Dairy Freed

Rice Pudding Pancakes with Whiskey Soaked Cranberries

 

What do you do with leftover rice? I make these quick and easy pancakes. 

Lasagna Chilaquiles

It's fun when I'm challenged at work to create great tasting dishes with a very minimal amount of ingredients. This dish came about because I had a box of no-cook lasagna noodles that got a little crushed and I am too cheap to throw them out. It turned out to be a really tasty breakfast.

Peach and Blueberry Grits

You know that feeling you get when you're happily minding your own business and suddenly realize you are the sole focus of everyone in the room and not in a good way?  Imagine you're a shy 16-year-old 'Yankee' in the south for the very first time and sitting in a rural Arkansas diner at 6:00 AM.

Tender, Flaky Biscuits

I learned many things in the six years I spent at Southern Living magazine. Making tender, flaky biscuits has to be one of the tastiest. They're easy to prepare and who wouldn't love to have these for breakfast?

While cornstarch may seem like an odd ingredient, since I don't use buttermilk or cream I needed something to help tenderize the biscuits.  If you like the acidic twang that buttermilk gives, try adding 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar to the flour mixture.  

Banana Bread

Light, airy with a rich banana flavor, this Banana Bread recipe is based on the Joy of Cooking version and is still my favorite. Over the last 20+ years I've played around with stir-ins, toppings, different size baking pans and ingredients.  Try different combinations or make up your own and let me know what you think.  

FYI, the photo is the Banana Bread recipe with the Pecan Crunch Topping.  

Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

Working in the Southern Living Test Kitchen, I was extremely fortunate to work with some very talented people.  Of the 35,000+ recipes we tested in those 6 years, a number pop to mind as being outstanding and one of these is a milk and butter rich breakfast roll. A few weekends ago I was seriously craving these rolls and wanted to see if I could come up with something just as good without any of the milk or butter. 

Spotted Cow Beer Pancakes

Didn't you learn in college that you shouldn't let good beer go to waste? So this morning I turned a half-full bottle of Spotted Cow beer I hadn't finished last night into pancakes this morning.

Cinnamon Spaetzle with Apples and Cranberries

 

I love taking traditional recipes and giving them a little twist. In this case, I've taken a Bavarian spaetzle, typically served as a side dish for dinner, and turned it into a great dessert.  FYI, it also makes a fantastic breakfast heated up the next morning.  

Cornbread Pancakes

This is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs pancake that's for sure. Cooked rice may seem like an odd ingredient but it's a trick I learned from my mother. I had no clue she did it because it would extend the batter and she could make more pancakes with the same amount of ingredients. I just really loved the flavor and texture. 

 

Santa Fe Green Chile and Ham Frittata

Frittatas are what I usually make when I have a bunch of leftovers. For example, today I was cleaning out the fridge found a half bag of hash brown potatoes, some leftover ham and a jar of fire-roasted salsa a friend brought over on Saturday.  I added a can of diced green chilies and used the salsa as a topping and had a great lunch.

You really don't even need a recipe. Just heat up about 3 cups of leftover meat and/or veggies, add 4 beaten eggs, a few spices and you're all set.

So, what kind of frittata can you make from your leftovers?

 

Banana Muffins with Peanut Butter Filling

Okay, old bananas may not look the best but what's underneath that ugly, black banana peel is just what you need for this recipe.  As bananas age they convert the majority of their starch into simple sugars, which is why older bananas tend to taste sweeter than their prettier, unblemished brothers. When they reach this point they are perfect for muffins and quick breads. 

And what's better with bananas than peanut butter?  Well, maybe some rum, crushed ice and a blender, but that's another blog post. 

Blueberry Muffins with Maple Streusel Topping

It's funny what memories stick with you.  For instance, every summer my family would drive from Wisconsin to Massachusetts to visit my grandparents. There were trips to Boston, Lexington and Concord and Rockport. While these were all fun (and educational) some of the best times we had were spent with Grandpa on his walks. He loved to walk and would go out at least once, usually twice, a day.  Of course, my sister, brother and I jumped at the chance to go with him because it was a real treat having Grandpa all to ourselves.

One of his favorite routes took him by the old Jordan Marsh store in Framingham. We always hoped he would take this route because the next best thing to spending time with him was a trip to the bakery inside to pick up a box of their famous blueberry muffins. Although the muffins were fantastic, I loved going there for another reason.

Vanilla Bean Crepes with Orange Marmalade Sauce

How do you celebrate your birthday?  Today, I celebrated mine with CREPES!  Keep reading to learn how easy they are to make.  

"Smoked" Shrimp, Tomato and Avocado Omelet

Don't you love it when you find something so good you keep trying to find new ways to use it? Right now that is smoked olive oil from The Smoked Olive company. I'm not sure how they smoke it (I asked and they're not saying) but the flavor is incredible. Whatever you add to it tastes like it just came off a grill or smoker.

Aebleskivers

The other day when I was out walking the dogs I came across a yard sale. Not one to get suckered into buying someone's junk, I typically glance quickly around from the street looking for one thing: cast-iron cookware.  I've gotten good at scanning piles of junk for my particular treasure and today I hit pay dirt. Sitting under a folding table next to an old humidifier was a rusted aebleskiver pan. 

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

If you want to make me happy, serve me pancakes.  It doesn't matter what time of day it is, I'm always in the mood for a plate piled high and dripping with syrup. 

One of the best pancakes I've ever had was made with half-and-half instead of milk.  In the quest for a dairy-free version, I used plain soy creamer with just a little water.  The result is a pancake that's a little more firm, which is just the way I like it when I'm adding blueberries. 

If fresh blueberries are in season I shouldn't have to tell you to use those.  Check out the local farmers markets for fresh wild blueberries; they are small in size yet big on flavor.  However, unless you have access to blueberry bushes or know someone who does, I would save the wild berries for pancakes or to eat by the handful and save the larger berries for the syrup.  If all you have available are frozen blueberries, go ahead and use those but be sure and defrost them first. 

Gingerbread Apple Butter Pancakes

I always looked forward to the first cold day of fall.  Not because of the leaves turning because that always meant hours of raking them after they fell. It was because mom almost always had an urge for gingerbread when the weather turned cold. 

Well, the first cold of fall came this morning and I had that same urge.  Instead of waiting until later in the day to make some I thought I might try it in pancake form. 

This recipe isn't anywhere near as intensely spiced or heavy with molasses as mom's dessert.  If you're looking for a more intense molasses flavor, try mixing 1 part molasses with 3 parts maple syrup and serve it on the side.