Best Ever Blueberry Muffins

When I close my eyes and take a bite of these blueberry muffins, I have the momentary feeling it is summer.  This suspension of the current reality lasts only as long as I savor the taste of the muffins. So many who share recipes say theirs is the best ever.  Not sure that is always the case, but these blueberry muffins really are the best ever.  This comes from someone who has always been a skeptic when hearing the words 'this is the best recipe ever'.  Destined to see if the claim is accurate, I sometimes take the bait and make the recipe.  This time I was glad I did.  As these are so good they can even make you feel like you have time traveled back to summer even if just for a few minutes. The inn where the recipe originated from is no longer in existence, but ever so thankfully their blueberry muffin recipe lives on. And summer is now one day closer.

I had picked up some fresh blueberries at the market to add to my yogurt and oatmeal this week. But then a divine intervention of sorts happened. On Saturday, my neighbor Sheila brought over some fresh, still slightly warm eggs from her chickens. Immediately I knew I had to make some blueberry muffins with these eggs.  Of course, only after first making and devouring some scrambled eggs topped with some goat cheese. If given the chance to take a blind taste test, I am absolutely certain I could tell the difference between freshly gathered and store bought eggs (yes, even if they say organic on the carton).  Could there be a niche for an egg sommelier?

The color of the yolks of farm fresh eggs are dark yellow, almost orange.  They turn scrambled eggs or any egg based dish into a beautiful deep yellow color.  Okay, enough already about the eggs already, I need to tell you about this incredibly delicious blueberry muffin recipe.

It was a recipe a co-worker shared with me decades ago. After first tasting them at a bed and breakfast in Michigan, she knew instantly they were the best blueberry muffins ever.  My first thought was really, best ever?

The short answer is yes, best ever.  As an added bonus this recipe doesn't require the use of a mixer. Just a few bowls, a wooden spoon, some measuring spoons and cups, and a cupcake tin and you have all the tools you need. With the exception of blueberries, you should everything in your refrigerator, except maybe whole milk.  Yes, whole milk.  This recipe does not like any other substitution.  It would be culinary malpractice if you use anything but whole milk.

The ingredients evolve into a very thick dough. Using a wooden spoon in the stirring of the ingredients helps to ensure you do not over mix it. The dough will tempt you to want to take a spoon and eat it right from the mixing bowl. Just remember, if you do, you will have less baked muffins.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe.  If you use frozen berries you must thaw and drain them as you have to mash 1/4 cup of the berries. Frozen blueberries are pretty resilient to mashing the last time I tried.

Once baked, the inside of the muffin is moist with the blueberries bursting throughout. The entire outside of the muffin, the top, sides and even the bottom, is surrounded by a great light brown crust. They are incredible consumed without anything spread on them.  Although a schmear of whipped cream cheese takes them to the place of beyond mouth watering.

Recipe
Blueberry Muffins (originating from McCarthy's Bear Creek Inn in Marshall, Michigan)

Ingredients
2 cups(260 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk (remember no substitutions)
8 Tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 large egg slightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups (12 ounces, 340 g) fresh blueberries, divided (or frozen blueberries thawed and drained
1/2 cup (60 g) walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Optional: Turbinado or Sparkling sugar for sprinkling on muffins before baking

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a 12 cup cupcake tin with baking papers.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center.
3. Add in the milk, cooled melted butter, egg and vanilla.  Stir with a wooden spoon until blended.  The batter will be very thick.
4. Mash 1/4 cup of the blueberries and stir quickly into the batter.
5. Add remaining berries and nuts stirring gently.  Do not over mix.
6. Using a large ice cream scoop (makes for uniform muffins), drop the muffin batter into the cupcake tin lined with cupcake papers.
7. Generously sprinkle the Turbinado or Sparkling sugar on top.  Another option: Make a cinnamon sugar mixture and sprinkle on top.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
9. Let sit in muffin pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes:  (1) The recipe makes 12-16 muffins depending on how you divide the batter into the cupcake tin. (2) To toast the walnuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Place walnuts on a small baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Winter isn't over, spring isn't near, and I am already anxiously waiting for the return of summer.  Considering this season is a little more than five months away, the only choice I have is to wait. Another lesson in patience.  For some strange reason my obsession with the anticipation of the return of summer has caused me to have dreams of blueberries.  There must be a book that analyzes these odd sorts of dreams, not sure I want to know the meaning of a blueberry dream.

Beautiful, luscious blueberries are sold here at roadside markets and on tables at the end of driveways during the relatively short blueberry season.  Then there are the local blueberry farms where you can pick them yourself.  If you have never been blueberry picking, I suggest you try it.  For those of you who are fussy about the color, size and shape of blueberries you consume, blueberry picking is a must.

There is something about eating warm freshly picked strawberries or blueberries in the summer that sends me to a place of fruit bliss. But whether eaten fresh or mixed into a recipe, blueberries are hands down my favorite fruit to eat and with which to bake.

Mac and Cheese East Coast Style

The cold weather, snow on the ground, and days darkening before 6 pm make me crave comfort food. So I thought I would have a group of friends over for dinner to satisfy my need for comfort food while ending the week for all of us with a relaxing evening and memorable meal.  Menu planning for me can always be a labored process. This time, however, I quickly decided on making Mac and Cheese East Coast Style, otherwise known as Lobster Mac and Cheese.  My version of a simple comfort food meal.  Some of you might be thinking 'lobster, simple, seriously?'

The family I grew up in were not frequent consumers of lobster. I think the only seafood I saw and tasted growing up was served at my best friend Donna's house on Christmas Eve when her father made the traditional Italian feast of seven fishes.  My parents had me convinced it was a very expensive food, one not affordable as a family at our own dinner table and one off-limits for ordering off of a restaurant menu. Fortunately in my move to the east coast, I have been rewarded for the long period of seafood abstinence in my life as it is easily accessible and affordable here.  My new found appreciation for fresh cooked lobster has made me realize what a deprived (seafood exposure) childhood I had!  So yes, for me Mac and Cheese East Coast Style has become a simple dish.

The dish was inspired by the Crab Macaroni and Cheese recipe appearing in Nordstrom's recently published Family Table Cookbook.  When I first read the recipe I knew is was one I just had to tinker with and one that screamed 'make it with lobster'.

I had my first experience steaming fresh lobsters last year.  It was easier than I thought but initially a little distressing.  Most grocery stores here will steam fresh lobsters at no charge, thus eliminating any angst I have in throwing the fresh lobsters in the pot.  But if you don't have access to fresh lobster meat, consider using lump crabmeat instead.  Sam's Club sells some really good lump crabmeat for about $16.00 a pound.

This recipe calls for the use of Panko bread crumbs which over the last few years are available in almost every grocery store.  You can use fresh bread crumbs if you like, but I absolutely love the crunch and texture Panko breadcrumbs give to a topping.  As an added benefit, they simplify the preparation of this dish and who does not like simple?  Yes, there is a theme emerging here.

There are so many pasta options for this mac and cheese recipe. But I strongly suggest you consider using Orrechetti pasta.  The look of and taste on your tongue of this pasta is pure delight.

Making a roux can be daunting to some.  But it really is very easy if you stay focused and ignore the ring of your phone and sound of an incoming text.  Trust me, there are some long term gains in store for you if give up the short term loss of a missed phone call or text.  You can always return the call or text, you can't undo a roux gone too far.

The Fontina cheese and lobster compliment each other perfectly.   Italian Fontina cheese is on the softer side, so consider putting it in the freezer for a little while to make the grating easier.  Learned this lesson after making it the first time.

The sauce is incredibly creamy.  Even before the adding the Panko breadcrumb mixture, it looks finished.

The dish is topped is chopped fresh chives, but adding caramelized onions on top before baking would add another dimension of flavor.  Served with a salad, a side of roasted asparagus, some fresh bread, dessert, and, of course wine, you have a perfect comfort food dinner to serve in the middle of winter.  The entire dish can be assembled earlier in the day, refrigerated, brought to room temperature, and then baked, leaving you more time to spend with your guests or more time to fuss over the table setting, the salad or the dessert.  My inner Ina says time would best be spent with guests.

Recipe
Mac and Cheese East Coast Style  (adapted from the Crab Macaroni and Cheese recipe in Nordstrom's Family Table Cookbook)

Ingredients
1 pound of pasta (consider using orecchiette)
7 Tablespoons of unsalted butter (divided)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 2/3 cups of half and half
2/3 cup of dry white wine
8 ounces or 2 cups of shredded Italian Fontina cheese (divided)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 cups of chopped cooked lobster or about 1 1/2 pounds of lobster meat (or if using lump crab meat you will need one pound of it)
Fresh chives or caramelized onions

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).  Lightly butter a 9" by 13" inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Make pasta according to directions until it is al dente.  Do not overcook the pasta as it continues to cook when baking in the oven.  Drain and set aside (consider keeping pasta in cool water to prevent pasta from sticking).
3. Melt 5 Tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy saucepan (3 quart size at least). On medium to low heat, whisk in flour and allow the mixture to bubble without browning for at least 1 minute. Add in half and half and wine.  Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to boil, stirring frequently with your whisk.  Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.  Whisk often until the sauce is smooth and thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded Fontina cheese until melted and blended.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4.  Drain pasta returning to cooking pot.  Add the sauce mixture and stir.  Mix in chopped lobster meat and pour into lightly buttered prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle top with remaining shredded Fontina cheese.
5.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in saucepan.  Add 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs.  Stir until crumbs are lightly browned.  Sprinkle mixture over top of dish.  
6. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until bubbling on sides.  Remove from oven.  Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. 
7. Top with chopped chives. (If you choose caramelized onions as a topping, these would be added before the baking).

So whichever seafood option you choose, lobster or crab, this is a company worthy comfort food dish. The dish is rich, but not rich enough to stop your guests for asking for a second helping.  What hostess does not love when their guests ask for seconds? If there are any leftovers, savor them yourself.  You are worth the indulgence regardless of whether or not you had a seafood deprived childhood like I did.

Sugar Meringue Walnuts aka Candied Walnuts

Many, many, many years ago I came across a recipe in an Early American Life magazine for something called 'Sweetmeats', supposedly a recipe from Colonial times. These 'sweetmeats' were described as walnuts covered in a sugared meringue mixture and baked in the oven until lightly browned.  When I read this recipe, I thought to myself nothing against walnuts, but they don't seem to have the same richness as pecans, macadamia nuts or pistachios.  I learned after making them for the first time that this recipe elevates walnuts into a class of their own.

It is hard to believe that salt, sugar, butter and eggs can turn these ordinary nuts into something delectably extraordinary.  I am willing to bet your guests will not believe that these little bites of goodness are really just walnuts. I would imagine that in Colonial times there was ready access to eggs, butter, sugar and salt.  And if walnut trees were indigenous to the region, there was one creative cook way back when who had the imagination to create this recipe and good sense to have it passed on.

I like to melt the butter in the oven on the pan the nuts will bake on.  While I don't mind washing everything after baking, its always a good thing when there is one less bowl or pan to clean up. I always double this recipe so I use a large 13 by 17 inch pan.  Otherwise a 9 by 12 pan is all you need.

Fortunately in the 21st century we have tools like a KitchenAid to whip up the meringue into stiff peaks. I honestly don't think I would have the endurance to whip up this egg white and sugar mixture by hand.  I suppose I would not have faired well in domestic duties in the 18th century. Seriously though, I could not live without my KitchenAid.  The one I have now was a gift from my sister and brother-in-law, two very thoughtful, generous family members.

The meringue covers the walnuts perfectly.  Once mixed you drop them by spoonfuls into the pan containing the melted butter. In less than 40 minutes in the oven these nuts are transformed! When finished these walnuts are covered in the gold and white sugar meringue covering.  They almost look to beautiful to eat, but eat them you must.

Recipe
Sugar Meringue Walnuts aka Candied Walnuts
A single recipe makes 2 cups of nuts.  I strongly encourage you to double the recipe below as it is easier to whip up the egg whites when making the meringue.

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons (57g) or 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 egg white from a large egg 
1/2 cup (100g) granulated or caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 pound (227g) or 2 cups of walnut halves

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F). 
2. Melt butter and pour into a 9" by 13" pan.  Set aside.
3. Mix egg white at high speed adding Kosher salt and sugar gradually.  Beat on high until stiff peaks form.
4. Carefully fold in walnuts making certain they are all covered with the meringue mixture.
5. Drop by spoonfuls on the pan containing the melted butter.
6. Bake in upper third of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the mixture at least once, until lightly browned and the butter is absorbed. Note: I generally turn them after 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and transfer to a rack or sheet of parchment paper to cool.  Once cooled they can be served and/or stored in a container. Sugar Meringue Walnuts will be good for at least two weeks.

I am having a couple of friends over tonight so I thought these nuts would add the right amount of sweetness and crunch to compliment the alcohol, wine and cheese.  I really don't need a reason or much of an excuse to make these sugar meringue walnuts as they make for great snacking food. I have convinced myself they are healthier to eat than candy because they are made up mostly of protein.  As I have said before, I like to rationalize everything.

Amy's Shortbread Cookies aka Pistachio Shortbread

The days leading up to the holidays were so hectic this year that I was not able to make gifts of cookies for all of my neighbors before I traveled back to the midwest to visit family and friends.  Things happen for a reason and there is a silver lining in every cloud or so some say.  Fortunately for my neighbors I have decided that the time has come for me to start a new tradition, that of delivering cookies to celebrate the new year.  This new tradition will serve to minimize the guilt of not being organized for the holidays.

Everyone, well almost everyone, gets cookies for Christmas. But how many people do you know getting cookies for the new year? Inspired by all of the snow on the ground here on the east coast I thought the perfect 'new year' cookie to make would be the white chocolate dipped pistachio shortbread cookies sprinkled with even more pistachios, otherwise known as Amy's Shortbread Cookies.

The recipe calls for room temperature unsalted butter.  I like to take my butter out of the refrigerator the night before I am going to bake as then I know it will be room temperature perfect.  One of the many things learned from watching Ina Garten on television.

Yes, I know the cost of pistachios are a little high these days, but Trader Joe's always seems to make these nuts affordable.  The recipe calls for a cup of pistachios.  For the cookie dough you will want to finely chop or grind 1/2 cup of the pistachios in a food processor to make it easier to roll out the dough, saving the other 1/2 cup for decorating the tops of the cookies.

This recipe requires sifting the flour and salt.  Because I use Kosher salt in this recipe I just sift the flour.     Don't skip the sifting.  If my sifter isn't readily available, I often use a fine strainer to sift my flour.

The dough comes together really nicely.  Of the many things that I love about making this cookie is that it doesn't require the added step of chilling the dough!  I generally roll my cookies out to a 1/4 inch as I like a thicker cookie and one that will stand up well to dipping in chocolate.

 
Over the years I have collected a variety of new and antique cookie cutters, tending to use the antique ones more often.  For this recipe I used one of my antique cookie cutters with a crimped edge and shaped somewhat like a leaf. There is something about a crimped edge cookie that gives it a bakery perfect look.  I discovered over the holidays that SurLaTable makes a graduated set of crimped edge cookie cutters that almost replicate my antique ones.  Thought I would share this, just in case this recipe caused you to go on the hunt for a crimped edge cookie cutter.  For those of you not as obsessive as I am when making someone's recipe for the first time, I envy you.

I like to use the Ghiradelli White Chocolate Candy Making and and Dipping Bar (2.5 lbs). It is sold at Sam's Club during the holidays, but you can always find it on Amazon.  There is enough chocolate in this bar for at least four or five batches of Amy's Shortbread Cookies.  And trust me, once you make the first batch of these cookies you will become addicted to them using up the chocolate in no time at all.  But feel free to use any white chocolate you have had success using.  I would just encourage you to not use the Almond Bark that they sell in the grocery stores for this recipe.

If you let the cookies cool completely before dipping them you will minimize any breakage when dipping. They cool quickly, but during cooler weather I will often put the tray of cookies out on the back porch to speed the cooling up a little.

Each time I make these cookies I dip them a little differently.  Sometimes I dip only half of the cookie and other times I dip the entire cookie in the melted chocolate. I actually like tasting the chocolate with every bite of the cookie so they are usually covered in white chocolate.  The combination of the shortbread, the saltiness of the pistachios, and the decadence of the white chocolate make these cookies simply divine.

The chocolate dries pretty quickly on the cookie so I usually dip about 4 or 5 cookies at a time and then immediately sprinkle on the chopped pistachios to ensure they adhere to the chocolate.  You can sprinkle pistachios over the entire cookie or over just part of the cookie, the possibilities for finishing these cookies are endless!

Sometimes I arrange my cookies on a platter, sometimes I put them in a cellophane bag tied with a beautiful ribbon, and then sometimes I layer them in boxes.  The Martha Stewart cookie boxes sold at Michaels are great and relatively inexpensive presentation containers.  For the size cookie I make, this box holds a perfect dozen cookies.  However you choose to present these cookies to your family and friends will really not matter.  Because once they see and taste them, well let's just say you will forever be remembered.

Recipe 

Amy's Shortbread Cookies aka Pistachio Shortbread

Makes 1 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size and shape of the cookie cutter.

Updated November 2021 

(Note: I made larger than usual cookies when updating this post. I generally use a 2 to 2 1/2" cookie cutter. Stars and hearts are some of my favorite cookie shapes, although I love using my collection of antique cookie cutters when making these).

Ingredients

2 cups (260 g) all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature (recommend using a European style butter)

1/2 cup (60g) confectionary sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 cup (63 g) of finely chopped and/or ground pistachios (for the cookie dough)

1/2 cup (63g) of coarsely chopped pistachios (for the top of the cookie)

6 to 8 ounces (171g-228g) white chocolate, chopped and melted 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Finely chop or grind 1/2 cup of pistachios and set aside.

3. Sift the flour and salt into a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

4. Place butter and confectionary sugar in a mixer.  Using a paddle attachment, mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

5.  Mix in the vanilla.

6.  Add flour/salt mixture and finely chopped/ground pistachios to the butter mixture. Mix until dough sticks together.

7. Divide the dough in half.  On a floured surface roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter of choice, cut out shapes in the dough and carefully place cookies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

8. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.  If making large or smaller sized cookies, adjust the time accordingly.

9.  Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cookies cool completely before dipping in chocolate.

10.  Place the chopped white chocolate in top of a double boiler. Alternately melt the white chocolate in the microwave.

11. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup of pistachios. Put in a bowl and set aside.

12.  Dip the cooled cookies into chocolate or spoon melted chocolate over the cookies. Place chocolate covered/dipped cookies on a sheet of parchment paper.  Sprinkle with chopped pistachios before chocolate hardens.

13.  Allow the chocolate to completely set before removing from parchment paper to serve or package. 

14. Store cookies in a tightly sealed container. If well packaged or stored, shortbread cookies will be good for at least two weeks.

Note: I used either the Ghirardelli White Chocolate Melting Disks or the white chocolate disks available from Graham's Chocolate in Geneva, IL.

Well it's time for me to walk across the snow and through the opening in the stone fence to deliver the new year's gift of cookies to my neighbors.  I must admit something. There really doesn't need to be a holiday or special occasion to make these cookies as they will make any occasion special.  

Every time I make these cookies I am thankful that Amy, a relative of my best friend Donna, shared this recipe with us years ago. In all of cookie recipes that I have read or found over the years I have never found a version even close to this one.  This is a cookie recipe I treasure.  I hope you will too.

Pancakes for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Growing up I preferred eating a bologna sandwich to eating eggs, oatmeal, french toast or pancakes for breakfast.  I have always wondered why it had taken me until my adult years to develop an appreciation for breakfast foods, particularly pancakes. Lots of theories around this wondering of mine. But once I developed an appreciation for pancakes, the thrill has been in discovering restaurants where great ones are made. Walker Brothers in Illinois, Keys Cafe in Minneapolis, and Clinton Street Bakery in New York all serve pancakes worthy of a road trip as well as the patience to wait in long lines.  But one should not have to drive or wait in line to eat great pancakes. Life is too short.

It was my sister who shared a pancake recipe with me that I think is amazing.  You have to know that I am often skeptical when my sister gives a recipe her rave reviews.  It has everything to do with the competitiveness between us.  So it was one lucky day when she came across the pancake recipe from "The Pancake Handbook: Specialities form Bette's Oceanview Diner" by Steve Siegelman, Bette Kroening and Sue Conley reprinted in a local newspaper.  And it was an even luckier day when I tasted them.  Just one bite and I was in pancake heaven.

It is really a simple recipe. With the exception of buttermilk most of the ingredients are usually in one's cabinets.  However, this is a recipe that will want you to make buttermilk a staple your refrigerator.

No sifting is required of the dry ingredients.  No mixer is required in the making of the batter.  A bowl or two, measuring cup, measuring spoons, whisk, spoon, spatula, and griddle pan or non-stick frying pan is all you need to make this recipe.  And if you don't have a griddle pan, this recipe may inspire you to buy one.  

The mixture is supposed to be slightly lumpy when all of the ingredients are mixed together.  Too much over mixing is not a good thing with this recipe. Once the batter is mixed you are supposed to let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  Patience has never been one of my virtues so anything requiring wait time has to be good for me to persist. But then 10 minutes isn't really a long time to wait for something so delicious.  And if you are just making this recipe for yourself or one other person the batter can be covered and put in the refrigerator overnight with great results.

These are thick puffy yet light pancakes.  For those of you who prefer your pancakes flat, this recipe is not for you.  On the griddle, they remained fluffed as they transform in beautifully golden colored pancakes.

I am purist when it comes to eating pancakes.  No syrup, only butter.  But for those of you who love either or both, use them as sparingly or liberally to suit your tastes, but promise me you will first take a bite of the pancake before you pour on any syrup.  You might just turn into a pancake purist like me.

Recipe (updated February 2023)

Pancakes for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Makes 10-12 good sized pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (30g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Serving options: Room temperature butter, maple syrup, jam, preserves

Directions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl lightly beat eggs then stir in buttermilk and butter.

3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients stirring just to blend.  Remember the batter will be slightly lumpy and quite thick.  If you want blueberry pancakes, this would be time to add them in.

4. Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes. 

5. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or heavy non-stick frying pan.  Using either large ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measure pour batter on the griddle.

6. Cook the pancakes over medium-low 2-3 minutes per side before flipping.  The bottom should be lightly browned or golden when you flip.

7. Once gently flipped, cook until the other side is lightly browned or golden.

8. Transfer to a plate or platter to serve.  Enjoy!

 

These pancakes are not just for breakfast.  They are lunch and dinner worthy. They are also great on their own but a side of cooked maple flavored sausages or crispy bacon adds to the completeness of the meal.

Most importantly, once you make them for your family and friends they will be happy to travel any distance to eat them. That is, of course, if you want them coming back. I think this just might be the recipe that encourages my friends to travel to Rhode Island to visit me.  And I promise that when I make these pancakes for my house guests, I will use the fresh eggs my neighbor Sheila gives me. The eggs from her chickens are a recipe game changer.

The Beginning

Like many, I have always loved the entire process of planning, preparing and presenting food for friends and neighbors. My sources of inspiration come from taking in the thousands of cooking magazines I have purchased over the years, from reading the hundreds of cookbooks I have collected, from reading the food blogs of others, from eating in restaurants, from watching some of my favorite chefs on television, from the few cooking classes I have taken, and maybe most importantly, from the memories of great meals in the homes of friends. 

Nothing gives me more pleasure than making memorable meals for others or just making gifts of food. Okay, maybe there are a few other things that bring pleasure to my life. But seriously, my passion for baking and cooking rank pretty high on the list.

I am of the age where I remember Martha Stewart having 'holiday' specials on television.  She and her magazine turned me into a collector of beautiful dishes, glassware and all sorts of baking tools. Then came Ina Garten and the simplicity of white plates with beautiful napkins gave me yet another canvas option on which to serve food. I have convinced myself over the years that a beautifully set table turns an ordinary meal into an extraordinary meal as a way to justify my continued purchases of plates, platters, glassware, and napkins. Yes, I rationalize most everything.

For years I have thought about creating a blog where I can share recipes, stories, photos and some of the things I have learned about cooking. Life distractions and changes have kept me from turning my thoughts into a reality. Thank goodness I finally had the epiphany that those things will always be in my sometimes chaotic life.  So the time has now come for me to push myself to move forward with creating a space to combine a few of my passions.  Salted Sugared Spiced™ is a work in progress as I am certain that it will evolve as I do. Finally this new journey begins.