A few weeks ago, my new friend Amy shared this recipe with me. We were talking about breakfast fatigue. I definitely get in breakfast slumps. For a little while, I’d pretty given up on making breakfast and kept a well-stocked dry cereal shelf the kids could reach themselves. They started getting their own cereal (dry) before we got up. Too bad that only lasted a few weeks. Oatmeal, breakfast burritos, quesadillas, smoothies, bagels, cinnamon toast, baked oatmeal, muffins, waffles, pancakes. What else is there? Finnish pancakes! These are nothing like your typical lumberjack pancakes. Think: popover.

While this is easy to make, it is not a “last minute” breakfast item. You need to let the batter sit for about 30 mins and you also need the baking time – about 15-20 minutes. I have a feeling after you’ve made it a few times you can get it going first thing when you wake up or hopefully, do it in your sleep!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 c all purpose flour (I used 1/2 c flour & 1/4 c whole wheat flour)
3/4 c milk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c butter
optional: I added a TBSP milled flax seed & 1 TBSP chia seeds

TOPPING (optional)
powdered sugar
whipped cream
fresh fruit

**NOTE: This is half the original recipe. I used (1) 9″ pie pan but it’s supposed to be enough for (2) pie pans. I just didn’t have 2!**

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, sugar, and salt until smooth. Let stand for about 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Add butter to a 9″ pie pan or I think you could use a cast iron skillet or a 9″ skillet as long as it is oven safe (and NOT Teflon coated!) I used a 9″ glass pie pan. Anyway, add the butter to it – yep, just PLOP it in there and place in the oven. When butter is melted, remove from oven, brush butter to coat entire pan and add batter.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Edges should be puffed and rise quite high.

Whatever you do, find a way to resist the temptation to open & close the oven to see how high it is!!

Dust with powdered sugar.

And slice!

Adapted from:”The Great Scandinavian Baking Book” by Beatrice Ojakagas

Boo hoo!!! I’m crying because I used the rest of my lemons on this cake. I can see more on Eileen’s tree next door. Just need to pull some pantyhose over my head tonight, drug her dog “Amanda Barks-A-Lot,” sneak on over there & help myself… That or ask her for some.

You probably have most of these ingredients:

You might not have lemon curd but can buy it pre-made at most grocery stores:

Lemon curd (click photo for recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
Crumb Topping
1-1/2 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c sugar
1 TBSP lemon zest
1 TBSP orange zest
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c cold butter, cut into pieces

Cake Batter
1/2 c butter, softened
1-1/2 c sugar, divided
3 eggs, separated
1-1/2 c flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
1 TBSP lemon zest
3/4 c lemon curd
1/4 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Make the crumb topping first. It’s easy. Combine flour, sugar, lemon & orange zest and salt. Add butter & cut into flour mixture with a pastry cutter.

Voila!

Cover & chill in refrigerator.

Now make the batter:

Beat the butter until creamy.

Then add 1-1/4 c of the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes. You want it fluffy. Add egg yolks.

The original recipe says to add them one at a time but I added them all at once because I have 2 small children who get all up in my business when I’m trying to cook.

(And here I thought I was being fancy by having them separated at ALL.)

Beat just until they’re incorporated.

In another bowl, whisk together flour & baking soda.

Just this leetle teeny tiny amount of baking soda makes a big difference!

Add about 1/3rd of it to butter mixture, then add 1/2 the yogurt,

then another 1/3rd of the flour mixture, then the rest of the yogurt and finally the last 1/3 of the flour.

Finally, stir in the zest. Be careful not to over mix this.

In another bowl – beat the egg whites at a high speed until foamy. Then add the last 1/4th cup of sugar, a little at a time, until stiff peaks form.

Fold whites into the batter. Pour batter into a greased & floured 9×9″ square pan.

Drop dollops of lemon curd on top of batter.

Swirl curd into the batter with a knife.

Sprinkle crumb mixture on top & pop into the oven for 45-50 minutes.

I definitely needed to bake mine for 50. Original recipe says stick a toothpick in to see if it comes out clean BUT it might not b/c of the curd. My curd tricked me and I baked it too long. What I recommend is gently shaking the pan – if it jiggles a lot it needs a little more time.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar & serve. YUM!

 
Source: Southern Living Magazine

Did you grow up eating those delicious Swanson frozen pot pies? I sure did! We loved those little things. Since last year I thought about trying my hand at a homemade vegetable pot pie. I thought I’d have to adjust a chicken pot pie recipe but then I found Ina Garten’s!

The other day I realized I had most of the ingredients, the weather was cool (a great day to use the oven!), G was planning on getting our Christmas tree… Doesn’t a comforting pot pie sound good on a cold tree-decorating night?

Bea went down for a late nap around 2:30 so I started this baby at 3 thinking I’d be done around 4 or so. Boy was I wrong! Making a pot pie from scratch, at least for me, took 3 HOURS!! (Although there’s no reason I shouldn’t have known since it says it clearly on Ina Garten’s recipe.) In fact, when it didn’t look like it’d be cool enough for the GRUMPY kids I had to make them some pasta RIGHT QUICK since they couldn’t wait.

So, if you feel like trying this I recommend you try it on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon when you don’t have to be anywhere. It’s totally worth it.

To make the pie crust you need:

CRUST INGREDIENTS:
3 c all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c vegetable shortening (yes, Crisco! I think you could use butter instead.)
1/4 lb cold, unsalted butter, diced
1/2-2/3 c ice water
1 egg beaten with 1 TBSP water (do this RIGHT after assembly & before baking)
Flaked sea salt & cracked black pepper (I just had coarse sea salt)

Make the dough first as it needs to chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. **NOTE: you can always buy pre-made dough if you are short on time!**

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder in a large bowl OR mix in your food processor (I don’t *yet* have a food processor.) Add Crisco (vegetable shortening) & butter and cut with a pastry cutter (or pulse about 10 times if using food processor) until you have pea-sized bits. (Bumps?)

Important: do not overwork the dough! I just started making pie dough for the first time last month and have learned the hard way. I also learned what happens when you *think* you forgot to double the amount of water for a double recipe but you actually didn’t forget. VERY tough dough.

But I digress…

If you’re doing this by hand, add the ice water and knead just enough to make the dough come together. By food processor, the same idea: process JUST until it comes together. Using your hands form a ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Now you’re ready to start your filling. You’ll need:

By the way: these vegetables are not set in stone. You can use whatever you have on hand: green beans, broccoli, asparagus tips etc.

FILLING INGREDIENTS:
4 TBSP butter
4 TBSP olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, top & core removed, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 c all-purpose flour
2-1/2 vegetable stock (or vegetarian chicken flavored bullion)
1 TBSP Pernod, Vermouth or white wine
1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 TBSP heavy cream
1-1/2 c potatoes, diced (about 1/2 lb)
1-1/2 c carrots, peeled & diced (4 carrots)
1-1/2 c butternut squash, peeled & diced
1 c frozen corn
1/2 c peas

While the dough’s chilling, chop all your vegetables! This is not as bad as it sounds. Though it isn’t good.

Dice your potatoes too. Great news: you don’t need to peel them. But I would give them a quick scrub. Throw them in a pot of water so they don’t turn black.

Now, heat your oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the butter.

Add the onions & fennel, stirring to coat with the fats. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until translucent. Add flour, lower heat & cook for another 3 minutes stirring to coat evenly.

Now, for the stock, use good vegetable stock OR, in a pinch, as I usually am, I use this:

Add the stock, booze (optional!), saffron, salt & pepper bringing to a boil.

Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream & season to taste with more salt & pepper.

Now boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes. When they are fork tender (but not mushy!) lift out with slotted spoon (save the water!) and add the hard veg (i.e. carrots, squash) and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes and all other vegetables (including parsley) to the sauce and stir to combine.

You are finally ready to assemble your pie!

In my typical fashion, I didn’t even think about what dish I’d actually bake these in until I was ready to put the whole kit & kaboodle into a dish. D’OH!

I ended up using 2 small casserole dishes (for personal pot pies) and 1 medium sized casserole dish. I have no idea why I don’t have photos of the assembly. It might be due to two small children clamoring for food, any food, while I assembled them.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 1 hour or until top is lightly browned and filling is bubbling.

Oh yummmmmmmmmm!!!!

Still life with pot pie.

SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Ina Garten

Some nights you get home with ravenous kids – there is no time to chop/assemble & bake or even to boil pasta water. This is the dinner for THAT night!

I saw it on Pinterest a few months ago.

So far, about 50% of the recipes I’ve tried from Pinterest have convinced me that it’s the PHOTOGRAPHY that is good, not the necessarily the recipe.

Now I’m a little more careful about reading the recipe before trying it. It’s got to taste good.

This one was a pleasant surprise! Taco cups in won-ton wrappers. This is seriously the easiest, quickest dinner to throw together.

You need:

(I tried it with vegetarian ground “meat” but I didn’t care for it so ignore that in the photo!)

and

INGREDIENTS:
- won ton wrappers
- refried beans
- shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar etc.)

OPTIONAL:
- jalapeños
- taco sauce
- diced tomatoes
- diced onions

Preheat oven to 350.

Fill muffin tin with won ton wrappers.

Spoon refried beans into won ton wrapper.

Add any toppings you like. I tried some with meat substitute but nobody liked it so I stopped. I also put shredded cheese on half of them since M hates melted cheese.

Yesterday I made them with 1 sliced jalapeño (jarred) on each of mine. I then sprinkled taco sauce on top of that. Yes, that thick nasty taco sauce you get at Ralph’s. I don’t care!! I love it!! Spicy ketchup!!

Bake for 5-7 minutes. Won tons should be getting browned at the edges. Once you figure out how your oven works (I use the toaster oven to avoid heating up the house in the summer!) you can decide how many minutes.

There is always that tenuous moment when you present new food to the kids. It definitely helps if they haven’t snacked since lunchtime though.

She LOVED them!

Bea didn’t like them until I broke hers up. I don’t think she has enough back teeth to really chew them. Now she loves them! (Bea not pictured.)

M thinks she has long black hair when she wears this hat.

Make lemon ice cubes!

Here’s what you need:

YOU NEED:
lemons (duh!)
a sharp knife
a mesh strainer
an ice cube tray or two
a freezer safe container to store your cubes

Lemons, lemons…lemons,,,,,lemons_____lemons!!!! I love juicy lemons!!!

1. Squeeze your lemons.
Talk about a hand cramp!

2. Strain out the seeds over an ice cube tray.

3. Freeze.

4. Store in a freezer safe container.

I’m not sure this is the best storage method – I’d love to hear other opinions on this???

5. Drop ‘em in any drink to which you’d would normally add a lemon slice (iced tea, diet coke, sparkling water etc). OR let them melt & use for cooking/baking when lemons aren’t in season. YUM!