Award-winning cookbook author and culinary architect celebrating local and global food!
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These are absolutely delectable muffins that you can feel good about eating; due in part to the high fiber in coconut and mango. While they are perfectly delicious and moist on their own, flooding them with butter is a matter of preference, but it does make them oh so decadent!
Canola cooking spray for muffin tin
1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350°. Generously oil a 12-capacity muffin tin with canola cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and coconut.
2 eggs, room temperature
¾ cup (one 6-ounce container) plain yogurt
⅓ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup mango, chopped
In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs, add yogurt, canola oil and almond extract; stir until well blended, add to flour mixture. Combine ingredients until well incorporated; gently fold in mango.
Distribute evenly into muffin tin and bake for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for about 5-10 minutes before removing muffins from tin. Flood with butter if desired. Yield: 12 muffins.
Helpful to know: Once you’ve prepared the crepe batter, its best if it sits refrigerated for about an hour. Cooking them with a little butter is a matter of preference, I like the chestnut brown color it gives the crepes and certainly the added butter flavor! I cook my crepes in a very well seasoned cast iron, low lip skillet. You really don’t need a special pan to make a great crepe, any skillet with a shallow rim will work.
Basic Crepe Recipe
2 eggs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
In a blender or standing mixer combine all ingredients, blend on medium high heat until well blended. Let rest for about a minute and blend again. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
About an hour later …
Canola oil or butter for skillet
I prefer cooking crepes to order, but if that doesn't work for you, crepes will keep warm in the oven. Set oven temperature to lowest setting. Warm skillet over moderately high heat, add a little bit of canola oil or a dollop of butter, when butter has melted or when canola oil is hot add ¼ cup of crepe batter, swirl pan allowing batter to move to nearly the edges of the skillet, when the underside of the crepe is lightly brown, carefully flip crepe and cook for about a minute. Cook crepes in batches adding butter if desired to skillet before adding crepe batter. If you're not cooking the crepes to order, transfer cooked crepes to an oven proof baking dish (a pie plate works beautifully) and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
I am partial to mangoes; I love how their sweet, slick fleshiness melts in your mouth. Mangoes taste like a cross between a peach and an apricot, with pineapple undertones. They are low in calories, high in fiber and rich in potassium, antioxidants and vitamins A and C. When I saw mangoes were on sale in the grocery store the other day, I grabbed a few. While they were ripening on the counter top, I thought they would be delicious if added to pancake batter. And they were ... the riper the mango the more flavorful the pancake!
Helpful to know: A ripe mango will yield to slight pressure. If you can’t find a ripe one, place in a paper bag at room temperature until the flesh yields; the ripening process can take several days.
To get the flesh of the mango, slice lengthwise on both sides as close to the pit as possible. Crisscross-cut the pulpy side of each piece and then turn inside out by holding each half with both hands and pushing in on the skin side. (Think about turning an orange or lemon wedge inside out.) Once you've got the fruit exposed, cut the mango from the skin. You can get some additional fruit from the top and bottom of the remaining section of mango; the section containing the pit. You probably won’t get much meat, but any additional mango is worth it!
Ginger Marinated Mango Pancakes
1 cup ripe mango, diced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
In a medium bowl, toss mango with ginger.
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus additional for skillet
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium bowl, whisk until fully combined, eggs, milk, canola oil and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture, stirring just to combine. Add gingered mango.
Butter and syrup
In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon canola oil over moderate heat. Spoon about ¼ cup batter per pancake into skillet; a large skillet should cook approximately 3 at a time. Cook pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Serve immediately with butter and syrup. Yield: About 14-16 pancakes.
This morning I prepared this breakfast for Nick and my hardy-eating brother who is in town this week ... it was so easy, I tossed arugula leaves with a tangy oil and vinegar dressing, poached a few eggs and cooked some leftover potato wedges from last nights dinner in oil until they were golden brown and crispy on the outside. Assembly was simple, I plated the dressed arugula leaves, topped them with the perfectly cooked eggs and potato "croutons." The heat from the eggs and potatoes intensified the flavor of the arugula leaves ... and the texture? Oh, so magnificent!
Decadent doesn’t accurately describe these pancakes! Fluffy, light and so full of coconut goodness. It was the perfect breakfast to eat on this snowy winter morning.
Helpful to know: Coconut milk naturally separates, so be certain to remove any of the coconut that has become solid at the bottom of the can. I used finely shredded, reduced fat, unsweetened organic coconut. Shredded coconut can be found in the baking isle of grocery stores nationwide. I recommend that you use an aluminum-free baking powder such as Rumford.
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus extra for pan
One 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus extra to garnish pancakes
In a large bowl, (or the bowl of a stand mixer) beat the eggs until well combined, add sugar and canola oil, beat until light and fluffy. Add coconut milk and beat until well combined. Add shredded coconut.
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Butter and syrup
In a small bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to coconut mixture and combine until fully blended.
In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon canola oil over moderate heat. Spoon or pour about ¼ cup batter per pancake into skillet; a large skillet should cook approximately 3 at a time. Cook pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Serve immediately with butter, syrup and shredded coconut. Yield: 14-16 pancakes.
I love to serve this delicious and unusual dish when we're entertaining another couple for breakfast or brunch. Not only is it impressive, I especially like that it must be prepared in advance. More time to spend with your guests! Pork sausage, vegetarian sausage or bacon plus seasonal fruits are wonderful accompaniments.
Lemon Cardamom Sandwiches
½ cup light whipped cream cheese
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 teaspoons lemon peel, finely grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Sixteen ½-inch slices French bread
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cardamom, lemon peel and lemon juice. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over eight slices of French bread slices; top each slice with second slice of bread.
Egg Mixture
4 eggs, room temperature
½ cup half & half
Whisk eggs with half & half in a baking dish that will accommodate 8 pieces of French bread in a single layer. Place sandwiches in egg mixture and allow to soak for five minutes on each side. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day …
1-2 tablespoons canola oil, for cooking
Butter and syrup
In preparation for cooking, allow sandwiches to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes.) Heat canola oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat, cook sandwiches (in batches of 4 or in two skillets) until golden brown on each side. Serve immediately with butter and syrup. Yield: 4 servings, 2 sandwiches per person.
Helpful to know: Plan ahead. This is best if prepared the day before serving which allows the bread to marinate with the eggnog mixture. I happen to love the results that come from French toast that has been prepared using Tuscan bread, but you can use any bread you have on hand, French toast tends to adapt to most kinds of white and wheat-based breads. The Spice Hunter® Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix is available during the holiday season from Whole Foods market.
Eight ½-1 inch slices (thickness is a matter of preference) Tuscan bread
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup eggnog
1/4 cup Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix, plus extra for sprinkling over cooked French toast
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with eggnog, add Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix. Lay 8 slices of bread in a single layer in a baking dish to accommodate. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread slices and allow to soak for five minutes on each side. Don't worry if all the liquid doesn't absorb in the five minute soaking process, it will overnight. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day …
1-2 tablespoons canola oil, for cooking
Butter and syrup and Hot Buttered Rum mix
In preparation for cooking, allow French toast to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes.) Heat canola oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat, cook (in batches) until golden brown on each side. Serve immediately with butter and syrup. Sprinkle with Hot Buttered Rum mix. Yield: 4 servings.
I first spotted chestnut flour several years ago while on a private tour of a Baltimore-based spice company. Intrigued, I left with a bag determined to create recipes using this new (to me) flour. The bag sat in my pantry until one blustery winter morning when Nick announced his desire for pancakes. Running low on white flour, I set out on a mission; to develop a chestnut flour pancake. Mission accomplished; these delicious pancakes are now one of Nick’s all-time favorite breakfasts!
So it seemed fitting to serve these seasonal pancakes to a friend who was in town for a series of business meetings today, a very cold and blustery winter day in Baltimore. I served the pancakes with assorted seasonal fruit, (pomegranate, grapefruit and oranges) and sausage. Yummy!
Helpful to know: Chestnut flour is sometimes difficult to find in major grocery stores, if you can't find it in your local grocery store, Allen Creek Farm is home for all things chestnut. Please note that this recipe, along with other recipes on this blog, relies on The Spice Hunter® Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix available during the holiday season from Whole Foods market.
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup chestnut flour
½ cup Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, chestnut flour, Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix, baking powder and salt.
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
¼ cup canola oil, plus extra for frying
Butter and syrup
In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, egg and canola oil, whisk until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stir (using swift strokes) until fully incorporated.
Heat canola oil in a large (preferably cast iron) skillet over moderate heat; drop batter (about ¼ cup per pancake) into skillet; batter will be very thick. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until lightly brown. Serve immediately with butter and syrup. Yield: 4 servings or about 12 pancakes.
I am partial to mangoes; I love how their sweet, slick fleshiness melts in your mouth. Mangoes taste like a cross between a peach and an apricot, with pineapple undertones. They are low in calories, high in fiber and rich in potassium, antioxidants and vitamins A and C. Serve this coffee cake warm from the oven and watch it disappear!
Helpful to know: A ripe mango will yield to slight pressure. If you can’t find a ripe one, place in a paper bag at room temperature until the flesh yields; the ripening process can take several days. To get the flesh of the mango, slice lengthwise on both sides as close to the pit as possible. Crisscross-cut the pulpy side of each piece and then turn inside out by holding each half with both hands and pushing in on the skin side. (Think about turning an orange or lemon wedge inside out.) Once you've got the fruit exposed, cut the mango from the skin. You can get some additional fruit from the top and bottom of the remaining section of mango; the section containing the pit. You probably won’t get much meat, but any additional mango is worth it!
Mango and Cardamom Coffee Cake
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup (about 1 large) mango, peeled and chopped
Canola oil for lightly greasing baking pan
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk sour cream with eggs, whisk until well blended, add mango. Add mango mixture to flour mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Transfer batter into a lightly oiled 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan.
Almond Streusel
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds
In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar, add chunks of butter and blend using your fingers (the handiest cook’s tool!) until streusel crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over cake, top with sliced almonds and bake for 35-40 minutes or until light brown. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.
This is the perfect autumn weekend breakfast! The Spice Hunter® Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix is a blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, cloves and lemon oil. This harmonious medley of ingredients is what gives these pancakes their distinctive flavor. Be sure to use real pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. To round out the meal, serve with pork sausage, vegetarian sausage (Yves brand is a favorite) or bacon.
Helpful to know: Whole Foods Market carries The Spice Hunter Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix or visit The Spice Hunters website.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine flour, Winter Sippers Hot Buttered Rum mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 cup canned pumpkin (100% pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus additional for skillet
1 teaspoon vanilla
Butter and syrup
In a medium bowl, whisk until fully combined, eggs, milk, pumpkin, canola oil and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture, stirring just to combine.
In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon canola oil over moderate heat. Spoon about ¼ cup batter per pancake into skillet; a large skillet should cook approximately 3 at a time. Cook pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Serve immediately with butter and syrup. Yield: About 14-16 pancakes.
This was the kind of breakfast guests said they were sorry when they took the last bite! I topped 2 slices of Golden Bread, (polenta that's cooled into a solid, then sliced and fried, resulting in a crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside treat) with a thick slice of Nimon Ranch ham, 2 perfectly cooked poached eggs and tomato, corn and crabmeat salsa. The salsa was super simple to assemble, I combined equal amounts of crabmeat, corn and tomato and a little olive oil. This dish is full of fresh complementing flavors that won't disappoint.
But don't just leave options for golden bread to this fabulous, fly-off-the-plate breakfast. It's great with tossed salads, soup and a weekday favorite is to top golden bread with sautéed mushrooms and feta cheese and serve with fish or chicken.
Helpful to know: Polenta needs to cool for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight, before slicing. Golden Bread is a good keeper and can be fried up all at once (in batches) or as needed. My chicken broth of preference is Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth and I highly recommend Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt cubes.
2 cups chicken broth, homemade or good quality
2 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cornmeal
In a large cast iron pot, bring chicken broth and water to a boil. Stir in vegetable cube and salt, allowing cube to dissolve before slowly adding the cornmeal; stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon. When mixture begins to thicken and splatter, reduce heat to medium. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and spoon mixture into a 9½ x 5½ x 3-inch baking dish. Allow to cool before refrigerating.
At least 45 minutes later (preferably overnight) …
Canola oil for frying
Slice polenta into ¼ - ½-inch slices; thickness is a matter of preference. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook slices until golden and slightly brown on each side. Yield: 8 servings.
The last of the summer peaches I bought from the Farmer’s Market got turned into two sweet delights over the weekend. Last night we each had our own peach pies and this morning I made this peach coffee cake. The buttery, cinnamon, almond topping has just the right amount of crunch, a welcome contrast to the moist peach cake part. Enjoy warm from the oven.
Peach Coffee Cake
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup peaches, peeled and chopped
Canola oil for lightly greasing baking pan
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and eggs until well blended, fold in peaches. Add peach mixture to flour mixture and combine until well blended. Transfer batter into a lightly greased 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan.
Cinnamon Almond Streusel
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
¼ cup sliced almonds
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon, add chunks of butter and blend using your fingers (the handiest cook’s tool!) until streusel crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over cake, top with sliced almonds and bake for 35-40 minutes or until light brown. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.