German Oven Pancakes

This recipe goes by many names. German Oven Pancakes, Dutch Babies, and my personal favorite -- from toddler Katie, way back when -- "Poofy Pancakes"! She thought they were magical.

They're a favorite around our house. (I try not to have them too often anymore, as they're not too point-friendly, but the rest of the family still wants them all the time.) This recipe makes any cook feel good. What is it about 4 simple ingredients that makes this dish such a showstopper? The picture above was Katie's first attempt. Look at those "poofy pancakes"!! :-)

German Oven Pancakes

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3 large eggs
dash of salt
1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

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Preheat your oven to 425° F. We always make German Oven Pancakes in a 9x13 pan, but a round pan or skillet can also be used. (Oh, and we always double the recipe. If you use a 9x13 pan, *definitely* double it.)

Place the butter in the bottom of the pan and place it in the oven while it's preheating to melt it. Mix your milk, flour, eggs and salt in a bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend, but make sure all the lumps have disappeared before moving on. (Some people blend this in a food processor.) When you've got your mix ready, pour it over the melted butter in your pan, and place it back in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Edges will be puffed up.

This are a fun breakfast, and it can also make a beautiful brunch. Katie loves them plain -- just a little syrup for her, but depending on your mood or the season, they could be filled with berries, peaches, or sauteed apples. A dusting of powdered sugar or even whipped cream could top it off. I think Deb and Shauna have gourmet versions of these pancakes. I'd love to hear what they do.

Casual or fancy, you can't go wrong with German Oven Pancakes.

Orange Waffles with Buttermilk Syrup

Orange Waffles

6 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz can orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 c butter, melted
3 3/4 c flour
3 c milk

In one bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, salt, orange juice, butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Alternate adding flour and milk. Fold in egg whites into batter. Bake in waffle iron. Serves 5.

This recipe is in the WorldWide Ward Cookbook in the Breakfast Section, listed by Janice Richards Call from Rexburg, ID.


Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Cook in a pot over medium low heat until bubbly. Take off the burner and add:

1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Stir until foamy. Serve over waffles, pancakes, french toast or vanilla ice cream.

These waffles were perfect on a warm spring day with their citrus taste. I have to admit that we love breakfast for dinner, especially those days when we have school, homework, scouts and FHE all on the same day! We cheated an added additional calories by topping the waffles with whipped cream. Just posting this recipes makes me hungry for them all over again! Stay tuned for Creme Brulee French Toast to be coming soon! :-)..... (those are drops of drool! heehee)

Meat Ring

I know that Meat Loaf is not the most healthy thing in the world. But sometimes you've gotta do what you gotta do....and that means comfort foods! A few years back I got a book by Anita Stansfield called "A Star in Winter" and in it she published her recipe for a Meat Ring. It is not dry at all and worth a try on a day when you just don't have a lot of time to stand in front of the stove stirring stuff.

Meat Ring

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 beaten egg
3 /4 cup milk

Mix all together and mold into a round pan, leaving a hole in the center. Cover with sauce and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Sauce:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp mustard

For my family I used 2 lbs of lean ground beef (you want to get as lean as you can get) and I upped the other ingredients a little bit (1 cup oatmeal, 2 tsp salt, almost 1 tsp pepper, 1 cup milk. I kept the egg the same and I did 1/2 cup diced onion) I also doubled the sauce recipe, spooning some on top and saving the other half to top on each portion after it has been cooked.

I am sorry that I don't have a finished picture to show you, but I had to feed the baby and by the time I got back downstairs my family gave me the best compliment by have most of it already gone!

Smoked Bacon and Tomato Pasta

This is one of my family's favorite dishes and one of my most requested recipes. For those with milk allergies, you can omit the cream and it is still yummy!!

Smoked Bacon and Tomato Pasta

12 oz. smoked bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large can Hunts whole tomatoes or 2 cups fresh tomatoes that have been peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 cup fresh basil

1 Tbsp salt

1 lb dried pasta, penne or rigatoni

1/2 c heavy cream

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Saute bacon over medium-high heat until done, but not crispy. If there is a lot of grease, you can drain some of it. Return bacon to pan and add onion, until the onion is soft and lightly golden; about 5 minutes. Add garlic. Pulse tomatoes in a blender and add to the bacon and onion and garlic mixture. Add half the basil and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the heavy cream and remaining basil. Serve over cooked pasta of your choice and top with grated Parmiganio-Reggiano cheese. This is excellent served with lettuce, tomato and fresh mozzarella topped with your favorite balsamic vinegarette.

Matthew's Chicken Nuggets with Dipping Sauce

Mc What? Matthew prefers these homemade nuggets and sauce to any breaded, deep-fried mystery meat meal. Chris and I really like them, too. More sauce, please!

CHICKEN NUGGETS:

1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders or chicken breasts sliced into strips
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. honey mustard
1/4 c. light mayonnaise
6 c. cornflakes

SAUCE:

3/4 c. peach or apricot preserves (we're slightly partial to peach)
3 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey mustard
1 tsp. rice vinegar, or to taste

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl or ziploc bag, mix together the chicken, salt, pepper, mustard and mayonnaise.

To make the coating, place the cornflakes in a sealed bag and crush them. Then transfer the crushed cornflakes to a large shallow bowl or plate.

Dredge the chicken in the cornflakes and arrange the pieces on a cookie sheet. (Or on a rack over a baking sheet, if you are lucky enough to have one of those). Try to space the pieces an inch or so apart for even cooking and browning.

Bake the chicken for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and crispy on the outside (they will crisp even more as they cool).

For the sauce, mix together the preserves, mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Refrigerate until it's time to eat!


Adpated slightly from "Crunchy Chicken Tenders With Apricot Dipping Sauce," Family Fun Magazine, June 2008, p. 88.

Mushroom Pork Chops

I found this recipe on-line at Allrecipes. My carnivores--- I mean, men--- loved it. I loved it too because it was cheap, easy to make and easy to clean up. One-pan-cooking-goodness. Enjoy!

4 pork chops

salt and pepper, to taste

1 pinch garlic salt, or to taste

1 onion, chopped

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

Season pork chops with salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. In a large skillet, brown the chops over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute for one minute. Pour cream of mushroom soup over the chops. Cover the skillet and reduce the temperature to medium-low. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pork chops are cooked through.

Note: Pour the leftover onion-mushroom gravy over some baked potatoes. Add a little shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes and sliced green onion. Wow. Delicious.

Two meals for the price of one.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mushroom-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx