banana pancakes

The computer's hard drive died.  At least it was still under warranty, yes?  We have almost everything backed up except for maybe the last day of pictures.  I am hoping some *.pdfs I was working got backed up as well.  I have the files other places but the idea of redoing is a bit overwhelming.  I know I can do it with a very deep breath first.

My Beloved has been having problems eating pancakes.  They have been upsetting his stomach.  I was thinking that it may be the grains.  When I heard about this banana pancake recipe, I decided to give it a try.

banana pancakes

For each person:

One very ripe banana

one egg

1 tablespoon of peanut butter.  

Blend it all together and cook on a griddle like a pancake.  They need a bit lower heat because of the sugar in the bananas.

They are very light and fluffy with a light banana flavor.  You do have to like banana though.

I was just thinking, some chocolate sauce and/or peanut butter sauce on these would make a lovely dessert.  But those are some of my most favorite flavors together.

Tinga (Puebla Simmered Spiced Beef)

This is an old recipe from Sunset magazine that I resurrect occasionally.  I was in graduate school when I found this so that means that it is over 20 years ago.  

This is one of those recipes that I find works on top of the stove or in the crockpot.  It would probably work very well as a braise as well but I have not tried it.  Yet.  A salad.  Tortillas.  Or roasted vegetables.  You have an easy meal.  

My family likes this one.  If they are hungry at lunch, they will take a jar of this, a jar of cooked beans, and a jar of pumpkin and make a chili like concoction.  Or just a bowl of tinga.  

tinga

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds beef flank steak, cut into strips

1/2 pound chorizo

3 small onions or 1 large onion, chopped

1 head garlic, finely chopped

4 large bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

10 whole cloves

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 to 4 tablespoons of chipolte chilies in adobado sauce, blended

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

14 ounce can diced tomatoes, blended

In a large pot, put the olive oil and heat.  Add the onion and let start to cook.  When translucent and the chorizo and garlic.  When the chorizo is brown, add the chipolte and tomatoes.  Add all the spices, vinegar, and sugar.  Let bubble a way for a few minutes.  Add the flank steak.  The meat should be covered with liquid but I will let you play it by ear.  My family prefers when I do not add any more water, cover, and let cook.  The meat is done with it can be shredded.  I fish out the bay, cinnamon, and cloves to the best of my ability before I serve it.  Those are just not surprises I wish to find!

I do exactly the same thing with the crockpot.

With either, just make sure there is enough fluid but not too much.  

It can make a lot.  My famliy actually suggests that if I were to quadruple the recipe, I would just need to quadruple the meat, quadruple the spices, and only double the tomatoes.  

We just had a jar from the freezer yesterday.  So easy when it is already made!

I am pretty sure this sounds like a babble.  It has been a long day.

prosciutto, roquerfort, and pine nut pasta

I needed a fast dinner recently and we had a few bits in the frig.  Prosciutto.  Roquerfort.  The combination sounded good so I put the combination together.  It really worked.  Just ummmed as we ate because it was too good to stop.

prosciutto, roquerfort, and pine nut pasta

1 pound dry pasta

about 1/4 pound roquerfort cheese

about 1/4 pound prosciutto, sliced in small pieces

about 1/4 cup pine nut (probably more)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Cook your pasta.

In a frying pan, heat the oil.  Add the prosciutto and pine nuts.  You want the prosciutto crispy and the pine nuts starting to toast and have brown bits.

When the pasta is al dente, drain and portion into bowls.  Top with the prosciutto and pine nuts.  Break up the roquerfort and sprinkle over.

Enjoy!

beet, onion, and fennel dish

We tried a beet, onion, and fennel tart tonight.  I would say I would make the middle again but I did not like the the crust.  I know it was gluten free but I was expecting more.  Especially with the flours used and the time put in.  I do find with this author I have to modify anything of hers to make it work with me.  I need to go with the ideas.

So, we are going to go with ideas here.  The filling was good.  You could bake it in a ramekin and serve it as a side, if you like cheese like we do.  

beet, onion, and fennel tart filling (or a side or spread on crackers or ....)

3 beets, large, peeled, roasted until soft and sliced

2 thinly sliced onions

1 thinly sliced fennel bulb

1/4 to 1/2 pound of racellete and/or gruyere cheese, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or oven proof pan.  Add the onion and fennel.  Slow fry until golden and caramelized.  Put into a oven proof pan.  Cover with cheese.  Put in the oven for 5 minutes.  Pull out of the oven and cover with the beets.  Back into the oven and bake for 2 more minutes.

This would be good by itself or as a side or on toast.  As a tart, it needs a bit of help.

finnish pulla

Reading Twitter, I came across a recipe that sent me to a blog that made me think this recipe from Red Star Yeast sounded interesting.  The bread had cardamom in it and since I had bought cardamom for cookies....  I think it was my Christmas spice this year.  So my trusty assistant, Small Mister, and I made bread.  He always falls asleep when I am kneading!

This was good.  I changed it again, adding some whole wheat and using sourdough.  If I wishing a bit of spice in my life, and it not cinnamon, I would definitely make this again.  My Assistant thought it was quite wonderful.  But I think he is prejudiced.  He seems to like any bread Grandmomma makes and he helps with!

finnish pulla

Note:  adapted from the Red Star Yeast website

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water

1 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cardamom

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 plus cups all purpose flour

The night before you plan to make the bread, mix the starter, 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup water together in a large bowl.  Cover and let get bubbly.  Before, using, remove 2 tablespoons for use for next time.

To the starter, add the sugar, milk, and eggs.  Mix.  Add the butter and chop up.  Add the salt, cardamom, and whole wheat flour.  Mix well.  Add enough of the all purpose flour to make a softly stiff dough.  Turn out on the counter and knead until smooth or ten minutes.  Put into a clean bowl and cover and let rise until double.  If your house is cold and it will be a long slow rise, oil the bowl, put the dough in, turn the dough over so the top surface is oiled.  This will keep the dough from getting a skin.  I should have done this.

Cover a baking sheet with a silpat or parchament paper.  Divide the dough into three.  Roll out each portion until it is about 16 inches long or the length of your forearm.  Braid the three strands together and tuck the ends under.  Cover and let rise until double.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake for one hour or until the bottom thunked sounds hollow and the loaf is golden.  My sourdough just usually takes a hour to bake unless it is rolls.

Watch out for assitants stealing bits.  I did like this toasted with just butter.  But I have said before, I like toast.