Norwegian Pancakes

Norwegian Pancakes

2 c. milk

8 eggs                                                                                          1 t. salt

1 c. flour                                                                                      1 cube melted butter

1/4 c. sugar

Mix or blend in blender. Fry like crepes. Serve with sugar or syrup. My Grandpa Nilsen made these for us for breakfast every time they came to visit. So good!

Christmas Morning Crepes

These crepes, served with sliced strawberries in sugar, cream cheese-and-powdered sugar spread, and whip cream, are the Merrell family traditional Christmas breakfast.  (Somehow, we manage to sneak some in throughout the year as well!)

6 eggs
1 1/2 - 2 c. milk (we usually use 1 3/4 c.)
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 - 1 c. flour (we usually use 3/4 c.)

Cook on medium (or a little lower), turning once when the edges look dry.  If cooked at too high of a temperature, or too fast, it will fracture and tear as it is turned.

Hollee's Granola

4 cups quick oats
1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Put sugars and wet ingredients in water. Mix oats and nuts in a large bowl. Pour wet mixture over the dry. Stir well. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degress. Stir. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Watch the last five minutes. It should be golden brown when done.

Kneader's French Toast Recipe

1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread cut in 8 slices
8 eggs
3 c. milk
1 T. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 T. vanilla
2 T. butter  

Preparation:

Butter a glass baking dish generously (9" x 13").  Place the bread flat in the baking dish.  Mix all remaining ingredients, reserving the butter and pour over the bread. Cut butter into pieces and dot over the top. Refrigerate over night or at least 1 hour.   Bake 45 - 50 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serves 8 

Kneader's Carmel Syrup
1 c. Brown sugar
1 c. Creme
1 c. Light Karo Syrup
Blend together and heat on stovetop until sugar is smooth.
Serve warm.

Puffed Oven Pancake

3 Tbsp. butter
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar
1 cup strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 450.  Melt butter in a 9" pie pan in oven (watch it so the butter doesn't burn).  Whisk eggs and milk, sift in flour, whisking until well combined.  Add vanilla.  Pour into pie pan.  Bake 20 min. until puffed and golden brown.  Fill with strawberries and powdered sugar.  Serves 2-4 people

Thanksgiving French Toast

The French Toast James and I made at Thanksgiving is based on this recipe.  I usually just wing it as far as measuring.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 slices stale white bread or 6 slices thick cut stale bread
• Butter, for griddle pan
• Warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and/or fresh berries for topping

Directions

Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time

Buttery-Cinnamon Syrup

¾ cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
¾ cup buttermilk
1 ½ t. baking soda
½ t. vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

In sauce pan melt the butter, then add the sugar and buttermilk. Bring to a boil.
Then add in the baking soda (it will bubble VERY HIGH when you add this, I suggest you remove from heat and whisk in the baking soda), vanilla, and cinnamon.

Caramelly Pull-Apart Bread

12 frozen rolls (dough)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter
cinnamon
1 box of dry butterscotch pudding (the cooked kind, not instant)
nuts, optional

Place 8 frozen rolls in bottom of bundt pan, with 4 rolls on top of those, for a total of 12 rolls.

Place brown sugar and butter in a saucepan and cook on stove until it starts to bubble.  Then, pour over each roll, sprinkle rolls lightly with cinnamon and dry pudding mix.  Add nuts if desired.

Put in fridge and let rise overnight.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

Invert upside down onto plate and serve.  MMMMM!

Victorian French Toast

Victorian French Toast

1 loaf french bread
1 stick butter
1 C brown sugar
3/4 C Karo Syrup (light)
10 Eggs
2 C Milk
2 tsp. Vanilla

Melt butter, brown sugar, Karo syrup in a 9X13 glass baking dish @ 250. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.
Slice french bread and set aside
Beat eggs, Milk, and vanilla
When butter mixture is melted, place bread on top of mixture
Pour egg mixture over bread and sprinkle with Cinnamon
Cover with foil and refrigerate over night
Bake 1 hour @ 350. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

2 cups boiling water

Pour over:
2 cups quick oats
2 cups bran flakes cereal
2 cups All Bran cereal
Let stand until luke warm.  (Really does need to cool off.)

In a separate bowl, cream together:
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp vanilla
5 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt

When cereal mixture reaches room temperature, add creamed mixture and blend well. 
Add 5 cups flour, alternately with 1 quart buttermilk, stirring until well blended.
Store in refrigerator in ice cream bucket with holes punched in the lid.  Stores for 3-4 weeks.  Makes approximately 6 dozen regular sized muffins.  Grease muffins tins.  Cook for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Belgian Waffles

Preheat waffle iron.

Whisk together in large bowl:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt

Thoroughly blend in a separate bowl:
3 eggs
1/2 to 2 sticks butter, melted (this affects crispness of waffle and size of waistline)
1 1/2 cup milk

Make a well in center of dry ingredients, and pour in wet ingredients. Combine with a few swift strokes of the whisk. If desired, may gently stir in any of the following:
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded (4 oz.), 3/4 cup finely chopped bananas, 3/4 cup fresh or thawed strawberries, blueberries or raspberries, 1/2 cup of any of these: raisens or any finely diced soft dried fruit, finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, crumbled cooked crisp bacon, or 1/4 cup flaked dried coconut.

Belgian waffle makers cook very quickly. Check at 3 minutes. Serve immediately to retain crisp texture, or keep in warm oven directly on rack. Makes 4 - 5 small waffles. They are very filling.

Serve as savory or sweet.

German Pancake

German Pancake

5 eggs
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter

DirectionsPreheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut butter into four individual pats and place in a 9×13 baking dish. Place the baking dish into the preheating oven to allow the butter to melt and the pan to warm. (This should take 4-5 minutes, or about as long as it takes to make the batter.)

Whip eggs with an electric mixer until they are light, frothy, and lemon-colored. Add flour, milk, and salt and mix until well combined. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until tall, fluffy peaks have formed around the edges of the pan. Makes 4-6 servings.

Serve warm with maple syrup, butter syrup, fresh berries and cream, lemon curd, or your favorite pancake topping.

Perfect Waffles

Crispy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside, these waffles soak up the butter and syrup for bite after bite of perfection. Trust me, you can throw out your previous waffle recipe. This one is the ultimate. 

Perfect Waffles

1 cup milk
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
In a small bowl, stir vinegar into milk and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, stir all dry ingredients together. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients and stir until there are no large lumps. Allow batter to sit for 15-20 minutes while the waffle iron heats. Pour batter onto the hot iron and cook until crispy golden brown. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Orange Morning Muffins

Here's a happy little recipe for you.  It is ridiculously easy, low-fat, low-calorie, and one of my favorite things to serve house guests.  And my family.  And myself. 

Orange Morning Muffins

1 Orange cake mix (Duncan Hines Orange Supreme is what I use)
1 14.5 oz. can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix, just plain pumpkin)
1 egg
1 c. water


Preheat oven according to directions on cake mix.  Mix all ingredients together and divide into prepared muffin tins.  Bake 18-23 minutes.  Remove to a cooling rack for a few minutes and then drizzle icing on the still-warm muffins.






Icing

3/4 c. Powdered sugar
2 T. Orange juice or milk
1/8 t. Vanilla

Mix together and add more sugar or liquid depending on the consistency you want.

If you're hesitant to use pumpkin, just trust me on this one.  I promise that you can't taste it at all.  You can beat me up if I'm wrong.

You can also modify the recipe and make it with any of the following cake mixes: chocolate, spice, carrot, lemon, banana, and even strawberry.  But orange is definitely my favorite.

"Grinella"

1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped pecans or slivered almonds
1 cup bran flakes
½ cup coconut
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup raisins
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and reserve. Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Place in microwave on high for 5 minutes and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside the flour, butter, and raisins. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Remove brown syrup mixture from microwave, add vanilla extract and salt. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add flour and butter, mixing with your hands to form little chunks. Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 25 minutes then stir and switch oven position between the two cookies sheets. Cook an additional 20 to 35 minutes or until golden and crunchy. When the mixture comes out of the oven, it is still very pliable. Add in raisins as a finishing touch at this time. When granola has cooled completely, store in an airtight container.

("Grinella" is how Ben used to pronounce Granola.)