Incredibly Delicious Maple and Bacon Pancakes

Roy and I are spending our first weekend home after being gone for three and a half months meandering around the western United States. Being in that part of the country, we couldn't help feeling the cowboy influence. Lots of western genre movies have been filmed out that way and we enjoyed visiting Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills in California as well as the Old Tucson movie set in Arizona. Several John Wayne films were made in both places and local people still are in awe of the Duke. Somewhere along the way, Roy bought me The Official John Wayne Family Cookbook (published by Topix Media Lab, 2016). Turns out Wayne must have really liked pancakes - there are three recipes for them in the breakfast section. The one in this post is adapted from the Maple Pancake recipe in the cookbook. I have to confess that we ate these two times this week; they really are that good. There is just something irresistible about the salty sweetness of maple and bacon!

Ingredients and Directions:

Makes about Six Maple and Bacon Pancakes

6 slices thick-cut bacon
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons uncooked old fashioned oatmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup plus more to serve
2 tablespoons bacon grease

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut bacon in half lengthwise, and then into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook in skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Stir frequently. When done, remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

Reserve the bacon grease.

Put oats in blender or food processor and grind to a powder.

Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon grease.

Blend well, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container once or twice. Then let sit for 10 minutes. Stir all but a handful of the bacon bits into the batter; save the reserved bits to garnish each serving.

Heat the skillet over medium-low and brush some of the reserved bacon grease on the pan. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet for each pancake. Cook until the pancake has bubble holes showing in the middle and the edges look dry. Then carefully flip over and let it cook for another minute.

Put cooked pancakes on a plate and keep warm in the oven until all the batter is used.

Put some of the bacon bits on top of each serving and pass the maple syrup!

Orzo Salad

Our meandering summer RV travels took us to beautiful Montana this week. Besides the trill of seeing some of the most beautiful scenery in the world (honestly), we got to visit with our friends Jim and Carol. They are the type of people that never slow down; countless friends, activities, and family keep them extremely busy. When Carol invited us for dinner, I wanted to bring something that would make cooking the meal just a bit easier for her. But - I had another motive too. I had been craving the orzo salad I served at the brunch the day after Caroline's wedding. It was one of the things I had ordered from Market District, a grocery store chain that makes really yummy carry-out food. In my attempt to duplicate their Mediterranean Orzo Salad, I searched the internet and found one recipe that called for five pounds of uncooked orzo which would have resulted in 60 servings! Carol was only hosting six people, so I reduced the portions and substituted some ingredients. Roy really liked it - especially the next day - and gave me the nod to put it on the blog. Since it avoids a mayonnaise dressing, I think it would be great to take to a summertime pitch - in.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad - Serves Twelve 

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked orzo
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 1/4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup feta cheese, divided
1 cup cucumbers, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced and pitted
1/2 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup canned quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
Heaping 1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to package directions.

Set the spinach aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked orzo, olives, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup feta cheese, cucumber, garbanzo beans, red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and red onion.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes together. Pour over the orzo mixture and gently toss.

Just before serving:

Gently toss in the fresh spinach leaves.

Then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of feta cheese over the top of the salad.

Curried Broccoli Salad

There are plenty of raw broccoli salad recipes out there, but I like this one best. It's got curry powder and a sweet/tangy thing going on that I can't resist. A lighter version can be made by substituting olive oil for the mayonnaise and increasing the apple cider vinegar. It's even further variable because it can be loaded up with other options such as dried fruit, nuts, and raisins. Once I even threw a 1/2 cup of trail mix in and everyone loved it! This winter when we were RVing it down in Florida, it was my standard pitch-in offering. And, embarrassing but true, once I had such a bad craving for it, I actually made it in the motor home while Roy was driving 70 plus mph! 

Ingredients:

3 broccoli crowns, cut into bite sized florets
1/4 cup finely diced red onion

Any or all of below:

1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried raisins
1/4 cup dried golden raisins

1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup pecan pieces
!/4 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup pepitas 

1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup each of dried apple pieces 

Combine together in large bowl.

For the Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

*Lighter dressing: sub 1/2 cup olive oil & 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar for top 2 ingredients

Mix together until smooth.

Pour dressing over broccoli mixture to coat.

Place in a serving bowl and enjoy.

Say Hello to the Queen!

The other day I was scrolling through WordPress Reader, looking at posts of blogs I follow, when a "suggested" one popped up. It was actually a political rant from England, but it mentioned a dessert I'd never heard of before: Hello to the Queen. The narrative suggested that it was well known so I Googled it. It turns out it's a dish that served in the touristy places where backpackers in India hang out. I searched a bit and found it mentioned in a handful of blogs. The consensus seemed to be that once a guy from Israel asked for all the ingredients in this sundae  - only in huge amounts. He put it all together and gave it a grand name. Other travelers thought it looked pretty good and so it became a common request along the hiking circuit in India. As far as I could tell it always has a base of a broken up Digestive brand biscuit or a graham cracker square, followed by warm chocolate sauce, caramelized bananas, vanilla ice cream, and finished with whipped cream. I read that some include chocolate chips, nuts, and even marshmallows - so I think anything goes.  It's so easy kids can make it if an adult helped them with the caramelized bananas.  Below is a no frills recipe for caramelizing the bananas as well as the steps in assembling this super easy glorified banana split. P.S. This was the most visited post I ever had- it got over 10 thousand hits - Ha!

Easy Caramelized Bananas  

Place 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and a couple bananas that have been cut in half and then lengthwise into a stick proof skillet. Gently give just a stir or two while the butter and sugar melt over medium high heat.  

Let the banana pieces sit undisturbed in the melted mixture for about 5 minutes a side or until they are lightly browned. Be careful when turning the banana piece over so it will stay together. 

Directions for Assembling Hello to the Queen:

Break up a Digestive biscuit or graham cracker square in the bottom of each serving bowl.

Drizzle one tablespoon of  warm chocolate sauce over the biscuit.

Add two caramelized banana slices to each bowl.

Set a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

                 

 

 Heap on the whipped cream.

Drizzle another tablespoon of chocolate sauce over the top and dig in!

Soup in a Snap: Kale, Butter Bean, and Ham

This winter when we were living the Florida RV life, the campground we stayed at in Fort Myers had an added amenity. It was right across the street from ECHO Global Farm and Research Center, a nonprofit faith-based organization that is dedicated to finding agricultural solutions to fighting hunger in Africa and urban food deserts in the United States. They used discarded tires, cement blocks and even old carpet to grow all manner of veggies - especially leafy greens. Every Friday, they sold the produce to the public and I found myself buying lots of kale. We ate it in salads and crispy fried it to sprinkle over eggs, but we also enjoyed it in soup. This one is healthy but still robust enough to be hearty on a chilly spring day. A bonus: it can be make in a snap!

Ingredients for Four Servings:

4 good sized cloves garlic, put through a press or finally minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (8 oz.) package of diced ham or 1 cup of left-over ham

2 (14.5 oz.) cans beef broth

2 (16 oz.) cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 large bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped (Lacinato is nice, but any variety works.)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Procedure:

Place olive oil in large saucepan over medium low heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic. Cook for a minute or until the garlic browns. Add the ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until it browns - about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up any bits that might be clinging to the bottom. Then gently stir in the beans, chopped kale, and pepper. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then turn it back down to medium low heat and allow to simmer for five minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

Asian Burritos

Last weekend I found myself in a little predicament. We had come back home after being in Florida just in time to host an extended family get together. Because of the circumstances, I fell back on my usual easy go-to meal for a crowd: coleslaw and barbecue baked beans. But since it was way too cold to grill, I took the easy way out and oven roasted pork loin with a neutral rub. I served it sliced thin with BBQ sauce and little slider buns. That turned out great; my problem was that the next day, I still had a houseful of people to feed and nothing in the refrigerator but left overs! I had a package of flour tortillas, extra cooked pork, the remains of a vegetable tray, an unopened bag of coleslaw mix, and some Asian condiments. The perfect thing to do was make Asian burritos. It turned out to be a big hit - maybe even more fun than the dinner the night before. Everyone could make their own just the way they wanted and we all had a good laugh at my ineptness at rolling a burrito!

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Six Burritos:

1 pound cooked pork tenderloin cut into 18 slices (suggestions for cooking below)
6 large flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into matchstick sized pieces
1 1/2 cups cucumber, cut into matchstick sized pieces
1 1/2 cups red onion, cut into thin slices
3 cups white vinegar
1 (14 oz.) package of coleslaw mix
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce, divided (I used Huy Fong brand)
1 cup mayonnaise
Bunch of fresh cilantro 

Suggestions for Cooking the Pork Tenderloin

As I mentioned above, I just used a very neutral, but still delicious rub and baked it in the oven at 425 degrees. For a one pound tenderloin, a cooking time of 20 minutes will yield an internal temperature of 145. For those who like their pork on the well done side, 30 minutes of cooking time will bring it up to 155 degrees and 40 minutes brings it a bit past 160.

It could also be grilled over medium heat for the same amount of times.

Neutral Rub:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic gloves, minced or put through a press
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt

But - If planning ahead is an option, here is a recipe for an incredibly delicious marinade. It is the family recipe from my Vietnamese friend Kim. Whisk all the ingredients together and let the pork marinate for several hours. Kim says grilling is best, but baking works fine.

Thit Nuong:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon Maggi soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

To Assemble the Asian Burritos:

Place the carrots, cucumbers, and onions is separate containers. Pour 1 cup of vinegar over each one and set aside for five to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil  and 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce.

In a second small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce. 

Heat the tortillas up by wrapping them in a couple paper towels and cook on full power in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Place the tortillas on serving plates.

Spread a heaping 1/2 cup of the coleslaw mix on each tortilla.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of the oil and vinegar mixture over each coleslaw covered tortilla.

Top each tortilla with three slices of tenderloin.

Drain the pickled vegetables and evenly divide them over each tortilla.

Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of cilantro leaves over the top.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture over each tortilla.

Roll each one up by folding it in half, then pulling the top side halfway back. Next fold the perpendicular sides in and finally roll to close it up. 

Zucchini Fritters

Two weeks ago today our two youngest little birdies landed in our empty nester motor home. Jet lagged from flying in from the Philippines, they were finally back from an 18 month tour of the world. We were headed north after being in the Florida Keys and rendezvoused with them at the Fort Myers airport. The next 10 days were a flurry of activity as the girls rewrote resumes, had skype interviews, and reentered the U.S. culture. Sadly, Jenn has already left to seek her fortunes in California, but while she was here we followed her practice of no dairy, no wheat, no sugar. Some might say that sounds like no fun as well, but I had a ball rising to the challenge of cooking meals. Most of all, I loved having the girls there to cook for; they are always so appreciative! This post is one of the dishes I made for breakfast. It's simple, incredibly easy and very yummy!

Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients for four fritters:

2 medium zucchinis (about two cups shredded)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil for frying

Optional:
Poached eggs
Fresh chopped tomato and sliced green onions for garnish

Cut the ends off the zucchinis and grate into a bowl. Add the salt, stir, and let sit 10 minutes.
Line another bowl with a clean dish cloth and pour the grated zucchini mixture in the middle of the cloth. Gather the towel together and squeeze as much water as possible from the zucchini. Discard the resulting water.

Remove shredded zucchini from the towel and place back in bowl. Add slightly beaten egg and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Heat oil in skillet to medium hot. Scoop up 1/4 cup of zucchini mixture and gently overturn into skillet to make a patty. There should be enough mixture to form four patties. Brown each side for five minutes. Remove from pan and serve.