It's All About Sharing / Se Trata de Compartir

Kristy at the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon, 2014

Inspiration came to me early this morning so, before I lose it, I decided to write a short post.

I got up early and while I was trying to figure out what kind of pancakes I should make for breakfast, I picked up my phone and read Kristy’s Facebook post where she shared pictures of her pancakes. Kristy is my niece who lives in New York. She often inspires me to do things… like running my first 5K and trying new kinds of beer. She is an awesome marathon runner and she loves a good beer. She is also a great cook who focuses on cooking and eating healthy and nutritious food, like the pancakes she prepared this morning. They were made with teff, an incredibly nutritious grain high in protein and calcium. 

Teff is one of the earliest domesticated plants and it originated in Ethiopia but is now being raised in United States. I was introduced to teff a few years ago by my friend and co-worker, Helen, who showed me how to make injera, a traditional Ethiopian bread made with teff flour and a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. I’ve tried to make injera several times but with very poor results so I usually use teff in pancakes and I have made veggie burgers with it. I’ll share that recipe some other time. 

Today, I was inspired by Kristy to make teff pancakes for breakfast. Our time zone is 3 hours different from New York, so I was so glad that, by the time I got up, she had her pancakes made and shared in Facebook. I was inspired to make this delicious breakfast. Now, I’m sharing my recipe here and hope this will inspire someone else - it is all about sharing!

Teff Pancakes

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole teff grain

1/4 cup powdered coconut milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process first 3 ingredients in a blender until pulverized. Pour into a large bowl and whisk in baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk, stir in melted butter and vanilla. Combine wet and dried ingredients to form the pancake batter. Cook pancakes on a hot griddle. Makes 12 delicious 4-5 inch pancakes.

Summer or Autumn / Verano u Otoño

The season is officially autumn but here, in the beautiful city of San Diego, the weather still pretty much like mid summer. Today, the temperatures reached 88°F but last week we had a couple of cold, rainy days - summer or autumn, who knows?

I recognize that fall is here because all the markets are full of cold weather fruits and vegetables. The apples have been making an increasing appearance at the market, alone with persimmons, pomegranates and a good variety of winter squash.  Also, we have been getting lots of butternut squash from our garden and now we are also getting kabocha squash which is delicious.

I have made several dishes with my squash and today I'm sharing a delicious pancake recipe with kabocha. This is perfect for Sunday breakfast, I prepared it last week and we really enjoyed it.  

Kabocha Squash

Kabocha Squash Pancakes

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt 

1/2 cup roasted kabocha ( any other winter squash can be used)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with an electric mixer to obtain a smooth batter. You can also do this in a blender, food processor or by hand.

Cook pancakes on a hot, well greased griddle. Serve hot topped with maple syrup.

Fluffy Pancakes with Kumquat Mermalade and Blueberry Syrup / Esponcojitos Pancakes con Mermelada de Kumquat y Jarabe de Arándanos

Another lovely Sunday here in beautiful San Diego. There is nothing better then to start the day with my breakfast tradition (which I adopted from my father's); delicious Sunday pancakes. 

A while ago, I read a post in Pity's blog where she posted recipes for glazed kumquats and blueberries. I have made Pity's recipes many times because I love them, but today I gave them a twist of my own and we had them over pancakes for breakfast. They were de-li-cious!

Kumquat Marmalade

2 lb. kumquats, thinly sliced and seeds removed

1 C. sugar

2 T. water

In a saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes stirring several times. You know it's ready when you run your finger through the back of a wooden spoon coated with the mixture and it doesn't come together. Place in a sterilized jar. 

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 egg, beaten

1 C. buttermilk

1 C. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

a pinch of salt

1 t. sugar

1 to 2 T. melted butter

1/2 t. vanilla

Combine egg and buttermilk. In a larger separate bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add egg and buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla; stir with a few quick strokes just to moisten the dry ingredients. Ignore the lumps - do not over mix! Cook pancakes on a hot, well greased griddle. Serve hot topped with kumquat jam.

Blueberry Syrup

2 pt. blueberries, cleaned

3/4 C. sugar

the seeds of 5 cardamon pods

2 T. lemon juice

In a saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes stirring several times. You know it's ready when the fruit starts to break and the sauce has thickened.

Blue Cornmeal Pancakes

1 egg

1 C. plain yogurt

1/2 C. all purpose flour

1/2 C. blue cornmeal

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

a pinch of salt

1 t. sugar

2 T. melted butter

1/2 t. almond extract

Combine egg and yogurt. In a larger separate bowl sift flour, blue cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add egg and yogurt; stir with a few quick strokes just to moisten the dry ingredients. Add melted butter and almond extract; stir until well incorporated. Cook pancakes on a hot, well greased griddle. Serve hot topped with blueberry syrup.

Farm Eggs / Huevos de Granja

When I was growing up my mother raised chickens for our own consumption of eggs and meat. I remember that I did not like to eat the eggs or the meat of freshly slaughtered chickens. Yes, I ate them because my mother managed to not let me see that fresh eggs were just collected from the chicken coop or that I was eating soup made with a chicken that she slaughtered herself, cleaned and cooked while I was in school. I do not know why but I always said that these eggs were dirty and, as I knew the chicken in life, I would not be able to eat it when served on my plate. The same thing happened with the other animals that were raised at home for our good nutritious food.

I was born and raised in Tijuana, the city bordering San Diego, California. Because of its proximity to the United States, my family had access to many products from abroad. My dad and my older siblings, who worked in San Diego, always brought home bags of groceries with American products. I remember those frozen chickens that, when cooked, were white, unlike the yellow flesh of my mother's chickens. She always told me that hers were more nutritious. And yes they were - the eggs too.

Hens raised in a healthy outdoor life, with good food and clean water lay firm eggs with yolks with a more intense color and a thicker shell and, more importantly, these eggs are more nutritious than the ones from chickens raised in a factory, like the ones sold in supermarkets. Now I buy my eggs at farmers' markets and directly from the supplier from a local farm where chickens roam freely in open spaces and have access to green pastures - happy hens like my mother's.

At the market I find different types of chicken eggs and, occasionally, duck and turkey eggs. Eggs of different sizes and colors but the color of the shell has nothing to do with the nutritional value of eggs. White and brown eggs are most common in the markets. I read that the color of the hen indicates the color of eggs it will lay - the White Leghorn chickens, the most common type in the United States, lay white eggs. Rhode Island Red hens lay brown eggs. Blue eggs are from a chicken called Araucana native to South America and its relative, the Ameraucana. Whatever the color, I like it! And the more simple its preparation the more I appreciate its flavor.

Eggs in Cocotte

(for 2)

2 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 

2 turkey eggs (or 4 chicken eggs)

3 Tsp. heavy cream

2 tsp. fresh tarragon, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Butter two individual casseroles or ramekins. Break 1 turkey egg (or 2 chicken eggs) into each casserole, then top each with 1.1/2 tablespoons of cream. Sprinkle with fresh tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a 350°F oven for 7 minute. Serve hot accompanied by bread and your favorite side dish.

No Story, Just a Recipe

The recipe is for homemade granola. I always  use Kim's  recipe as a base and I add my favorite nuts, dried fruits and spices (click on the link to see recipe).

This one has pepitas instead of sunflower seeds. The mixed nuts are almonds and pecans and I used dried cranberries.

This one was made with olive oil instead of butter. I used pepitas and Mexican canela. For the mixed nuts, I used almonds and pine nuts plus I added 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut flakes and I used cardamon for an added flavor. I added dried apricots and dried Michigan cherries.

Homemade granola is an excellent thing to eat for breakfast or as a healthy mid-day snack.

Homemade Yogurt

I love cheese and most dairy products but I've never been a fan of milk or eating dishes prepared with milk (rice pudding, for example). Yogurt is another food I used to hate! I always associated it with my dislike for milk. My mother always had a jar with yogurt starter on the kitchen counter. She would change the milk every other day (I think; I don't remember exactly how often) and it produced a thick liquid yogurt. She used to mix it with fresh fruit in her blender and my sisters drank it as a healthy breakfast - I never liked it.

Last year, Kim, The Farmer's Marketer, posted a recipe for homemade yogurt. Kim uses a different method than my mother. My mom's recipe seemed to need more tending, which is something that turned me off. Since I have been trying to eat healthier food, I decided to incorporate yogurt into my diet and to give Kim's recipe a try.

After making yogurt for the first time, I fell in love with it! I have been making my own yogurt for several months now. I turn half a gallon of milk into yogurt every other week and store it in individual portions. I eat yogurt for breakfast every morning during the week; sometimes with dates or fresh fruit but most of the time with homemade granola (another one of Kim's recipes). I also like to make yogurt cheese to eat with bread or crackers.

If you want to make your own yogurt, you will need to buy a small container of plain commercial yogurt to start with. I only used commercial yogurt in the first batch I made. After that, I have been using the whey to make new batches; I drain some of the yogurt for two days and it produces excellent cheese and about 3/4 cup of whey. I use this to make my next batch of yogurt; it works great.

Plain Yogurt

(from Kim's recipe)

1/2 gallon organic milk, at room temperature

2-3 T. plain commercial yogurt, at room temperature

hot water (almost boiling)

You will need a candy thermometer and an insulated container like a cooler.

In a large pot with heavy bottom, warm the milk at very low heat stiring constantly to avoid scalding it (use a wooden spoon). When it reaches 185°-190°F, turn the heat off and let the milk come down to a temperature of 120°-125°F. Stir in the commercial yogurt until thoughly mixed. Pour into one or more containers and cover (I use 15 individual containers - recycled jars). Place filled containers in the cooler with a jar of hot water, cover with a kitchen towel, close the cooler and let it sit undisturbed in a warm place. If the starter was active and the temperature correct, you will have beautiful yogurt after 8 hours. (I always start my yogurt around 6:00 PM and it is ready in the morning). Cool in the refrigerator before serving.

To make cheese, add a little bit of salt to your yogurt and drain it in a fine strainer or a coffee filter over a container. Drain in the refrigerator overnight (two nights if you like thicker cheese). Save the whey for your next batch of yogurt, or use yogurt from your first batch.

I Got the Cooking Bug! / ¡No se que mosca me pico!

When I'm off work on Friday, I use it as my cooking day. I usually prepare a big pot of soup, cook beans, or anything I can refrigerate or freeze in small batches to use as needed during the week. Last Friday I got the cooking bug inside of me and I spent the whole day cooking. I made orange marmalade, almond-orange cookies, a big batch of nutty-cranberry granola and home-made yogurt for the week. It was fun!

My sister Teresa has an orange tree in her back yard. She said it's full of fruit and she has been wanting to make jam or marmalade with the fruit. We talked about getting together in a couple of weeks to prepare it but I couldn't wait - I made this recipe last Friday.

Simply Delicious Orange Marmalade (2- 8 oz jars)

5 medium oranges- clean (I used organic navel oranges but you can use your favorite)

Water

1 c. sugar

With a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, peel off the skin of 2-3 oranges being careful not to take too much of the white parts. Chop the skin very finely and place in a medium size saucepan. Peel off the skin of the remained oranges and cut all 5 oranges in small pieces, pick the seeds out as you chop and discard the white center of the orange. Add the fruit to the sauce pan and cover with water. Boil until most of the water has been evaporated. Add the sugar and continue boiling until the sugar has been completely dissolved and the mixture has become translucent. You can tell when is done by pouring a small amount on a plate, if the marmalade runs off the plate, it is not done, continue coking. If the marmalade forms a thin shiny skin it is ready. Place the marmalade in a sterilized jar, cover and let it cool. It will be ready to eat as soon as it cools down.

To continue with my orange theme I baked this very yummy cookies:

Almond-Orange Cookies (about 36)

1 c. vegetable shortening

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs- beaten

zest and juice of 1 small orange

1-3/4 c. all purpose flour, sifted with 1 t. baking powder

1 c. finely ground almonds (almonds can be ground in a blender or in a coffee grinder)

36 whole almonds-toasted

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a big bowl beat the vegetable shortening and sugar with an electric mixer until light and airy. Continue mixing while you add the eggs, one at the time, orange zest and juice. Mix for 3-4 more minutes, then add flour mixture and ground almonds, mix to form a dough. Divide the dough into 36 pieces and roll each one into a ball. Place in a baking sheet, top each ball with a whole almond pushing it in with your finger. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden. Let stand on the baking sheet for 3 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Family Traditions / Tradiciones Familiares

One of the things that I remember growing up is that my family always ate meals together. My mom always cooked breakfast at the same time and lunch and dinner, and we sat at the table together. I remember we always had a good, nutritious breakfast before school. Sunday's breakfast was the best for me. We attended an early mass and my dad always made pancakes for breakfast after church. That was a yummy tradition.

Rich and I have very different schedules - we can not always eat at the same time but we always have Sunday's breakfast together. Every day Rich gets up before me and by the time I'm up he has already eaten breakfast (which is okay with me because I rather sleep five more minutes). But no matter how hungry my dear husband is on Sunday, he always waits for me so we can eat breakfast together.

I have such warm memories of my father's pancakes that I've decided to make Sunday pancakes my own family tradition. My dad always prepared his pancakes the same way but I try to use different recipes and I like to flavor my pancakes with things like vanilla, walnuts, orange or lemon zest. Last Sunday I prepared an adaptation of a recipe taken from a family cook book titled Weeks to Weeks (Rich's mother's family). The original recipe came from Bertha Weeks; here is my version.

Whole-wheat-orange pancakes

1 egg

1 c. milk or half and half

1/2 c. self-rising flour

1/2 c. wholewheat flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

salt

1t. sugar

1 T. vegetable oil

the zest of 1 orange

In larger bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.

In a separate bowl whisk egg then add milk, oil, and orange zest. Combine the sifted ingredients and the liquid ingredients with a few quick strokes just to barely moisten the dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Cook pancakes in a hot, well greased griddle.