Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 egg
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

Directions:
Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, sugar and baking powder in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, applesauce and vegetable oil or melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Stir in the chopped apples. Don’t worry if it's still a little lumpy.

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes while you heat the skillet. Over low-medium heat melt a tablespoon of butter. Once the skillet is hot, add about 1/3 cup scoop of batter to the pan. Let cook until bubbles begin to form on the top surface and bottom is lightly browned. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook the second side until golden brown, a couple minutes more.


adapted from my Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

http://www.whatmegansmaking.com/2011/09/apple-cinnamon-pancakes.html

Feta Chicken

Easy Feta Chicken Bake
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. crumbled feta
Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle w/1 Tbsp lemon juice. Season w/salt & pepper. Top w/feta cheese; drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Bake 35-40 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

Avocado Quesadillas

Avocado Quesadillas
Makes 4 servings
Time: 10 minutes

2 avocados
4 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons butter
4 tortillas
1 cup grated white cheddar (Another cheese to try is mozzarella, whose stretchiness when melted is a great counterpoint to the creamy avocado. It’s on our list to try!)

Mash the avocados with the lemon or lime juice and the salt.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Lay the tortilla down and sprinkle the cheddar across the surface. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is deeply golden. Quickly spread 1/4 of the avocado mixture across one half of the tortilla. Turn off the heat and fold the tortilla in half, pressing down so the melted cheese glues it together. Repeat for other tortillas.
Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Granny's Burnt Caramel Cake

From Logan's grandmother Pauline's recipe book...


The recipe for Burnt Caramel Cake is:

2 1/2 cups brown sugar, separated
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup cold water
3 cups flour

Place 1/2 cup brown sugar in a pan on the stove until it smokes intensely and is quite dark. Then add 1/2 cup boiling water and cook until it forms a syrup, having 2/3 cup when done.

Beat 1 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2/3 cup butter together till it creams. Beat 2 egg yolks and whites separately. Add the yolks and 1 cup cold water, also the 'burnt' syrup to the batter mixture.

Sift the 3 cups flour six times. Add half to mixture, then beat. Add the other half lastly. Then add the stiffly beaten egg whites with one teaspoon vanilla, soda and baking powder.

This recipe makes a medium size cake. Bake in a hot over in layers or square tin.

Peach Upside Down Cake

Fellow Close To My Heart consultant Aaron Brown shared this delicious recipe on her blog. She is an amazingly talented artist (and baker)!

Peach Upside Down Cake
Bake: 45-50 minutes
Cool: 15 minutes
Prep: 25 minutes

Ingredients
•1/4 cup butter
•1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•1-1/2 to 2 cups sliced, pitted and peeled peaches or frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed and large slices cut in half lengthwise
•1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
•1/4 tsp. salt
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•3/4 cup granulated sugar
•1 egg
•1 tsp. vanilla
•1/2 cup milk
•I added some chopped pecans as well

Directions
1. Place 1/4 cup butter in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Warm in a 350 degrees F oven about 5 minutes or until butter is melted. (Be sure to watch carefully to avoid over browning the butter). Remove pan from oven. Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is completely moistened. Spread sugar mixture evenly in pan. Arrange peach slices evenly over brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to beaten butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly over the peaches in the pan.

3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto a large serving plate. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Smoked Fish Dip

Chop in food processor: 3 Tbsp celery, 3 Tbsp onion, 3 Tbsp pickle relish

then add:

16 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
2-3 Tbsp mayo
glob of mustard
dash of Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning
1 ½ lbs smoked fish
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix well. Absolutely delish!

Bertina's Pasta Salad

Boma - Flavors of Africa
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Yield: 10 servings


1 lb tri-color pasta (4 c after cooked)
3/4 c red onion, diced fine
1 c red bell pepper, diced fine
1 c green bell pepper, diced fine
1 c celery, diced
1 c mayonnaise
½ tsp granulated garlic
1 3/4 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp ground turmeric, toasted (3-4 minutes)
1 Tbsp curry powder, toasted (3-4 minutes)
S&P to taste

Cook pasta and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooled pasta, and all the other ingredients. Check the seasoning, and adjust if needed. Chill.