Whole Wheat Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup

I love pancakes for breakfast!  This recipe is perfect for 2 hungry people.  Works great for my husband and I.  I love the whole wheat flour as well.  It just makes me feel better eating pancakes.  Earlier last week I bought a pomegranate - they are perfect this time of the year!  This one was pretty bitter though and not edible just plain.  So I did what I usually do with fruit that's not awesome - I made a reduction with some much needed sugar.  Together, it turned out to be a great breakfast.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 cup milk

1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

2 tbsp melted butter

vanilla

Combine milk and vinegar/lemon juice and set aside while you make the rest of the recipe.  In a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients.  Pre-heat skillet or griddle.  When ready mix in milk (which is sour and lumpy now), egg, vanilla.  Mix slightly and stir in melted butter and vanilla.  

Pomegranate Syrup (enough for 2 generous servings)

1 pomegranate

3 tsp sugar (to taste)

1 tsp water

Boil pomegranate seeds with water and sugar until the seeds have popped and the juice is released - approximately 15 min.  I used a strainer to remove the seeds from the juice and pulp mixture.  Let cool slightly.

(pancake recipe adapted from www.fifteenspatulas.com)

Soft Cinnamon Rolls

I can't think about the holiday season without automatically thinking about cinnamon rolls!
This recipe is my favorite for these rolls.  When they come out of the oven they are so soft - almost the consistency of a fresh hot donut!  Absolutely delicious.  The trick is to be patient while the dough is rising.  It takes about 1.5-2 hours for it to double at first but it's worth it!

Cinnamon Rolls:

3/4 cup milk, warm
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
3 eggs at room temp.
4 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp. (cut into 12 pieces)
Filling:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp

Whisk milk, yeast and add eggs.  In a large bowl mix together flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt.  Add flour mixture to milk mixture and stir.  Use your hand once the dough starts to come together.  Add to a mixer with a dough hook attachment.  Add butter, one tbsp at a time until all incorporated.  Kneed for another 5 minutes.  Cover and set aside for 1-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.  Roll out into a long rectangle.  Mix filling ingredients and spread in the rectangle.  Roll up the bottom of the dough until you have a long roll.  Cut into individual pieces about 1 inch long and place in a greased baking pan or sheet.  Let double in size again.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 min or until golden brown.

I frosted mine with a mixture of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of hot water.  You can also make a cream cheese frosting for these.

Russian Honey Layer Cake

Friends, this was literally the most delicious and delicate cake I have ever had.  The secret ingredient - Graham Crackers!  I've made this cake before with actual cake batter but cutting them into layers was a pain.  This took me a total of 1 hour to make and it can serve about 25 people.

http://letthebakingbeginblog.com/2013/10/no-bake-honey-cake/

Fresh Butter in 5 minutes

Have leftover heavy whipping cream from say... a pie... or something you don't even remember since it's been sitting in your fridge forever?  Try making butter!

All you need is...

A mason jar
Heavy cream!

Fill the mason jar no more than half way and shake for about 5 minutes until you get a butter ball.  Voila!
Watch my test subject follow these instructions.

Pumpkin Pie from Fresh Pumpkins

Pumpkin Pie around this time of year is a tradition for many.  I am no exception!  The best, of course, is when you make it from a real pumpkin instead of using the canned version. Trust me, it doesn't take long and is definitely worth it!

For the pumpkin...

Cut a pie pumpkin in half, scooping out the insides and bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes or until it is soft (test with a fork).  Cool, scrape from the skin and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Pumpkin Pie

- 1 homemade pie crust (recipe here - makes two crusts) (it's the best... hands down)

- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- dash of salt
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- cinnamon (to taste)
- nutmeg (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)

Combine pumpkin, eggs, and salt.  I usually add about 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg and ginger but it is really up to you and what spices you like.  Add in 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk and whisk together.  Taste test for sweetness.  This is usually enough for us but you can add more to your taste.

Bake at 375 for 20 min or until the center is spongy and bounces back.

Serve with fresh made whipped cream!

Chocolate-Cinnamon Pear Loaf Cake

Holy delicousness Batman!  Seriously... I didn't have a rectangular cake pan so I used a round one and it didn't turn out quite as pretty but BOY was it delicious.  This is probably my favorite chocolate cake recipe in general now.

Next time I am going to slice the pears into quarters and spread them evenly throughout the cake first.  I frosted mine with some cream cheese frosting - it was the perfect addition, don't do the white chocolate.

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chocolate-cinnamon-pear-loaf-cake/

Seriously, people, try this!

Arugula Pear Salad

Generally speaking I hate salads with fruit.  These things just don't mix in my mind.  Strawberries and blueberries?  Please put them in a pie and not on top of my romaine.  However... I have one exception to my rule and that's this salad:

Arugula Pear Salad

- arugula
- 1 pear
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- feta cheese
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- salt

Are you bored with your salads?  Try this one next time.  The flavors really do mix well together!