Sourdough Pancakes

This sourdough pancake recipe from The Clever Carrot has been my favorite so far because it can be made ahead of time, making our Saturday morning big breakfast much easier to prepare

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sourdough starter (100% hydration, either leftover discard or bubbly)

2 large eggs

1 cup milk, plus more as needed

3 Tbsp melted unsalted butter or oil

For overnight preparation:

For thick and fluffy pancakes: Combine the wet and dry ingredients EXCEPT for the baking powder and baking soda. Whisk well, cover and chill overnight. The next day, sift the powders directly over the bowl and whisk again to combine. The texture should be thick, bubbly, and pourable. Add extra milk, 1 tbsp at a time, to thin out the texture if needed. Let the batter sit for at least 5 minutes to aerate; it should be nice and bubbly before using. The batter can be used cold.

For thin and fluffy pancakes: Add all of the ingredients together and chill overnight. No need to add the leavening agents separately.  

Same Day Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 250 F.

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until a smooth batter forms; some lumps are ok. 

In a large 10-inch skillet (cast iron or non-stick), melt a small pat of butter over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan around to coat.

Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, lowering the heat as needed. When the edges begin to puff up and bubbles appear on the surface, flip it over. Cook for another minute or so. Place the pancake onto a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest.

To continue, use a scrunched up paper towel to wipe out the skillet. Add more butter if the pan gets too dry. Repeat the cooking process until you are finished with the batter. 

To serve, stack the warm pancakes on a platter for your guests to help themselves. Have plenty of pure maple syrup, fresh berries and powdered sugar at the ready.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

My aunt and uncle kindly gave me an air fryer as a gift.  Thoughtfully, my aunt included this recipe, which has quickly become one of my kids' most requested dinners!  A salad or roasted veg on the side - it just doesn't get easier than this.

5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs patted ry
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then transfer to a bowl.

Combine all the seasonings together in a prep dish, then pour the spice mixture into the bowl with the chicken and use your hands to coat the chicken with the spices.

Preheat your air fryer to 380.  Place chicken into the air fryer and cook for 12 minutes.  Use kitchen tongs to flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes on the second side, or until chicken is cooked through.

Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Pesto Pasta

 Everything I've tried from Half-Baked Harvest has been delicious!  This was no exception.  A jalapeño in pesto?  Sure!  Pairing that with roasted cauliflower?  Yes!  

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pound pasta, any variety 
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
• 1 cups baby arugula, spinach, or a mix
• 1 jalapeño, seeded (if desired)
• 1/4 cup toasted nuts, such as: pine nuts, walnuts, or pistachios
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 1/4-1/3 cup canned full fat coconut milk (or cream/milk of choice)

Instructions

• 1. Preheat oven to 425° F. On a baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, 1/4 cup olive oil, paprika, chili flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Add the 2 cloves garlic and the lemon zest. Roast another 10 minutes, until charred. 

  3. Meanwhile, make the pesto. In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, arugula/spinach, the jalapeño, 1-2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, nuts, parmesan, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt. Pulse until a sauce forms, adding 1-2 tablespoons water if needed to thin. 

  4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and add the pasta right back into the hot pot. 

  5. To the pasta, add the pesto and coconut milk, tossing to combine. Thin the pasta, as desired, with the reserved pasta cooking water. 

  6. Divide the pasta among bowls, then serve each bowl with a side of cauliflower. Top with herbs and greens. Grab a fork and enjoy!

Breakfast Baked Apple Granola

 I've made this twice in the last week!  A yummy twist on the traditional apple crisp, and a bit easier because the topping doesn't require crumbling or cutting in butter.  The original recipe suggests cooling and enjoying over yogurt.  We ate it warm as a "breakfast crisp" and it was wonderful.  Be careful that the granola topping doesn't burn.  It only took about 35 minutes for the apples to be cooked and bubbly, and the granola topping to be dark brown.

3 pounds of whatever apples, or mix of apples, you like to bake with, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you wish; I used unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apple chunks with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a 9×13-inch baking dish until apples are evenly coated. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the honey. Stir in the flour, oats, almonds, coconut and another pinch of salt until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture and bake in the oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the apples are softened and bubbly. Should the granola brown before you wish it to, cover the baking dish carefully with foil for all but the last few minutes of baking time, when removing the foil will help the granola recrisp. Cool to room temperature and then stash in the fridge to eat with your morning yogurt.

Roasted Cauliflower and Kale with Turmeric Dressing

 Yuuuuummmmm!!  I used chickpeas instead of cooked farro and hid the bowl of this salad in the fridge so I could eat it all myself.

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 cups chopped Lacinato kale (or baby kale)
• 1 cup cooked farro (or grain of your choice, or garbanzo beans)
• ½ teaspoon salt, pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ⅓ up golden raisins (optional)
• ⅓ cup chopped scallions (optional)
• Turmeric Dressing 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• cracked pepper
• 1 clove finely minced or grated garlic

1. 
   
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Trim leaves off cauliflower, and cut into florets. Place in medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and a few twists of cracked pepper. Mix well and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender, about 40 minutes, giving a stir halfway through.
4. Place the kale, farro, scallions and raisins in a large bowl.
5. Make the dressing: combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
6. Once the cauliflower is fork tender, add to the bowl and mix with kale and farro. Pour dressing over and mix until combined. Serve the salad warm, or chill for later. It’s good either way.

Slow Cooker Pork Posole

 Long after we finished eating, my husband walked by and said, "That posole is a keeper."  That's my cue to record the recipe so I don't forget what I made!  I've used a different posole recipe for years, but decided to try something a bit different and, as Ryan stated, it's a keeper.

• 2 ½ pounds Boneless Country Pork Ribs (or pork butt)
• salt and pepper
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white or yellow hominy, drained (do not rinse)
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes with juice
• juice of 1 lime

• Trim any visible fat from the pork and cut into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the pork pieces to the pan and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the browned pork to the slow cooker. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and once shimmering, brown the remaining pork. Remove to the slow cooker.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the last teaspoon of oil to the pan. Once heated add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano to the onions. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
• Add the minced chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, hominy, chicken broth, bay leaf and fire roasted canned tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, about 6 to 7 hours on high or 7 to 8 on low.
• Turn off the slow cooker and remove the bay leaf. Skim any fat from the surface of the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the juice of 1 lime. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Pasta

 Thanks to Jessie for sharing this delicious recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I didn't change a thing and would make it all over again just the way it was.

PASTA:

•  1 pound linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine 
•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
•  2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 medium lemons)
•  2 to 3 green onions, finely chopped (white and green parts)
•  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper
•  1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

MARINADE:

•  1/2 cup olive oil
•  4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
•  2 tablespoons brown sugar
•  1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
•  1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2-3 medium lemons)
•  1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
•  1/4 cup soy sauce
•  1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2-inch strips or bite-size pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the marinade, combine the olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, cajun seasoning, lemon juice, parsley, and soy sauce. Toss the marinade and chicken together in a shallow dish or ziploc bag. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or up to 12 (better flavor the longer it marinades).
2. For the pasta, combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot off the heat. Pour the lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and toss lightly to combine.
4. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add the marinade AND the chicken to the skillet, moving the chicken pieces so they are in a single layer. Cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the pasta to the skillet with the chicken OR pour the chicken and cooked marinade over the pasta in the pot (whichever will fit the mixture best). Toss with Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Parker House Rolls

 Another delicious recipe from JustIngredients.  I'm still experimenting and learning about baking sourdough bread.  These rolls were delicious.  I made a few changes to the recipe, including halving the measurements because I didn't have a large crowd to feed.  My changes are reflected below.

1 cup bubbly sourdough starter

1/3 cup room temperature water

1 cup evaporated milk

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 1/2 tsp salt

about 5 cups flour (I used organic unbleached all-purpose)

extra melter butter to brush before baking

Gently mix sourdough starter and water in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and salt.  Mix well.  Add 2 cups flour, mix well.  Then add sourdough mixture and mix just until incorporated.  Add 1 cup flour and melted butter and mix again.

Switch attachment to dough hook.  Add the rest of the flour, one-half cup at a time, until dough barely cleans side of the bowl.  Knead well for 5-10 minutes, until dough is smooth.  Cover and let rise for 6-8 hours.  After rising at room temperature, you can put dough in the fridge overnight before moving on to the next step.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 3/4-inch thick.  Use the top of a cup to cut dough into circles.  Place dough rounds on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter, and fold so that the top half slightly overlaps with the bottom half (looks a little like a taco on its side!).  Cover and let rise until doubled (about 2-3 hours).

Bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes.  Brush with melted butter (optional) and serve.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

I tried a few new recipes from JustIngredients for Christmas this year.  This appetizer dip was a total hit with everyone.  A bit of a kick with lots of texture and a little sweet.  

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
2 jalapeños, minced

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 8oz. packages of cream cheese at room temperature

Place cranberries, jalapeños, green onions and cilantro in a food processor and process until fine.  Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in lime juice, salt, and sugar.

Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or more (I didn't do this step - we were ready to eat!).

Spread cream cheese evenly in a shallow serving dish.  Spread salsa mixture on top and serve with crackers.

Morning Glory Muffins (#2)

I've made Morning Glory muffins before, and they are always good, but these were next level.  My husband requested Morning Glory muffins for his birthday breakfast, and picked the recipe he wanted me to use.  He found a winner!  

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (I used leftover mashed sweet potato instead and it was great!)

1 tsp orange zest

1/3 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 large)

1 cup shredded/grated apple (about 1 large)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use greased/sprayed cupcake liners. This recipe yields 14-16 muffins, so prepare a second muffin pan in the same manner or bake in batches and reserve leftover batter at room temperature for when the first batch is done.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, honey, oil, applesauce, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk in the carrots and apples. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir a few times with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, then add the raisins and pecans. Fold everything together just until combined and no pockets of flour remain.

Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 23-24 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 13-14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.) Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool until ready to eat.

Cover leftover muffins and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.