Christmas Gingerbread Pancakes!

These are a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! I know that ginger is sometimes a bit "spicy" for kids, but when they are covered in yummy maple syrup the balance is wonderful.

The basic pancake batter recipe comes from The Joy of Cooking.  From the number of recipes I have tried over the last few years this is the one I always come back to for a no-fail fluffy, light and tastey pancake. 

I serve these with just plain maple syrup (we smuggled some bottles back from Canada in the fall) and crispy bacon.  The sweetness of the syrup combined with the saltyness of the bacon perfectly compliments the ginger and cinnamon in the pancakes.  Of course, you could add  more ginger if you wanted...totally up to you!

Pancake batter (from Joy of Cooking)

*makes about 15 medium sized pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp white sugar

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

3 Tbsp melted butter

1 1/4 cup milk

*1 tsp ground ginger

*1 tsp cinnamon

In a small bowl mix all dry ingredients together.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and milk, slowly mix in dry ingredients.

Mix in melted butter

Melt a little bit of butter in skillet and pour small amounts of batter into skillet....and you know the rest!

Enjoy xo

applesauce pancakes with apple cider syrup

these are delicious and addictive. such a yummy breakfast for a cold morning.

ingredients::

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup melted butter

combine all ingredients and mix well. drop in dollops on hot skillet. flip and top with butter while warm.

for syrup::
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks

in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. when the butter stops foaming, add the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks. bring to a boil, stirring. continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced by half to about 1 to 1 1/4 cups. this will take about 15 minutes. the syrup will thicken as it cools. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve with pancakes.


enjoy!

Nearly Dead Apple Cake

I am really excited to be contributing to this fabbo blog and thought that I would share a NON-Christmas recipe first because I am totally in Christmas overload at the moment and couldn't handle the sight of more cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orange yule-tideness. 

This cake is pretty simple to make and stays moist out on a cake plate under a dome for a good while (if I actually lasts that long)! It is a great way to use up those apples lurking in the back of the crisper drawer, hence NEARLY DEAD APPLE cake.  The recipe is a family favourite of mine, my Italian Grandmother inherited it from an old Jewish lady whose house she used to clean.  This is a good, dense, moist, rustic cake. 

Ingredients:

(for apple layer)

4 apples, cored and thiny sliced

1/3 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

(for cake batter)

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

zest of one orange

1 1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbsp orange juice

2 tsp vanilla

***Grease and line a springform pan*** (I use a 8" pan, my mum uses a 9" springform tube pan)

PRE HEAT OVEN to 375 f / 190C

-Peel, core and thiny slice apples

-toss apples with sugar and cinnamon

-set aside

-In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt

-In a large bowl mix orange peel and sugar, add eggs, vegetable oil, orange juice and vanilla, mix to combine.

-Add flour mixture, fold in slowly (don't over mix)

-Pour 1/2 of mixture into base of pan

-Layer apples over top

-Spread leftover batter over apple layer (might not cover completely, that's ok)

Bake middle rack of oven for 1 hour (or until tester comes out clean)

***Let cool completely before taking out of pan***

Enjoy xo