Sweet Potato Pancakes

Remember our abundant crop of these?
I've found a delicious way to use them...
In Pancakes!

You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 pound sweet potato, cooked, skinned & mashed ~ I weighed the mashed amount, not the raw potato
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Stir together dry ingredients. Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into sweet potato mixture. Cook on a medium/high griddle until light brown, flip once.

NOTES: I added a few extra tablespoons milk because I thought the batter was rather thick for pancakes. When I was washing the dishes I realized I forgot to add the melted butter. Hummm maybe that was why I needed the extra milk :) So, make them with out the butter if you desire, the will turn out just fine.

The recipe makes quite a few pancakes, 15- 20 depending on the size you make them.We froze our extra and either warmed them in the microwave or used them as toaster pancakes.

These are made with white flour

The second time we made them we used whole wheat flour.
A little darker, but just as good!

I am so making this...

for a Christmas appetizer. I found it at MarilynMoll.

"The BLT Bruschetta recipe below is a simple gourmet delight, very delicious, you must try it!"

BLT Bruschetta

5 Slices Maple flavored Bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ C. finely chopped seeded tomato
½ C. finely chopped leaf lettuce
½ C. prepared pesto, divided
½ C. shredded Mozzerella, optional
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 10 ½ oz loaf French Bread, sliced thin
3 Tbsp Olive oil

Brush French Bread with olive oil and toast by baking at 400° F 9-10 minutes – watch closely- until golden brown. Mix crumbled bacon with finely chopped tomato. Spread pesto mixture on each slice.
Sprinkle with a little Mozzerella. Heat until cheese is melted and garnish with chopped lettuce and basil.

Muffins, an adventure

Some weeks my kids eat bananas like they are the only food in the house and other weeks they don't touch them. They must currently be on a banana strike. Saturday I had 8 bananas that were past their prime. I was feeling a bit adventurous and decided to create my own muffin recipe.
Tyson ate 4 muffins before I cut him off.
I guess I can call my new muffin recipe a success!

I did a little research as I went...
Baking soda, baking powder or some of both?
Butter or Oil?
Do I add yogurt?
Will flax seed and bran make my kids turn up their noses?
I will share what I found out in a later post.

The blue 3x5 is my recipe :)

More exact...

8 Over-ripe Bananas
1 2/3 Cups Sugar or less, I might use 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 next time, or substitute some Maple Syrup for some of the sugar
2 Eggs

*Blend together in blender, pour into large mixing bowl.

1 Cup Maple Flavored Yogurt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 rounded Cup Ground Golden Flax
1/3 rounded Cup Wheat Bran

* Mix into banana mixture, let sit 20-30 minutes to soften the bran.

3 Cups Fresh Whole Wheat Flour, you might need slightly more or less depending on the size of your bananas
1 T Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1+ tsp Cinnamon

*Mix together, stir into banana mixture, don't over stir. A few lumps are OK. Fill muffin tins approximately 2/3 full, maybe slightly more.

Topping:
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1/2 to 2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Flour

*Cut together to create crumbs. Sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake regular muffins at 350* for 20 - 23 minutes. Bake mini muffins at 350* for 12- 15 minutes.
Yield: 36 regular muffins and 24 mini muffins.

Whole Grain Pumpkin Muffins or Bread

You can use this recipe to make bread, muffins or a little of both.

• 2 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour*
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp cloves (I don't add)
  
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (I don't add)
• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 3/4 - 1 cup brown sugar, more or less to your taste buds I use about 3/4 cup
  
• 1/4 cup white sugar, I use sightly less
  
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin, approx 11 oz
  

Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mix well. Add vanilla and pumpkin, mix well. Stir together remaining dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients, mix until evenly moistened. Don't over mix.

*You can use any combination of whole grain flours with success. I have used oat flour, 7 grain flour and wheat flour. Fresh ground flour will produce a totally different texture than regular store bought whole grain flour. If you can, grind your own, buy fresh ground or buy white wheat flour. It will make a huge difference in the taste. If you want, I'll even grind some for you to prove it. Then when you're hooked, I'll sell you a grinder. *grin*

Bread: Pour into a 9x5 greased pan. Bake at 350* for 60 minutes or until done.
Muffins: Scoop into greased muffin pans. Bake large muffins at 375* for 20 - 25 minutes. Bake mini muffins for 10 - 15 minutes.
Bread and Muffins: Pour batter into smaller loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 or 4 3/4 x 2 3/4) , bake for 30 - 50 minutes depending on the size of your pan. Bake muffins per directions above.

Whole Wheat Butterhorns

A yummy addition to any meal.

• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 T brown sugar (or use all Agave/honey)
  
• 1/4 cup Agave nectar or honey
• 3 T olive oil
  
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 41/2 to 5 cups whole wheat flour (fresh ground white wheat will result in a very tender roll, substitute with part white if you would like)
  
• 6 T butter, room temp

Dissolve yeast in water. Add brown sugar, Agave, oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Mix well and let sit for 4-5 minutes. Add 2 cups more flour, begin to knead. Add more flour to create a sticky, stiff dough. Be careful not to add too much flour. Whole wheat flour will absorbe moisture as it kneads. Knead for 7-8 minutes. Your dough should be sticky yet hold its shape. At the end of the kneading, you can add additional flour if your dough won't hold it's shape. If you need to do that, knead only for a few more minutes after adding the extra flour.
Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1- 2 hours or until at least doubled in bulk. Divide dough into three or four parts. Form each section into a ball, cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Roll each section into an 8-10 inch circle. (I roll out on a greased board to prevent adding extra flour) Spread with soft butter. Cut into 8-10 wedges.

Roll up the wedges beginning at the large end. Pinch the tip to prevent unrolling and flip the butterhorn so the tip is on the bottom side. Curve the ends in slightly.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until fluffy. The butterhorns will grow more in the oven.
Bake at 375* for 9-13 minutes or until light brown.

Blueberry Oat Muffins

One of my boys use to break out in hives within minutes of eating any berries. Our Ped said most children with berry allergies eventually out grow them. So once every year we try berries. And this is our year, he hasn't reacted at all!
Slowly he has been trying different berries.
Today I tried a new blueberry muffin recipe for him to eat.
I skipped the sugar on top and used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose.
They were pretty good. Next time I will use agave or honey for the sugar in hopes of adding extra moisture.
Be careful not to over stir.

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup cane juice sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
3 egg whites
2 1/2 T safflower oil
1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen blueberries
Sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on top ~ optional

*Mix dry ingredients. Whip together the wet ingredients. Add the liquid to the dry and stir until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into muffin tins, filling to the top. Sprinkle with cinn/sugar.
Bake at 350* for 20 - 25 minutes.

Yield approx: 12 regular muffins and 12 mini

Cottage Cheese Herb Loaf

New recipe #1

**This is similar to soda bread. It is very dense. It would go well with soup.
3/5 of my family liked it**

Preheat the oven to 375*

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 T milk

1. Blend the rolled oats in your blender until powdery but some flakes still remain.Mix the oats, flour, baking powder, salt and basil. Set aside.
2. Blend the cottage cheese and 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth.
3. Add the flour mixture to the cottage cheese mixture and knead until the mixture comes together in a ball, adding a little milk if needed.

The dough will be stiff. Don't worry, the bread is moist.
Form into a 6 inch round and place in the middle of a lined or sprayed baking sheet.
Score the top into a cross using a sharp knife and brush with the remaining 1 T milk.

Bake at 375* for 40 - 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Slice and serve warm.
If you are using it later,remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes. Then place the loaf in an open plastic gallon size bag until cool. When cool, seal the bag to keep the bread moist.

Recipe taken from 366 Delicious ways to cook ice, Beans and Grains by Andrea Chesman

WW Hamburger Buns & Cinnamon Rolls

Grind 7 cups Hard White Wheat Berries.
(you will need approx 8-11 cups flour)

Mix the following in a mixer with dough hook:
3 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
1/2 cup olive oil or butter - room temperature
3- 4 T SAF instant active dry yeast
3 T vital wheat gluten
ADD:
3 eggs - room temperature
1 T sea salt
Mix well.
ADD: Fresh wheat until the dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl and gathers in the center, (9 - 11 cups flour). It is best to add too little than too much flour. Knead on low speed for 10 - 12 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.

Take about 1/2 of the dough and roll out on an oiled surface. Your dough should be about 1 1/2'' thick. Using an oiled, round cookie cutter, press into dough and swirl quickly with your hand to create a ball.

Place bun on parchement lined cookie sheet. You can flatten slightly if you want. Brush egg white on top of buns and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover. Let rise 15 - 30 minutes or until puffy. Bake at 375* for 10 - 12 minutes or until starting to brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on pan.

Place in an opened bag to cool. When cool, store in an air tight bag or freeze.
Makes 24- 36 Hamburger Buns

To make cinnamon rolls, roll out into a rectangle/oval. Mix approx 1/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar and 2 T cinnamon together. Spread over the dough.

Roll up the dough, from the long side, into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.

Roll over so the seam is down.

Cut dough, dental floss works well, into 1 1/2 - 2 inch sections.

Place on parchment lined pan.

Cover and let rise for 15 - 30 minutes or until puffy.

Bake at 375* for 12- 17 minutes or until light brown.
Cool in opened bags. Store in air tight bag or freeze.
Frost if desired.
Makes 3- 4 dozen Large Cinnamon Rolls

Fresh Whole Wheat Bread

How to make Bread from the beginning...
First grind a hopper full of wheat berries. We like Hard White Winter Wheat Berries. Using white opposed to red creates a lighter wheat flavor. Be sure to use hard wheat, not soft. Soft Wheat Berries are used to make Pastry Flour, they have a lower protein content.
Look at the beautiful freshly ground flour!

Next mix 4-5 cups flour, 35oz hot water (4 1/4 c plus 2T) and 2 2/3 T yeast. Let the mixture sponge for 15-20 minutes. The mixture should grow and bubble like the picture below.
Next add 5 oz (1/2 c) honey, 4.125 oz olive oil (1/2 cup), 3T glutten, 3T dough enhancer (optional, I don't always use), and 1 1/2 T sea salt. SLOWLY add 6-9 cups fresh flour. Start with less flour, too much flour will make a dry crumbly bread. If using a mixer and dough hook, the dough will start to clean the sides of your bowl. Stop adding flour at that point. Let the mixer knead the dough for 8 or so minutes to develop the gluten. The dough will be soft.

Use olive oil to oil hands and the board you will be working on. Divide the dough into 3-4 pieces depending on your bread pan size. The dough can be used for bread, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, monkey bread or pizza crust.

Shape your loaves, put into greased pans, cover with greased parchment paper and let rise in a warm place. I stick mine in an oven which was preheated to 125* and turned off. It will take approx. 25-35 minutes. When your loaves are crowing the tops of the pan, it is time to bake them. Uncover the loaves, leave them in the oven and turn it on to 350*.
Set your timer for 20 minutes. Check your loaves. They should be light brown and sound hollow. I normally take their temperature :) Yes, I know that sounds silly, but it takes the guess work out of the most important part, not over baking. When your bread is done, it's temperature will be around 185*. Let the loaves sit on the counter for 3-5 minutes in their pans. Then gently bang the pan on the counter, on all four sides, to loosen the loaf. The loaf should fall out. Cool in a bread bag with the one end open. When the loaves are cool, close the bag and freeze or use.
I purchased my square bread pan and bread thermometer from King Arthur Flour.