Ugly Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Because I haven't blogged much lately due to my cookbook writing I like to make sure the recipes I "do" blog are perfect. Well, this morning I decided to try a New recipe I saw on Trial and Erin called Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. I have to say I loved the idea as soon as I saw it! Beautiful Pancakes in the picture, the idea of a cinnamon and brown sugar swirl in the middle of a pancake, just made me drool. "Erin" very humbly says she got the recipe from Recipe Girl. I read both recipes and came up with my own. I give both women much credit as their recipes work for them Really Well!! For me, I am a little pancake inept, apparently. I am an EASY breakfast person. Remember I Bake French Toast..LOL
I have to admit I've made the pancakes exactly as directed in both of their recipes and they burned each time. My modifications allow for the sugar to not touch the heat directly. Now, when using an electric griddle, this might not be a problem. I don't have an electric griddle and had to use a non-stick skillet on the stove top. Although they both advise using a medium low heat, my pancakes still burnt. I have included both links for both of the others recipes and you are more than welcome to try theirs. I have to admit. They look 100% better than mine! But for me, they didn't work out as well. I am definitely Pancake inept . Even as I am sitting and typing this I am tempted to try it again their way...I just keep thinking I have to be doing something wrong! But anyway. Mine were okay, and I cannot eat another pancake!
So, here's My Ugly Cinnamon Roll Pancake Recipe...

Ugly Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:
Pancake Batter

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I like my batter thicker)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten (like the extra white for lift)

"Cinnamon Roll" Filling
3/4 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Butter (melted)
2 tbsp Cinnamon

Glaze:
1 cup Confectioners sugar
4oz Cream Cheese
(softened)
4 oz Heavy cream


Instructions:
Pancake Batter:

Whisk eggs, milk, and oil together.
Add Dry ingredients.
Remove 1cup mixture set aside.
Swirl batter:
Combine Cinnamon Roll Filling ingredients.
Add Cinnamon Roll Filling mixture to reserved (1cup) pancake batter.
Combine.
Pour The filling mixture into a squirt bottle or into a "pourable" measuring cup.

Warm Non-stick Skillet on Medium Low Heat, (when water dances on skillet, it's ready)
May prepare pan if needed with Non-Stick Spray.

Pour 1/2-3/4 cup of Pancake batter into center of Pan. Swirl Cinnamon roll filling around batter as shown above. Do not turn until bubbles that form "pop". When turning the pancake be sure to use a large/wide spatula so as "Recipe Girl" states "the filling doesn't go everywhere." I certainly agree.

Turn pancake and allow to cook on other side approximately 2 minutes.
Glaze and Serve.

The Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. I like the lightness of this glaze, versus the thick sweetness of the traditional Cinnamon Roll Glaze.
Either way...I encourage you to make These pancakes. They are so worth it!

Thank you again! Erin for the inspiration! I love these pancakes! If it weren't for you I wouldn't have ever thought to look for them!

Erin @ Trial and Erin: http://trialanderin.com/cinnamon-roll-pancakes
Recipe Girl: http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/03/01/cinnamon-roll-pancakes/

Coconut Macaroons

Sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes ya don't!

Today is Sunday and I felt like I needed to bake something.
Looked in the pantry and had coconut, flour (always have flour), Sweetened condensed milk....So it was Either Coconut Flan or Macaroons..My sister Loves Coconut..and was thinking of her so.. Macaroons!
They are beautiful, tasty and the easiest thing to make on this earth!
Here's the recipe. See if you agree.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:


2/3 cup Flour
14 oz Sweetened Flaked Coconut
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
14 oz Can sweetened Condensed Milk

Instructions:

Combine in mixing bowl, Flour Coconut and Salt. Combine well.
Combine in a separate bowl Condensed Milk and Vanilla.

Pour Milk mixture into bowl with coconut mixture and combine well.
Refrigerate Mixture for 1 hour.

Preheat Oven to 350° f
Line Baking Sheet with parchment.










Use an ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons to spoon even mounds of dough onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake @ 350° f for 15 minutes. (exactly) They may seem soft when coming out of the oven.
When they cool, they'll be the right consistency. Chewy and sweet Just like you know.

Enjoy!   

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Leprechaun Bites for St. Patty's Day

Happy St Patty's Day to you all!
I can't say I have celebrated St Patty's Day much in the last few years..I have made cookies.. but not the Corned Beef and Cabbage or Bangers and Mash, since leaving the Northeast. Although we have Irish Pubs here in the South Florida area, they are not prevalent, nor close to home.
So my Irish celebrating has become more for the sweet tooth.

Today I decided to share a recipe with you that I have shared before, but with a twist.
I have made Mini Meringues with a Mint Creme Filling.
They are delicious and adorable! Remember, if you are in a time crunch, feel free to buy prepared meringues. Slice, fill and decorate them, and you are good to go!
Enjoy!

Leprechaun Bites

Ingredients:

Meringues:
6 egg whites
2 tsp Cream of Tarter
1  C  Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla


Cream filling:
1 Cup heavy Whipping Cream (iced cold)
3 oz Cream Cheese (room temp)
3 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar
2 tsp Mint Extract

Garnish:
Green colored coconut

Instructions:
Meringues:
Pre-heat oven to 200° f
Line Baking sheet with Parchment paper

Beat Egg Whites on High speed until frothy.
Add Cream of Tarter.

Continue Beating until white.
Add 3/4 C Sugar. (save 1/4 C for when whipping is complete).
Continue Beating until Egg Whites have come to "Stiff Peaks"
(this means when you turn the beater upside down, they don't fall off.)
Fold in remaining Sugar
Place Large Spoonfuls of the Meringue into a Ziploc Bag.
Squeeze Bag to push out Meringue Mixture onto Baking Sheet in a "poof" in your desired size.
If you have a "star" tip it can be used here to give a striation to the sides of the meringue.
When my grandmother made them she used a spoon and they came out just as well!


Bake Meringues in a 200° oven for 2 hours until crisp, but not brown.
Turn oven off and leave the meringues in the oven for an additional hour.
Allow to cool for 2 hours.

Once cool, Slice each meringue in half,(using a serrated knife) leaving a top and bottom piece.

Prepare Cream:
In a Mixing bowl, soften cream cheese with hand mixer.
In a separate bowl, Whip heavy cream and sugar to stiff peaks.
Once beaten to stiff peaks add mint extract. (if green cream is desired add color now) Fold.
Add Whipped cream to cream cheese. Fold in.

Place mixture in ziploc bag and pipe onto bottom of meringue.

Garnish:
Take each top and dip into cream lightly, then place each top into colored coconut if desired.

Top each meringue with it's top.

Enjoy!

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Baked Zeppole

Next Saturday is March 19th. For Catholics that means St Joseph's Day. In the Catholic religion, St Joseph was the "Foster Father" of  Jesus, husband of the Virgin Mary. This is primarily an Italian Holiday, but where I come from, Everyone got in on it! My favorite part of this day is the Italian Pastry. As I no longer live in the Northeast, a Great Baked Zeppole is almost impossible to find. I so miss being able to trot up to Federal Hill or to North Providence and stop by Lasalle Bakery for a wonderful variety. You had to choose baked or fried, then you have your choice of cream. You can have, Canoli cream, "Italian" cream, Baileys, Amaretto, Chocolate the choices go on and on.
I braved it this year and decided I was going to make my own. Wow! There are only a few recipes online and you are hard pressed to find one for a "baked" Zeppole
As I had never made them before I was daring but not so daring to go with "flavored" cream...I stuck with the Traditional  "Italian" boiled cream I already knew how to make. LOL

Here is my version, Hope you enjoy!

Baked Zeppole

Ingredients:

Shells:

1/2 cup sugar + 3 tbsp.

1 Stick Butter

4 Eggs (large)

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 cup Water

1 1/2 cup Flour

Cream Filling:

1 tbsp Butter

1 cup Whole Milk

1 cup Heavy Cream

7 tbsp Sugar

4 tbsp Cornstarch

3 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

Garnish

Maraschino Cherries

Confectioners/Powdered Sugar.

Instructions Cream:

Mix together Eggs, sugar and cornstarch. Cream until ribbon texture.

Set aside.

In heavy saucepan bring milk, cream and butter to a boil.

Remove from heat and while whisking continuously, add egg mixture.

Move back to heat for one minute. Do not stop mixing!

Continue mixing for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Instructions Shells:

Preheat oven to 425° f.

Sift together flour, Salt and baking soda, set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the water, add the butter and sugar, when melted, remove pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon or silicone spoonula, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. 

Remove the pan from the heat. Let mixture cool 15 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating with hand mixer to blend each in well before adding the next egg.

Fill a pastry or ziploc bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain nozzle with some of the cream puff mixture. Squeeze out 1 1/4-inch puffs about 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. 

Bake the cream puffs in preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer the cream puffs to cooling racks. May keep shells in closed container for a couple days to up to a week before filling.

Assembly:

Cute each shell in half, revealing a top and bottom. 

Fill each shell with 2 tbsp cream.

Cover with top

Add 1 tsp cream to top.

Dust with powdered sugar and maraschino cherry.

Serve.

Enjoy!

** So Sorry for my lack of rechecking this recipe...Please note there is sugar in the shells and it needs to be added in the water and butter mixture. Also there are 4 eggs(not in the ingredient list, but in the instructions)

Sorry for the confusion...My editing apparently was missing on that day. I was very excited about the recipe!

Enjoy!!!

We're having a Fish Fry!

My Significant Other goes fishing at least 3 times a month.

We live in Miami, fishing is just something the Men here do, Alot!
I have learned that when he goes fishing, I wait for the call before making dinner plans.
Lately we have had bounties of Kingfish. Not my favorite, but still fresh fish is fresh fish. Kingfish is of the mackerel family.
According to the FDA, "Kingfish is among one of the 4 types of fish, pregnant women and children should avoid due to the high mercury concentration." Aside from that it can be quite a tasty fish. It is high in fat, in that, it's a high Omega 3 source.
So for Adults (non-pregnant) great fish for a fish fry!

By the time I get the fish, it is cleaned and cut into "steaks". The center of the steak has a circular bone with small spines. Easily seen and "pickable". If you'd like to avoid this, the fish can be cut into fillets.
Our favorite way to prepare Kingfish is frying. Thus, A Fish Fry:

Fried Kingfish

Ingredients:

4 -6 Kingfish Steaks
2-3 Lemons
Complete Seasoning (red or green top)
Black Pepper
2 cups All Purpose Flour

Instructions:

Lay each Steak out flat on a paper towel.
Dry each steak.
Lay on a platter.
Zest 2 Lemons, set aside.

In a bowl, combine 3 Tbsp Complete Seasoning, 1 Tbsp Black Pepper, Lemon zest and Flour.

Squeeze Lemon juice over both sides of steaks.
Dredge lemon soaked fish into flour mixture.
Set aside, for 2 hours.

When ready to fry:


Bring a minimum of 2 inches of Vegetable oil to 350° f.
Fry fish for approx 3 minutes each side or until golden
Remove fish from heat, set on paper towel to drain, salt and pepper to taste.

Squeeze remaining lemon juice over fish just before serving.

I served the fish with white rice, sauteed greens and plaintain chips.

The Plaintain Chips are simply "green" plantains sliced very thinly, and fried in vegetable oil just like you would, potato chips. I fried the plantains while the fish was marinating and let them stay warm in a 200 degree oven while I fried the fish.

Ginnie's Favorite Cookie

A few years ago I was enthralled with cookies. I had such a passion for cookies, that I started a cookie company. I baked and baked to my heart content. I have to say this is what brought me really to blogging and eventually to Recipe and Cookbook Author. My passion for cooking is truly that. The smiles and warmth of heart you receive when someone loves something you have created is immeasurable. So is true of this cookie. When I decided to make cookies for a living, my cousins and friends were kind enough to be guinea pigs. My cousin Ginnie loved one cookie especially. I made dozens and dozens of many different varieties of cookies. Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, Shortbread, Chocolate Dipped Shortbread, and my specialty, Hand Decorated Sugar Cookies. Ginnie wasn't having any of it.
This Toffee Coconut Walnut Oatmeal cookie was the one for her. So I have aptly named the cookie, Ginnie's Favorite Cookie. The draw of this cookie is it's combination of flavors. Crunchy, Chewy, Buttery, Nutty, Sweet and Salty. It truly is a perfect combination. Hope you enjoy as much as Ginnie and I do!

Ginnie's Favorite Cookie

Ingredients:

1 cup Butter (unsalted)

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Sugar (white)

2 tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 cups Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 cup Oatmeal

1 1/2 cups Coconut

1 1/3 cups Walnuts

1 10oz Bag Toffee Candy Bits

(I use Heath)

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 350f

Line baking sheet with Parchment Paper

Butter and Eggs should be at room temp before beginning.

In a Mixing Bowl Combine, Butter and Sugars.

Add Eggs. Combine thoroughly.

Add Vanilla. combine.

In Large mixing bowl combine flour, oatmeal, salt, baking soda.

Add Wet ingredients to dry ingredients.

Mix well.

Fold in Coconut, Toffee and Walnuts.

Mixture will be stiff.

Spoon Tablespoon measure of mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake in a 350 pre-heated oven for 10 minutes exactly. (do not over bake)

Remove from oven cool on cooling rack for 15 mins.

Recipe yields 30 cookies, depending on size.

Cookies will remain fresh for 2 weeks in a covered plastic container.

Variation: 

I substituted a 10 oz bag of the chocolate covered toffee (broken up) and  added chocolate chips. Awesome!!