Perfect Pancakes

I love pancakes and since I can't really have them very often any longer (diabetes), I want the best pancakes all the time. Normally, I have buttermilk pancakes, but while housesitting for my sister, I craved pancakes and she had no buttermilk. So, I did a search. Found the perfect non-buttermilk pancakes. Tall and yummy! I love fluffy pancakes and had given up finding a truly fluffy pancake. But, lo and behold, one has appeared on the horizon! This one is from AllRecipes.com posted by Kris and I will include the link for additional information.


The batter is light and spongy. That was a clue that these would be fluffy. If you use 1/4 cup measure you will get 8 pancakes. I didn't and got 6. After placing the batter in the pan, I added some blueberries. Yum. After my extra pancakes are cooled, I'll stick them in a ziploc to freeze and later reheat in the microwave for another brunch. My Mom suggests placing a wet paper towel over them when zapping to keep the moisture in. That's what she does with homemade freezer waffles.


Isn't this just the coolest plate? My sis has a whole set of them and they just look cool. English Ironstone (J&G Meakin) and I'm sure they were probably from a rural auction, but I think they are a great find!


Fluffy Pancakes

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Peachy Chicken

Yes, another chicken recipe! No oven and delicious. It's my adaptation of an old Weight Watchers cookbook recipe, but don't let that scare you! It's easy! It's yummy. I highly recommend using chicken legs or thighs. They have much better flavor than chicken breast meat. You can use fresh mushrooms - add them to the saute once the meat is done. You can also use fresh peaches, but you will need about 1/3 cup of pear or pineapple juice for the sauce if you use fresh peaches. Feel free to add more salt and pepper to taste - we're on a low salt cooking regime, hence the small amount of salt.

Peachy Chicken

4 large thighs (or any combo of chicken meat)
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 (15 oz) can of peaches in juice
2 (4 oz) cans mushrooms, drained
1/2 tsp garlic (granulated garlic can be used)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Remove skin and cut the meat off the bone. Then slice into bite sized pieces (1/2 - 3/4 inch). Sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken. Saute chicken on both sides in pan with a little vegetable/olive oil until browned. Then add chopped onions. Saute for 15 minutes, uncovered, on low heat or until chicken is completely cooked through. Cut each sliced peach into 3 pieces. Add peaches with juice, mushrooms, garlic and nutmeg to chicken. Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and poor into pan and mix well. Heat until hot and sauce is thickened. Serve with rice.

Chicken Spaghetti - Great for Microwave!

My sister says I haven't added anything in months, so here you go!! New recipe made in a microwave and it's great. Even better as a leftover. Easy with the cream of mushroom soup. If you need less salt or have no soup, then use a thick white sauce instead. If you do so, be sure to go heavier on the mushrooms. This recipe is from the book Just Like Mom Made: 1000 Family Favorites published by Reader's Digest. This is not a spicy dish, so add stuff like green olives if you like spicy.

Chicken Spaghetti

8 ounces spaghetti
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cans (10 3/4 oz ea) condenced cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a small skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and celery in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the soup, mushrooms, spaghetti, chicken and cheese; toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish (or 2 quart square pyrex dish). Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bacon; dot with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Note: If microwaved, give it 20-25 minutes on high.

Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken is yummy, yummy, yummy. That's why it so popular at all the store delis now. If you have the space, a home rotisserie will result in good eats all summer long. The chicken is oh so moist! My instructions below are modified for a rotisserie oven. Mom bought the Food Network Rotisserie, a model made by Hamilton Beach. The chicken can be made with or without the rub. My sister has a rosemary shrub (yes, it's that big), but the original recipe does indicate that you can also use thyme springs instead. For a low salt diet, eliminate the salt in the rub.

Rotisserie Oven Chicken

From Grilling for Dummies by Marie Rama and John Mariani, p. 158
1 3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken

Marinade
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons minced lemon peel (about 1 lemon()
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
3 fresh rosemary springs, about 3-4 inches long
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
pepper to taste

Spice Rub
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pepper to taste

1. Remove excess fat and giblets from chicken cavity. Freeze giblets for soup. Rinse chicken in cold water. Pat dry. Truss bird to keep wings and legs from drooping as spit turns.
2. In medium bowl or large, resealable plastic bag, make the marinade by combining the white wine, olive oil, garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, rosemary sprigs, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or press the air out of the bag and seal it shut. Chicken should fit snugly in the bowl or bag, with the marinade covering it as much as possible. Refrigerate for about 3 hours.
3. In a small bowl, make spice rub by mixing together thyme, paprika, salt, lemon peel, ginger and pepper. Remove the chicken from the marinade; pour the marinade into a drip pan that is only slightly larger than the chicken.Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, sprinkling some into the cavity as well.
4. Following the rotisserie instructions for your unit, arrange the bird on the spit, securing it with the pronged rotisserie forks. Set the drip pan with the marinade under the chicken. As the bird cooks, the pan collects juices that flavor the basting sauce.
5. Cook, with spit turning, for about 1.5 hours or until done, basting 3times or about every 20 minutes, with the juices in the drip pan. (for a crispy skin, don't baste final 20 minutes). Chicken is done when instant read thermometer inserted between thigh and breast will register between n180 and 185 F.
6. Remove chicken from spit onto serving plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Serve with pan juices.

Cinnabon Wannabees

This is Food Network's version of the famous Cinnabon yummy buns. What can I say? Delicious!! To die for!

This recipe is available at Food Network, so for easier printing go HERE. We made some changes. The glaze was just too sweet, so the second time around, substituted a cream cheese glaze by Todd Wilbur. Perfect. Mom felt that 12 tablespoons of butter was just too much, so feel free to cut back a couple of tablespoons. How much cinnamon to use depends on what kind you have. Store bought cinnamon is not as strong as spice shop cinnamon. If you buy cinnamon from an actual spice shop, you may find that you have to cut back quite a bit or you get kindof a bitter aftertaste. Also, the buns are HUGE. Enjoy the giant bun the first time, but plan on making them smaller next time around (maybe 8 instead of 6). Finally, the yeast - use a SMALL container and make sure your milk is warm. She used a small measuring cup with a lid on top. Otherwise, you may have trouble getting your yeast to bloom. Mom made the bun dough in the bread machine after proofing the yeast.

Almost-Famous Cinnamon Buns

For the Dough:

nocoupons

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the Filling:

nocoupons

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

nocoupons

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don't stir). Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla.

Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary.)

Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.

Forming the buns:

Roll out the dough, fill and cut into buns (see instructions below). Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; place the buns cut-side down in the pan, leaving space between each. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325.

Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl, then whisk in the cream and melted butter. Transfer the buns to a rack and spoon the glaze on top while still warm.

How to Form Cinnamon Buns

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle with the longer side facing you.

2. Spread with the softened butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the far long edge. Mix the sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the butter.

3. Brush the unbuttered far edge with water. Roll the dough away from you into a tight cylinder and press on the long edge to seal.

4. Cut the cylinder with a sharp knife to make 6 equal-size buns.

Cream Cheese Glaze (Todd Wilbur)

8 tablespoons margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Whip with electric beater until well mixed and coat each bun generously after it comes out of the oven.

Chicken Nuggets - Special Diet Version

Looking for something easy to make that my Dad would eat made of chicken and Chicken Nuggets turns out to be the thing! He hates chicken ordinarily, so this is great. My recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from Cooks.com based on what I had in the cupboard. I use breadcrumbs from dried Artesian breads. Much yummier than ordinary bread crumbs. Almost no salt and still low carb if you use medium crumbs. I found I did not need to coat the baking sheet with any cooking spray. Dipping sauce is a little harder to come by. I really like mustard sauce, but Dad can't have the salt. So, when I couldn't find the honey, I came up with an alternative that is diabetic friendly. I will continue to look for more sauces. I don't really like using a lot of fake sugar. I served with salad and rice. Need to find a better accompaniment than rice. Didn't seem to fit.

Chicken Nuggets

3-4 pieces chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. fresh minced garlic cloves (optional)
3/4 cup breadcrumbs, medium to fine - your choice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg

Mix chicken bites with olive oil and garlic cloves and let sit for 30 minutes. Mix the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper together and place in shallow bowl. Beat the egg in another bowl.

Heat oven to 475 F. Mix the chicken bites to evenly coat with oil again. Then place a few at a time in the egg, then coat in breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet with space around each bite. Continue until all chicken is processed. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove. Serve with dipping sauce.

No Carb Mustard Dipping Sauce for Diabetics

1 tablespoon mustard of choice
2 teaspoons of no sugar pancake syrup

Mix together and refrigerate for an hour in advance to blend flavors. Add another teaspoon of syrup if not sweet enough.

My Mom saw Emeril make this on Good Morning America about 2 weeks ago. Tried it. It is SO yummy!! I tend not to try Emeril's recipes because, so often, they are too hot spicy for me. This was just perfect. You can also substitute dried apricots for the prunes. Because links tend to disappear, I am posting the recipe as it appears at the ABC GMC site. Click HERE for a link to the recipe.

Pork Loin With Apples and Prunes

From the Kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

Servings: 4-6

Difficulty: Moderate

Cook Time: 30-60 min

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried prunes
1 1/4 cups fresh apple cider
One 2 1/2-pound boneless pork loin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
2 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cut into
1/2-inch-wide wedges
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small
pieces

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the prunes in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the apple cider, and set aside to soak while you proceed with the recipe.

Season the pork loin with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When it is hot, add the pork loin and cook until
browned on all sides, 8 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and transfer it to a baking sheet or platter.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, apples, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the soaked
prunes (with any remaining juices) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup apple cider and the chicken stock, and bring to a boil.

Return the pork loin to the pot, add the thyme sprigs, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer
the pot to the oven. Cook, undisturbed, until the pork registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the pork to a platter. Tent it with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the onion-apple mixture to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme
sprigs. Add the vinegar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. While stirring, add the butter, little by little, until it is completely incorporated. Do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate. Remove from the heat.
To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto a serving platter. Slice the pork into thin slices, and arrange them over the sauce. Spoon more sauce over the pork slices, and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy "Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast" by Emeril Lagasse, Harper Studio Publishers, 2009, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved