Dutch Baby Pancakes

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

If I didn't leave the house this morning, I imagine I would have allowed my black knit pants and Sponge Bob Square Pants t-shirt to be my Friday outfit. So stylish, I know. I would have hit snooze for the tenth twentieth time (not exaggerating) and I believe my treasured Hair Bender coffee would have gone cold in the pot. I would have let the analog clock's face work it's way to a grinning ten o'clock, and only then, would I have rolled out of bed and done something with the day.

And I don't think this would have been a waste.

Doing nothing is doing something.

Doing nothing also leaves room for spontaneity.

Mornings like this imaginary morning remind me of when Mom would enthusiastically enter my room and ask me if I wanted to go out for breakfast. Just because. I'd say yes, of course, and then I'd use all of the energy I had to stumble out of bed, put on a sweatshirt, brush my teeth, and pull my hair back into a socially acceptable ponytail (read: major bed head).

We'd hop into Mom's green Chevy Tahoe and drive out to the Kirkland Pancake House to meet with Gram.
Here's how the standard ordering went:

Gram:

• Mandarin Crepes: three delicate crepes rolled and topped with Mandarin orange segments tempered with Triple Sec. Topped with hot tropical syrup and lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
  
   ...and a side of thick, sliced bacon.

Mom:

• Dutch Baby: Oven baked. Served with whipped butter, lemon and powdered sugar.

Me:

• Um...I don't remember. I ordered different something different every visit. Although, I also loved the Mandarin Crepes that Gram would try to share with me.

Coffee all around.

I was always fascinated by the Dutch Baby pancake Mom ordered...how puffy and dome-like the pancake was, and how the center was so soft and eggy. It was an impressive sight.

There is a warning on the menu that the Dutch Baby takes a little extra time to prepare, and so I always assumed that making a Dutch Baby was an elaborate project.

What I recently discovered, however, is that making a Dutch Baby is very simple. Dutch Babies are made with eggs, flour and milk, and they are generally served with fresh squeezed lemon, butter, and powdered sugar or fruit toppings or syrup. Like a frittata, a Dutch Baby can be whatever you want it to be.

Apple and Cinnamon Dutch Baby

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

Dutch Baby Pancakes
From Orangette

You'll need a single 10- or 11-inch cast iron skillet.

Ingredients:

4 Tbs unsalted butter
4 large eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup half-and-half

Juice of 1 lemon

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Melt the butter in the pan over low heat.

In a blender, whirl together the eggs, flour, and half-and-half. Pour the batter into the skillet over the melted butter. Slide the skillet into the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes until edges rise up and are slightly browned.

Remove the puffed pancake from the oven, transfer to a plate, splash on lemon juice, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Serves two.

Whole Wheat Quinoa Muffins

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

I ordered a drink. An Americano I think. It was Saturday morning. I was in my comfy cotton knit pants, and an oversized WSU sweatshirt with fluffy Ugg boots – no makeup. My guard was definitely down.

And then it happened.

The pastry case giggled and gleamed at me, and a raspberry scone batted an eye. I was done for.

Was it delicious? Couldn't tell ya. I must have eaten the entire thing while waiting for the barista to call out my drink. The butter-filled triangle was demolished in minutes. Crumbs in the brown paper bag. Did you hear me? Kaput!

I can’t help it. I like adore baked goods. You see, while I've been scouring my favorite food blogs for savory dinner recipes, a baking wish list has appeared in my notebook instead. Lemon scones, red velvet cakes, banana creme pie, almond joy cookies, and rosemary quick breads are a revolving mental slideshow. I suppose there are worse things to daydream about.

My fixation with flour, butter, and sugar is strange. Mom was not and still is not a huge baker. I remember brownies, biscotti, yellow cake from the box, and an occasional chocolate chip cookie graced the granite counters of the kitchen on SE 52nd Place, where I grew up. But baking experiments were not the norm in our household.

This past weekend, I came across Enlightened Cooking written by Camilla Saulsbury. I’m drawn to her photos and posts because, like me, this blogger has an affinity for baking. But what’s more? Her recipes focus on whole foods. Clean food. Or as she calls it, “superfoods”.

How about whole wheat flour instead of white flour? How about adding in quinoa? How about swapping out butter for olive oil? Or how about throwing in some “boom” by stirring a few dried blueberries into the batter?

Yes, I think that sounds like a great idea. A compromise. A way to add some substance to the confection. Sign me up!

These whole wheat quinoa muffins satisfied my baking bug…for now. I’ve been eating them all week as an accompaniment to my morning Hair Bender java fix from Stumpton Coffee. Such a great combination these two! The quinoa muffins are chewy and hardy – with a little touch of sweet. The coffee is mellow, creamy, caramel-based for washing it down.

Photo by Rachel Dedrickson

Whole Wheat Quinoa Muffins
By Camilla Saulsbury

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a mesh sieve
2 cups white whole wheat flour (i.e. King Arthur brand)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup dried cranberries or any dried fruit you like (I used dried blueberries)
3/4 cup lowfat milk
2/3 cup honey (or agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or maple syrup)
1/4 cup light olive oil or other neutral cooking oil (e.g., canola, safflower)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease 1 standard 12-cup muffin tin.

Bring quinoa and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook 15-20 minutes until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender. Cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cranberries, and the cooked quinoa.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, honey, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir just until combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool muffins in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Makes 12 muffins.