir in baking soda, and mix vigorously until well incorporated. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

3.  Preheat your waffle maker as directed by the manufacturer.  Dollop waffle batter onto hot, lightly greased waffle iron (as directed by the manufacturer) and allow to cook until golden brown.  Serve immediately, with butter and maple syrup. (Try different toppings. My fave was Biscoff with runny homemade strawberry freezer jam (it didn't set up... lol, but it was perfect for these waffles!) My kids love peanut butter and jam with a tiny drizzle of syrup.)  *Serves 4-6

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Homemade Strawberry Sauce

This is a super easy, super simple homemade strawberry sauce I've made a few times in the last year to top waffles and pancakes.  I was able to get a pic of it last time so I can finally post it here.  :)  I use frozen strawberries for this, making it even easier.  I use vanilla sugar to make this sauce extra tasty.  For a special treat, top homemade waffles with this strawberry sauce and whipped cream.  Or try it with vanilla ice cream!

Homemade Strawberry Sauce

adapted from Nature's Nurture

1 pound bag frozen strawberries (sliced works well)
2 tablespoons sugar or vanilla sugar (or sweetener of choice)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3-4 tablespoons water

1.  Add the strawberries and sugar to a medium-sized heavy saucepan.  Heat at medium-low until the sugar melts, then turn up the heat to medium and bring to a boil.  Once it boils, remove from heat and lightly mash the strawberries using a potato masher, or a fork or wooden spoon.

2.  Return to heat and bring back to a boil, then dissolve cornstarch into the water (using a small jar or air-tight container) and add to the pot. Stir the sauce and continue boiling for another couple minutes until it thickens.  Serve warm over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.

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Breakfast Week: Homemade Oatmeal Pancake Mix

Lately, in our house, we've decided to try to eat less cold cereal for breakfast on the weekdays, and change things up with different breakfast foods.  We actually sat down as a family and came up with a list of ideas of breakfast foods that most of us like.  This week, I want to share some of the recipes we've been making.  Some things don't require recipes, obviously; like toast & eggs, bagels, yogurt & granola.  (I actually hardly ever eat cold cereal, but my kids do.  I always eat yogurt and granola for breakfast!)  :)

One of my children does not like pancakes, so he can have a plain cold cereal on pancake day (like Rice Chex, which he loves).  One thing that we had not been doing well enough before was making sure the kids got a good source of protein at breakfast.  So now, if there isn't a source or protein served, they can grab a spoonful of peanut butter or a handful of cashews.  I also try to limit how much syrup they put on these pancakes; they don't need to start the school day with a ton of sugar.  Most of them like some peanut butter and then a bit of syrup drizzled over.  Serve these pancakes with real maple syrup, my homemade recipe, or this one from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (I will be putting that on the blog later this week). 

This pancake mix (also from Mel's Kitchen Cafe) is so exciting because you make it ahead of time and can store it in the freezer forever.  When you go to make it, you only need 1 cup buttermilk and 1 egg per cup of dry mix.  I made this recipe with all whole grains.  Rolled oats, whole wheat pastry flour, and oat flour.  They are still SO light, fluffy and delicious!  (Try any flour you want!)  For my fam, I usually make two cups at a time.  This makes extra, especially since I have one who doesn't eat them, but I use the extra batter to make little mini pancakes for my baby.  Then I cool those, freeze them (he's still asleep when the big kids are getting ready for school), and can heat them up for him at breakfast or lunch on other days.  I just microwave one or two for 15-30 seconds (until no longer frozen), spread them with a bit of smooth peanut butter, and cut them up.  He loves to eat them, and it's helped him practice using a fork.  :) 

I love this recipe; it makes a huge batch and we're already on our second one after discovering it!

One thing that makes this whole week-day breakfast thing more fun is planning:  we all come up with ideas, together, on what we want to eat.  Then I write down the menu, day by day, on a small magnetic whiteboard stuck to our fridge.  The kids like knowing what meals are coming up next.  We usually do planning on Sundays.  And we know if some days are extra hectic, we always have cold cereal and milk as a back-up.  Sometimes we even plan a "cereal" day for a break. 

One thing that I do to make it go smoother in the morning is to know what I'll be making so I don't even have to think about it.  Sometimes, the night before, I'll even set the breakfast bar with plates, forks, cups, etc., and get out the big griddle and a mixing bowl so things are easier in the morning.  Sometimes we also have to plan to get up a few minutes early, but it hasn't been a problem. 

Homemade Oatmeal Pancake Mix
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

3 1/2 cups rolled (old-fashioned) oats

3 cups whole wheat flour (I use whole wheat pastry)

2 cups oat flour (or just white flour)

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

3/4 cup- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil*

1.  Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand). Grind the oats in a blender or food processor before adding to the other dry ingredients. (You can choose to use quick oats and skip this step). 

2.  With mixer on slow speed (or gently by hand), drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl (start with 3/4 cup) slowly while the mixer is running. When all the oil has been added, stop the mixer and squeeze a clump of mix in your hand. If it stays together, it is just right. If it is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of oil at a time until the consistency is correct.  (*When I did this, it was way too wet, so I had to add more flour.  To avoid this, only add about 3/4 cup oil at first and see if that is enough.  If is is still too crumbly, add more gradually until it is just right.) 

3.  If mixture is not combining evenly, you may have to put the whole batch through your food processor.  I had to; it wasn't mixing up evenly for some reason.  I had it out anyway to grind up my rolled oats.  When it is right, it should look like the pic above in the red measuring cup. 

4.  Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

5.  To make the pancakes: whisk together 1 cup of mix, 1 cup buttermilk (depending on how thick you want your batter), and 1 egg. The mixture may seem thin at first but the oats will soak up the milk as it stands while the griddle preheats. Heat a griddle and drop the batter onto it. When the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface and don’t break, turn the pancake over to finish cooking on the second side.

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Buttermilk Banana Pancakes

I'm always looking for new buttermilk pancake recipes, and here is a flavor I had never made before: banana!  This recipe was perfect at the time I made it; I had just enough very ripe bananas that needed using, and I had 2 cups of buttermilk on hand.  My son ate his with homemade strawberry jam and peanut butter and that was a delicious combo (I stole a bite). 

 

PS:  This is my 800th post!!  Whoo-hoo!!!  To celebrate, I think I'll go to bed at 9:30 tonight.....



 

Buttermilk Banana Pancakes

adapted from Home Cooking with Sonya

 

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat pastry)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons melted butter or canola oil (try coconut oil!)

2 cups buttermilk

2 over-ripe bananas, mashed

 

1.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and sugar. 

 

2.  In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, butter or oil, and buttermilk.  Pour wet into dry ingredients and mix until moistened.  Do not overmix.  Fold in mashed bananas. 

 

3.  Oil the hot skillet, and drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot skillet.  Cook until edges are dry and bubbles appear.  Flip and cook until golden brown.  Repeat with each pancake. 

 

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Almond Poppy Seed Pancakes with Almond Syrup

I just love these pancakes.  I've made them three times in the past month or so.  The almond syrup is good too, and it really makes these taste like this delish glazed almond poppy seed bread.  This is just a wonderful combination. 

I used Joy the Baker's recipe for lemon-poppy seed pancakes, omitting the lemon and adding almond extract.  I used Cooking Classy's recipe for almond syrup.  Cooking Classy also has a recipe for pancakes on that post, but Joy the Baker's looked a little more simple and I've had great success with her pancake recipes in the past.  Plus, I'm a sucker for any pancake recipe calling for 2 cups of buttermilk, since I buy it in 1-cup containers here.  Easier and no waste that way.  :)

The almond syrup is made with buttermilk.  Instead of the cream called for, I used almond milk.  I've made a buttermilk caramel syrup in the past, and that is kind of similar to this.  The kids didn't want to try this; they are real maple syrup purists when it comes to topping pancakes, and prefer only that.  I'm glad they like the good stuff, but wish they'd try other toppings once in a while! 

Almond Poppy Seed Pancakes with Almond Syrup
adapted from Joy the Baker & Cooking Classy

Pancakes:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
butter, shortening, or vegetable oil for frying
Almond Syrup, recipe below

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the sugar. Set aside.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients. Add the poppy seeds and stir to combine. If a few lumps remain, that’s ok. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while the griddle heats.

3.  Place a griddle, or a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add a bit of butter, shortening, or vegetable oil to the pan. A teaspoon of fat will do for a nonstick saute pan, a bit more fat may be necessary for a griddle.   Dollop batter onto hot pan.  I use about 1/4 cup of batter. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and and bubbling on top. Flip once and cook until golden brown on each side.  Serve with almond syrup.

Almond Syrup:
1/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp almond extract

1.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in sugar, almond milk and buttermilk.  Cook mixture, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to boil and sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and almond extract.  Whisk for about 10 seconds until mixture becomes foamy.  Serve warm.  Syrup can be stored in the fridge up to one week and reheated before serving, or serve cold.

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Chocolate Dessert Waffles

These were so good- I've been wanting to try a dessert waffle for a long time and finally did so a few weeks ago, when my daughter had a slumber party.  We had these instead of dinner.  :)  Our local store got Blue Bell ice cream in, so we had that on top with homemade caramel sauce and chocolate syrup. 

Chocolate Buttermilk Dessert Waffles
adapted from Alton Brown

7 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 3/4 ounces sugar, approximately 3 tablespoons

1.5 ounces cocoa powder, approximately 1/2 cup

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 whole eggs, beaten

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

16 ounces buttermilk, room temperature

4 ounces chocolate chips, approximately 3/4 cup

Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

1.  Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl beat together the eggs and melted butter and vanilla, and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir in the chocolate chips just until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

2.  Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the center of the iron. Close the iron top and cook until the waffle is crispy on both sides and is easily removed from iron. Serve immediately with ice cream and toppings.

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Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

 I love buttermilk pancakes and have many recipes for them on my blog (just search "buttermilk pancakes"!)  This is a new recipe I tried recently, from Smitten Kitchen, and it's a bit different in that it uses a TON of buttermilk, making them very soft pancakes, but very light and fluffy at the same time.  The large amount of buttermilk makes flipping them a bit difficult, but just use a steady hand.  :)

These are blueberry pancakes although you can't really see the blueberries; the best way to make blueberry pancakes is to pour plain batter on your hot griddle, and drop individual blueberries into each pancake.  This way, the blueberries don't bleed funky colors into your pancake batter.  You can also leave blueberries out for picky kids who prefer to eat theirs on the side.  Yes, even frozen blueberries- my kids love frozen blueberries right from the freezer.  They have to, since fresh blueberries are a rare treat where we live.  And if they're here, they're expensive!

Anyway, on to the recipe.  These were simple, basic and yummy.  Need to use up a ton of buttermilk?  Make these!  :)

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole-wheat pastry)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon extra for brushing griddle
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1. Preheat an electric griddle to 375°F, or place a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter, and whisk to combine. The batter should have small to medium lumps.

2.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour the batter in pools 2 inches apart. If you wish to make blueberry pancakes, arrange a handful over the cooking pancake, pressing them in slightly. When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. If any batter oozes or blueberries roll out, push them back under with your spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.  Repeat with remaining batter. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com **

Quark Pancakes

I wanted to try making pancakes using Quark, the fresh, soft German cheese, because I thought the texture would be good and similar to using Ricotta cheese in pancakes.  Plus, I'm sure the pancakes using quark are full of protein and calcium!

I found a recipe on a blog on this blog so I just went with that.  The recipe contained a lot of eggs, but no oil or butter, so I added about a tablespoon of canola oil.  We had these with lemon curd, and/or my parent's neighbor's sour cherry preserves!  I thought some German-made jam deserved to go on top of these pancakes.  :)  You'll need your kitchen scale for this one.

Quark Pancakes

adapted from The Sweetest Brunch

200g flour

2 tsp baking powder
150g quark (if this is not easy to get hold of you could substitue with ricotta)
150ml milk
4 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

1.  Mix the flour and baking powder together. In another, slightly bigger bowl, whisk the eggs, quark, milk & sugar and then whisk the flour-baking powder mix in.

2.  To cook, heat a little oil in a frying pan or griddle and use about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.  Cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip.  Cook until cooked through and nicely browned.

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Joy the Baker's Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

I loved these pancakes- since trying the recipe a few months ago, I've made them 3 times!!  They're in Joy the Baker's new cookbook, which I own and love.  :)  They are kind of similar to some of my favorite pancakes, but they use less oats, don't have to sit overnight, and the recipe uses 2 cups of buttermilk. I buy buttermilk in 1-cup containers, so it's helpful to be able to use exactly 2 containers and not have any leftover.  But both recipes have their place; I love both of them. 

It's so hard for me to get a good picture of pancakes- I almost didn't post this because I wasn't satisfied with the pictures!  But I really like this recipe, and wanted to put it out there. 

I used part whole-wheat pastry flour in this recipe.... I think I used 1 cup of whole wheat pastry and 1/2 cup of all-purpose.  I didn't have any golden raisins to put in, but I would put them in next time... I'd not put them in the batter though- just drop them on top of the raw batter after I ladeled in the griddle.  That way people can choose if they want raisins or not.  These pancakes are on the smaller side- Joy calls for 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, but I usually use double that.  Do what comes naturally!  ;)

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes
adapted from Joy the Baker
Serves 4 or more

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour (I used one cup ww pastry)
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
big pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup golden raisins, optional
oil or cooking spray (for cooking)

1.  In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, butter , maple syrup and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Fold in raisins (or you can add them later, as individual pancakes are cooking) and let batter set for a few minutes.

2.  Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, when the drops start to "dance" its hot enough.

3.  Pour 2-4 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. At this point, you can add raisins, if you want.  Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. If desired, let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.  (We always just eat them as they come off the griddle; no need for the oven!)

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Blue Cornmeal Buttermilk Waffles

I haven't made a new dinner recipe since December (last year! hardy-har har) and we've just been having our tried-and-true favorites every night (see sidebar on right), with a grilled cheese thrown in for good measure every once in a while.  I made these waffles forever ago; I'm thinking circa the end of November.  There were so many things to blog about last month, though, that I never got around to posting these.  I've also been trying to figure out my new DSLR camera.  I've had it over a month and I'm still so intimidated!  (These waffle pics are pre-DSLR, but some of my other recent pics were taken while experimenting with the beast!)

I love blue cornmeal, and I'm always looking for new recipes to use it in.  We all liked these waffles, and they were great with this blueberry sauce.  (That blueberry sauce deserves its own post; it's so good!)  This recipe makes quite a bit, so you may want to cut it in half if you need less. 

Our other favorite ways to use blue cornmeal:  Buttermilk Blue Cornmeal Pancakes and Blue Cornmeal Cast-Iron Cornbread. 

Blue Cornmeal Buttermilk Waffles

adapted from The Food Network

1 1/2 cups blue cornmeal

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (can use part whole-wheat pastry)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (less if using salted butter)

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups buttermilk

4 eggs

1/3 cup melted butter, plus more for brushing

1.  Preheat your waffle iron.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  (Blue cornmeal, flour, baking powder & soda, salt, and sugar). 

2.  In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together.  Carefully fold wet ingredients into the dry, mixing just until combined.  Do not overmix. 

3.  Brush your waffle iron with butter, or use cooking spray.  Cook batter according to manufacturer's directions to make waffles.  Serve with butter and syrup, jam, or homemade blueberry sauce. 

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Eggnog Waffles

These were very good.  I made these for breakfast on my husband's birthday.  I doubled the recipe, but did not double the oil.  They were soft right out of the waffle iron, but crisped up perfectly a few seconds after.  I made the batter the night before and it did well in the fridge.  Actually, it kept well for a few days in the fridge.  Thanks to a cooking friend for pointing out this recipe!

The eggnog container of my youth..... some things just never change!!

For the last one, I ate it as a dessert with dulce de leche spread on top.  Soooooo good!  Plus it was a good use for some leftover Dulce hanging out in the fridge.  Oh yeah.... that's a dab of butter in the middle too... oops.  Like I'm not getting enough butter already lately.

Eggnog Waffles
adapted from Pink Parsley
recipe below is doubled!  makes a lot :) 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups eggnog (low-fat is fine)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 Tbs bourbon or dark rum (optional- I used 1 Tbs homemade vanilla-rum extract + some rum flavoring)

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the dry to the wet, and stir until just combined - be sure not to overmix!

2.  Allow the batter to sit for 30 minutes. Preheat the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream (optional), and nutmeg.  Also good with Dulce de Leche!

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Ricotta Latkes (Ricotta Pancakes)

I know I just posted a Ricotta Pancake recipe, but the other day, I had some more ricotta to use up and came across this recipe from Eating Etc's blog that I had wanted to make a few years ago and never got around to.  The original recipe calls for cottage cheese, but I subbed ricotta very successfully.  I also used applesauce for half of the butter.  These were so delish and eggy, but not too eggy.  The whole family liked them.  We enjoyed them with my Strawberry-Nectarine Freezer Jam. 

PS:  New pic above, March 2014, with homemade strawberry sauce.  

Ricotta Latkes

adapted from Eating, Etc.

6 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (can sub 1/4 almond flour/meal)

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 cup ricotta or small-curd cottage cheese

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and flour.  Add melted butter and applesauce.  Fold in ricotta or cottage cheese.

2.  Lightly coat griddle with oil and heat to medium-high.  Ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle, and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.  Serve with jam or favorite toppings.

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Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

These pancakes are sooooo good- almost cake-like!!  And the blueberry sauce is to die for.  I would make this just by itself for other pancake/waffle recipes or to serve over ice cream.  Just slightly sweetened; the real flavor of blueberries is allowed to shine through.  I used frozen blueberries and they worked wonderfully.  The sauce only took a minute to put together.  I had some natural brown sugar (turbinado) on hand and used that for the sauce.  For the actual pancakes, I used vanilla sugar- yum.

This batter was super thick, and it's supposed to be, but it was sooo thick that I was having a hard time actually plopping it down onto my skillet, so I thinned it out with some milk (you can also use buttermilk).  You don't have to do that though; the pancakes taste great both ways.  This didn't make as much as I thought it would; my fam would have preferred more, but it was ok; we had fresh strawberries, turkey sausages, and eggs on the side.  Next time, I'd like to increase the recipe by 50% (but I'm too lazy to do all the math... lol).  I used low-fat ricotta for these.  They were tender, light, and fluffy. 

This recipe was so good that I'd buy ricotta just to make this.  But... this is also great to have on hand for using up leftover ricotta from other recipes!  Made Manicotti, Turkey-Ricotta Meatballs, this chicken dish, Lasagna, or Ricotta Pasta  lately?  Make these pancakes!!

(I made these again July 2016.  I increased the recipe by 50%.  I used fresh-made ricotta from our favorite cheese factory up in Asiago, Italy.  Still used frozen blueberries for the sauce and garnished with some fresh ones this time.  I also replaced the really bad pics.)

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod
Serves about 4

To make the blueberry sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (frozen works great!)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water

1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and cornstarch and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir in lemon juice and cornstarch mixture. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

To make the pancakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup ricotta cheese (low-fat is fine)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon canola oil

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and canola oil. Gently fold this mixture into the dry ingredients until flour disappears. Don't over mix. The batter will be thick.  Can add milk or buttermilk to thin if needed.

3. Heat a griddle or a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Drop about 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot griddle or skillet. Cook the pancakes until browned on the underside and beginning to set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the pancakes on the other side, about two minutes longer. Continue making pancakes until batter is gone. Serve warm with blueberry sauce.

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