Holiday Breakfast Round-Up + Pink Saturday

We have lots going on today. It's Pink Saturday and we've been asked to share our favorite holiday movie with you. That's way too easy, so I'm going to cheat a bit and simply give you a visual clue. There will be no homework for anyone who can correctly name my favorite movie. Are you ready?



....and finally I want to share some ideas for holiday breakfasts with you. The recipes that appear below are easy to make but they produce dishes that are festive enough to make holiday meals special. I must admit I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to holiday breakfasts. The Silver Fox makes breakfast on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning, so the recipes are, of necessity, very straightforward and easy to complete. As an aside, they are also very easy to clean up after. Add one or several of them to the menu for your holiday breakfast or brunch and I know you'll be happy with the results. Here are some of my favorites.






Asparagus and Mushroom Strata









Eggs Florentine












Oven Baked Scrambled Eggs









Frittata with Spring Herbs and Leeks











Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange Caramel Syrup









Baked French Toast with Cardamom and Apricot Preserves










Breakfast Polenta with Chorizo and Queso Fresco










Smothered Eggs in Spoonbread











Swiss Onion Tart











Brussels and Liege Waffles







This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange-Caramel Syrup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for ways in which to use a small amount of leftover puree, I came across several recipes for pumpkin pancakes. I finally decided to play with one developed by Cara Eisenpress, who, along with her cohort Phoebe Lapine, created the blog Big Girls Small Kitchen. The two, both twenty-something cooks, have also written a book called Cara and Phoebe's Quarter Life Kitchen which will be in bookstores this spring. Their blog is terrific and I'm sure that their book, which features an introduction by Ina Garten, will be as well. While I've added a bit more spice and have created an orange-caramel syrup to drizzle over the finished pancakes, Cara's original recipe is solid. The changes that I made were simply to better suit the tastes of my family who love a hint of orange with their pumpkin. I must also admit that, unlike Cara, I cook my pancakes on an electric griddle. Folks would find the ones I make in a skillet most unappealing. If you plan to use the orange-caramel syrup, make it before you begin to work on the pancakes. For best taste, the pancakes and the syrup should both be served warm. I also suggest going easy with the syrup. It is very sweet and a little goes a long way. Both the pancakes and the syrup are simple to make. If you are looking for something a little different for fall and winter breakfasts, you might want to give these a try. Here are the recipes.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange-Caramel Syrup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Cara Eisenpress

Ingredients:
Syrup
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, or neutral oil


Directions:
1) To make syrup: Melt butter and brown sugar together in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add orange juice and simmer until mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in the orange zest and set aside. Keep warm.
2) To make pancakes: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine pumpkin and egg and whisk to combine. Add milk, vanilla, and butter or oil, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold only until combined--a few remaining lumps will do no harm. Heat a cast iron skillet or electric griddle. Using 1/4 cup batter for each, cook until bubbles form on top and surface of pancakes is no longer shiny. Flip cook 3 minutes longer. Remove to a serving plate. Serve hot with room temperature butter and still warm syrup. Yield: 10 pancakes.

You might also like these recipes:
Mini Ricotta Cakes - Expat Cucina
Latkes - Healthy Green Kitchen
Gingerbread Waffles - Annie's Eats
Applesauce Pancakes with Spicy Apple Syrup - The English Kitchen
Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes - Neo-Homesteading
Red Velvet Pancakes - The Sweet's Life

Huevos Ahogados En Salsa Verde + Tomatillo Salsa Verde

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While it is something I normally purchase, I made our salsa verde this summer. I wanted to control the heat the sauce contained for the young among us, and the only way that could be done was to make it myself. I found a recipe that that could be made hot or not and soon found myself making a batch of each to keep everyone happy. The sauce takes about 15 minutes to assemble and by controlling the number and type of chilies, I was able to make mild and hot sauce at the same sitting. I used stemmed and seeded jalapenos for the milder version but relied on Serrano chilies for the fire eaters in my gang. With so much sauce lying around I had to find ways to use the excess. While looking for recipes that would help me do that, I came across one for eggs poached in salsa verde and decided to give it a try. Conceptually, the recipe was very much like the one I use to make Eggs in Purgatory, so I suspected the dish would be quite good. It was. Because the eggs can't be made without salsa, today's post will feature two recipes. I'll start with the salsa and then move on to the recipe for the huevos ahogados, or "drowned eggs." Here are the recipes.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Recipe Tips

Ingredients:
1 pound tomatillos, husked
3 jalapeños - fresh, seeded, cut in half
1/2 onion - quartered
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup cilantro - chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Combine tomatillos,onion and jalapeno in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until al dente rather than soft. Drain. Transfer vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator. Salsa can be kept refrigerated, three to five days. Yield: 2 cups.

Huevos Ahogados En Salsa Verde...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Michael Nankin

Ingredients:
3 cups tomatillo salsa, thinned to the consistency of tomato soup
4 eggs
Cilantro
Sea salt

Directions:
1) Bring salsa to a simmer in a small saucepan set over medium heat.
2) Carefully crack eggs into sauce. Cover pot and cook for 3 minutes. Remove lid and check to see if whites are completely cooked. If not, cover, and continue to cook until white is no longer transparent. Transfer eggs and a portion of the sauce to individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro and a pinch of sea salt. Serve with warm tortillas to mop up sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Salsa Verde Bake - The Sweet's Life
Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde - Simply Delicious
Skirt Steak Salsa Verde - Foto Cuisine
Chicken Enchilladas Verdes - One Perfect Bite
Lentil Salad with Salsa Verde - Food 4 Thought
Salsa Verde Pulled Chicken Sandwich - Closet Cooking

Blueberry-Corn Muffins - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...They're back. My Texas grandsons have grown like weeds and in six short months have crossed that invisible line that separates little boys from more serious works in progress. I'm a bit sad, but also thrilled and proud. Their years become them. On a more practical note, I have to feed these gangly guys and my dainty breakfast muffins will no longer suit this crew. So, I surrendered and bought a pair of jumbo muffin pans, and began a search for a batter with which to fill them. Martha Stewart had just what I was looking for. She developed a muffin that contains corn meal and blueberries. The proportion of corn meal to flour in her recipe is slight, so the end product tastes like a muffin with a really interesting texture rather than cornbread. I didn't make the paper molds she suggested and while my muffins lacked her striking presentation, the jumbo muffin pans worked well. I do have one suggestion to make to you. Use frozen blueberries. This recipe makes a really stiff batter and fresh berries will be mangled when you fold them into the dough. This is a really nice recipe that's a bit unique. You'll also love the aroma of the muffins as they bake. The only downside to this recipe is that the muffins don't keep well. They are, of course, best eaten warm. I hope you'll try these. They really are good. Here's the recipe.

Blueberry-Corn Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
3 tablespoons honey
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray one jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) Place softened butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and honey in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs; beat 1 minute more.
3) Whisk flour, cornmeal, and baking powder together in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture in mixer bowl. Beat until combined. Slowly pour in milk, beating on low, until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Divide dough among muffin cups. Brush tops with cold water; sprinkle 1 teaspoon of reserved sugar over each.
4) Bake until tops are browned, centers are set, and a cake tester inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Serve at once. Yield: 6 jumbo muffins.

You might also like the recipes:
Raspberry Streusel Muffins - One Perfect Bite
Morning Glory Muffins - One Perfect Bite
French Breakfast Puffs - One Perfect Bite
Chocolate Chip Muffins - The Purple Foodie
Blueberry Lime Muffins with Ricotta - Savour Fare
Pumpkin Muffins - Whisk: A food Blog
Cinnamon Apple Yogurt Muffins - Food Gal
Very Berry Muffins - Kristen's Kitchen
Orange Marmalade Muffins - The Food Addicts

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Blueberry Buckle - Cowboy Camp Meeting for Blue Monday

Blueberry Buckle



Cowboy Church Camp Meeting



Pastor Tom's Right-Hand Man

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Bob and I happened on the camp meeting while looking for decent blueberries. The blue striped tent, positioned along the river and abutting the bridge couldn't be missed. I'll admit to being cat curious and instigating a trip down the embankment to the the camp grounds. We took a few pictures before being joined by Jeb, who handles security and parking for the event. He was as curious about our presence as we were about the revival meeting. Jeb kindly led us through the intricacies of the event and how it came to be. More information about events such as these can be found here. While a man of few words, when asked about attendance he ventured, "Some nights it's a healthy handful, some nights we're packed." Ever the good disciple, he clearly hoped we'd be back and spoke of that a bit, but then shared with us locations of berry fields and farms we would have otherwise missed. I had promised Bob I'd make a blueberry buckle if we could find fruit that had any flavor. Thanks to Jeb, I was able to keep that promise and we had a lovely dessert. Bob loves it because of its thick sugar topping. The topping cracks as the dish cooks and the craters in it surface are how this buckle got its name. The recipe I use was originally developed by Martha Stewart and the topping is based on one made by her mother. Both recipes are delicious and I think best of kind. I really think you love this buckle. Here are the recipes.

Blueberry Buckle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Streusel Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
5 cups wild or cultivated blueberries
Streusel Topping

Directions
1) To make streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until fine crumbs form. Using hands, squeeze together most of mixture to form large clumps. Topping be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
2) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a springform baking pan, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.
3) In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add egg and vanilla, beating until fully combined.
5) Add reserved flour mixture, alternating with the milk, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Remove from mixer. Gently fold in blueberries.
6) Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle streusel topping over cake. Bake until cake tester comes out batter-free, 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool for 15 minutes before serving. Yield 8 to 10 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Blueberry Glace Pie - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry Flognarde - One Perfect Bite
Old-Fashioned Blueberry Crumb Bars - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry Ebelskiver - Baking Bites
Blueberry Zucchini Bread - Closet Cooking
Red Rice Salad - Lisa Is Cooking

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Asparagus and Mushroom Strata

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While it is starting to get spindly, asparagus is still available in our local farmers' markets. I've been wanting to make this strata for ages, but for one reason or another kept putting it off. I finally decided it was foolish not to try it while asparagus is so cheap and plentiful. I always welcome recipes that make company breakfast or brunch easier to do and I like stratas because they can be assembled the night before they're needed. This one, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, is really easy to assemble and it is a pleasant way to start the day. If you are looking for a recipe that will simplify the serving of breakfast or brunch, you might want to give this one a try. It will never replace Eggs Benedict, but it's easy to do and festive. Here's the recipe.

Asparagus and Mushroom Strata...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 ounces)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dillweed or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed
12 slices French or Italian bread, cut into 4x1x1-inch sticks
6 eggs
2-1/4 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Clean asparagus; snap off woody bases. Cut thick spears in half lengthwise. Cut spears into 3-inch pieces. In a large saucepan bring a small amount of water to boiling. Add asparagus. Cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain on paper towels.
2) Lightly grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. In a large skillet heat oil. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until nearly all liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
3) In a bowl toss together the Swiss cheese and dillweed.
4) Cover bottom of baking dish with half of the bread sticks. Top with half of the mushrooms, half of the cheese mixture, and half of the asparagus. Repeat with remaining mushrooms, cheese mixture, and asparagus. Top with remaining bread pieces.
5) In a bowl beat together eggs and half-and-half. Pour mixture over layers in dish. Press lightly with back of a spoon to thoroughly moisten bread. Sprinkle grated cheese over top. Cover and chill 2 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degree F oven about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

To Make Ahead: Layer the strata and pour the egg mixture over layers. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake, uncovered, as directed above.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Asparagus and White Bean Salad - One Perfect Bite
Penne with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus Soup - One Perfect Bite

Eggs in Purgatory - Blue Monday

...and my favorite "blue" boys





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What do you have for dinner after a day of hiking in paradise? Ever the contrarian, I settled on a dish called Uova in Purgatorio, or Eggs in Purgatory. This remarkably versatile Neopolitan dish is the poor man's version of Eggs Benedict. It consists of eggs that are "poached" or baked in a spicy tomato sauce and then spooned over a base that is limited only by the imagination of the cook. I was particularly unadventurous tonight and served ours on thick crusty slices of Portuguese bread. Giada De Larentis has a version of the eggs that she serves on mashed potato cake. It sounds wonderful and I'm sure it's delicious, but this is one of my go-to meals for days where the clock has run out and we have yet to eat. The potatoes would edge the dish into a category more substantial that I wanted to deal with. I'll admit it. I settled, but in doing so I kept the focus of the dish of a wonderful puttanesca sauce and perfectly poached or baked eggs. The eggs absorbed the flavor of the sauce as they cook, so what would seem to be a bland choice for a meal actually becomes something that can excite the palate. While I love this dish made with puttanesca sauce, any good tomato sauce, even the kind that comes in a jar, can be used without compromising your results. This, by the way, is a wonderful choice for a brunch. It can be assembled the night before it's needed and baked off just before serving. Here's a recipe that would make even Dante happy.

Eggs in Purgatory...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite and countless Neopolitan peasant tables

Ingredients:
Puttanesca Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 heaping tablespoon anchovy paste or 1 tablespoon minced canned anchovies
1 can (28-oz) crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
4 - 8 whole eggs
4 - 8 thickly sliced peasant bread
Optional: 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Directions:
1) To make Puttanesca sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic, pepper flakes and anchovies to pan and cook just until garlic is fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add capers, olives and parsley and heat to warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Transfer sauce to a baking pan large enough to hold whatever number of eggs you are using. Crack eggs onto surface of sauce, keeping the eggs yolks intact. Whites may overlap but that's fine. Bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes, until whites are set and yolks are still a bit runny. Add bread to oven about five minutes before eggs finish cooking. Serve eggs over toast and sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese. Drizzlw with olive oil and serve hot. Yield: 4 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Oven Baked Scrambled Eggs - One Perfect Bite
Piperada Bocadillo - One Perfect Bite
Individual Baked Omelets - One Perfect Bite
Eggs in Purgatory - Serious Eats
Eggs in Purgatory - A Feast for the Eyes

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Kedgeree - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Grandma Maude was not an Anglophile. Famine Irish had long memories and the only good thing she would attribute to the British was the Magna Carta. She did, however, love to cook and tell tales - some tall, some true - that were sure to make us smile. She'd let novel bits of England into her kitchen to assure those smiles. Bubble and Squeak was a favorite of hers and she, of course, had a tale to match the dish. For the uninitiated, Bubble and Squeak is a homely dish made mostly of potatoes and cabbage. It is twice cooked. The bubble represents the boiling of vegetables and the squeak is the noise made when they are turned into a skillet and fried. This was heady information for five year olds. Almost as good as Bangers and Mash and Kedgeree. In our world, Kedgeree was an exotic dish that set us apart from those who had tuna casserole on Friday nights. In truth, Kedgeree is a lightly curried breakfast dish made from rice, smoked fish, boiled eggs, parsley and some lemon juice. While its considered an English dish, it roots are Indian and it is probably an adaption of a rice and lentil dish called Khichari. The British altered the dish to suit their tastes and Grandma Maude altered it to suit hers. She dropped the eggs and the curry and created a thirty minute meal that would make the most harried of cooks smile. This is not company fare, but it is wonderful for a family lunch or supper. Here's the recipe we use.

Kedgeree...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup long grain rice
1-3/4 cup fish stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces salmon fillet, skinned and chopped
3 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 scallions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Garnish: dill sprigs and lemon slices

Directions:
1) Combine butter and oil in a large saucepan. Cook until butter melts. Add onion and cook over low heat until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2) Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it is transparent, about 3 minutes. Add stock and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover pan, and simmer gently, for 10 minutes.
3) Add fresh and smoked salmon. Stir well. If rice seems dry add more stock. Cook until fish and rice are tender and all liquid has been absorbed, about 6 minutes.
4) Remove pan from heat. Stir in cream, dill, and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Yangzhou Fried Rice - One Perfect Bite
Shrimp Risotto - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus and Lemon Grass Risotto - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Lemon Cheese Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Some things never change. One of my grandson's called tonight, ".....love you, Oma." I know he does, but an unsolicited call of this sort, at his age, is unusual and I sensed something was up. We chatted for a bit and then the shoe dropped. "Mom and I have to make a Sachertorte for school tomorrow. Do you have a recipe?" Seems he was giving an oral report on Austria and wanted to share a sample of Viennese food with his classmates. Whatever happened to cupcakes? I quickly pointed out that a Sachertorte was not simple to make and tossed out a couple alternatives that were a bit more realistic. He listened politely but he still wanted to make the torte, so I sent him to a trusted site where he could find a recipe. A few minutes later his mother called. "He asked the wrong question, Mom." My girl is no fool. She doesn't do Sachertorte on Monday night. So, we went to conference call and came up with a Viennese-style fudge that, while delicious, was much easier to do. I thought I could share the recipe with you but I was missing the hazelnuts which are the core of the recipe. What I do have is the recipe for a kolache-like cheese bun that my classmates and I might have taken to school for an Easter party or had for Easter breakfast. The buns are quite nice and would be a lovely addition to your breakfast or brunch table. The soft dough is silky and a joy to work with. You can, of course, substitute plum or jelly fillings for the cheese that is called for here. These do not freeze well, but they will keep for 24 hours if well wrapped and refrigerated. Here's the recipe for an old-fashioned Easter treat.

Lemon Cheese Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 eggs
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Filling *
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add sugar, butter, salt, lemon peel, eggs and 2 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
2) Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3) Punch dough down. Divide in half; shape each half into 12 balls. Place 3-inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Flatten each ball to a 3-inch circle. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5) In a small bowl, beat all filling ingredients until smooth. Make a depression in center of each roll; add filling. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 dozen.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Hot Cross Buns - One Perfect Bite
Shrove Tuesday Buns - One Perfect Bite
Cinnamon Rolls - One Perfect Bite


This post is being linked to:

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Savory Mushroom Puff - Outdoor Wednesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The cakes and cookies have all been baked and safely stored. Now, like it or not, it's time to get back to kitchen basics and think about making a "real" meal or two. This mushroom puff is a cross between a crustless quiche and a souffle and it is one of my favorite casseroles for a holiday breakfast or brunch. It's really simple to do and the few ingredients that are used to assemble it provide great texture and a unique flavor. The dish can be oven ready in 15 minutes and on the table within an hour. It holds well and can be served hot from the oven or warm. It can also be reheated. It would be wonderful to serve for breakfast on Christmas or New Year's morning. The casserole rises slightly in the oven, a bit like a souffle, and, while it deflates quickly, it has great color and visual appeal. The recipe can be doubled without a problem. Here's how it's done.

Savory Mushroom Puff...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 thick slices white bread, crusts removed
1/2 pound breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups sliced mushrooms
6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup baking mix (i.e. Bisquick)
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley + parsley for garnish
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square glass pan and set aside.
2) Line bottom of pan with bread slices.
3) Combine sausage, onions and mushrooms and sprinkle them over bread slices.
4) Combine eggs, baking mix, milk, mustard, mayonnaise, parsley, sage and cheese in a bowl. Pour into pan.
5) Place a baking sheet under pan. Transfer to oven. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cut into squares and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Dutch Baby with Spiced Peaches

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been trying to organize my freezer in anticipation of the holiday. While grouping things more logically, I came across a bag of peaches that had been thrown in there last summer. I'd also been thinking about holiday breakfast menus and a recipe I'd found in "Baking At Home with The Culinary Institute of America". The recipe that caught my eye was for a Dutch baby pancake that was topped with spiced peaches. Dutch babies, sometimes called German pancakes, are puffy baked pancakes similar to the German Apfelpfannkuchen. Actually, it's a misnomer to call these pancakes. They're far more like Yorkshire pudding than conventional pancakes. They are light and fluffy and very easy to do. If you are planning special holiday breakfasts, you might want to consider serving Dutch babies. If there'll be more than six at your table go to Cooks for a recipe that can be scaled to feed a variable number of people. While I topped my test "baby" with the recommended peach topping, I think I'll use raspberries or blackberries the next time I prepare these. Here's the recipe.




Dutch Baby with Spiced Peaches...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
5 tablespoons melted butter, divided use
3 cups peeled and sliced peaches
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or oven-proof saute pan in oven to heat.
2) Sift flour and salt together into a small bowl.
3) Put eggs in a blender and blend at low speed. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, in thirds. Scrape down sides of blender and continue to blend until smooth. Blend in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Brush hot skillet with 1 tablespoon butter.
4) Pour batter into skillet. Bake for 20 minutes without opening oven door. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 10 minutes longer.
5) While Dutch Baby is baking, prepare spiced fruit. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter in a medium saute pan set over high heat. Add peaches, cinnamon and brown sugar. Continue to cook until peaches are heated through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
6) Remove Dutch baby from oven. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Fill center of Dutch Baby with hot fruit mixture. Top with whipped cream and lemon zest. Serve at once. Yield: 6 servings.

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I happened on Jane Grigson's book "Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery" back in 1974 and became an instant admirer. It was an alchemy of sorts. Curled into my favorite chair, warmed by the fire, I turned page after page and was transported incrementally to the wood-fired stove of a French farm kitchen and the wondrous world of charcuterie. I began with pate and moved slowly on to andouille and the boudins, blanc and noir, and ended, finally, with a cassoulet so delicious it made eyes cloud and mist. I no longer make pate, or, for that matter, cassoulet, but every so often I set dietary concerns aside and ready a batch of sausage for the breakfast or dinner table. I suspect that your holiday menu has been set in stone for several weeks now, so, rather than reinvent the wheel, I thought I'd use these few days before the feast to speak of other things. Today it's breakfast sausage for the family or guests with whom you'll share the holiday. Simple. Easy. Delicious. The patties can be made well ahead of time and frozen. They can be baked to feed a gang or grilled to feed just two. While I prefer to grind the meat I use, the sausage can be made with the ground pork you'll find in the supermarket. This recipe uses no exotic spices and you probably have everything you need in your pantry. Here's the recipe for this crowd pleaser.

Breakfast Sausage...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds ground pork
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
1) Combine salt, black pepper, sage, thyme, allspice, brown sugar, nutmeg and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Mix well.
2) Pat ground pork into a 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork. Mix well. Using a scoop or 1/4 cup measure, form patties about 1/2-inch thick. Place on a tray. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Yield: 21 patties.
3) To pan-fry, saute patties over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan, about 7 minutes per side.
4) To bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange patties on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until center is no longer pink.

You might also enjoy these links:
Ryan's Recipe Blog - Taste Festival Sausage Making
Pork, Knife and Spoon - Making Sausage - A Primer
Italian Chef Blog - Fresh Italian Sausage

Morning Glory Petal Bread - Blue Morning Glories for Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I found this sport of a Heavenly Blue Morning Glory in the far green house of an obscure nursery that Bob and I found when we moved to Oregon. The twice retired giant who runs the place won't sell it to me. It was his mother's favorite flower, so each year he captures seeds to propagate and produce vines worthy of her memory. This edgy man now shuffles with stooped shoulders as he goes about his tasks. He's a decorated combat veteran who returned home to raise a family and mind the family business. Age took his wife and mother. Combat took his son. His gardens still remain. I've been privileged to see them. The trellis in the garden behind the house is smothered by artfully twisted, climbing vines overlain with the heavenly blue flowers I so want to be mine. Protected by a willow planted the year his boy was born and engulfed in the fragrance of the rose hedge his wife tended, we have our coffee and repeat the game we've played for years. I ask for seeds I know I won't receive, but learn more each year about this gentle man and his passion for this quiet spot and the land that he has turned. Some folks buy headstones, he propagates flowers and tends the earth. I suspect his family would love the monument he's created for them.




One of life's simple pleasures is morning coffee in the garden. It's made sweeter still with a crusty baguette or sweet pastry. Morning Glory Petal Bread is perfect for breakfast in the garden. It's a wonderful flower shaped confection whose petals are sugar dipped biscuits that are pulled apart for eating. It's assembled rather than made and it's one of my secret weapons for company breakfast or brunch. The recipe first appeared as Orange Marmalade Coffee Cake in the 1999 Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. I urge you to play with this recipe until you're comfortable with amount of fat and sugar you are using. I've altered the original recipe to use a soft spread that tastes like butter. I also reduced the amount of marmalade used in its preparation. As to sugar, I've used a combination of golden brown and granulated sugar but have not cut back on the original measurement. My changes to the base recipe appear in red. I urge you to try this when you need a special dish for breakfast or brunch. It takes 5 minutes to assemble and its absolutely delicious.

Morning Glory Petal Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 to 2/3 cup sweet orange marmalade
2 tablespoons (or more to taste) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 (approximately 12 ounce) cans of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup melted soft spread (i.e. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)

Directions:
1) Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
2) Spread marmalade in bottom of Bundt pan. Sprinkle with walnuts.
3) Melt soft spread and place in a small bowl. Combine sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl. Separate biscuits, dip each into soft spread, dredge in cinnamon-sugar and place, standing up, evenly around the edges of Bundt pan. Drizzle any remaining soft spread over biscuits and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4) Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until top is a deep golden brown. Cool on a pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto a platter and serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.

I'm send this to Smiling Sally for her Blue Monday event.

It will also go to Color Outside the Lines for Share A Garden Sunday.

Blueberry and Lemon Cake-Style Muffins

I've made these muffins for more years than I care to admit. My favorite way to entertain is with a Sunday brunch and these muffins fall right into place with that easy, no stress, style of entertaining. Unlike their bread-type cousins that quickly stale, these cake-type muffins can be made ahead and sit for 24 hours or so and still be moist and tender. They can also be frozen. The recipe on which these muffins are based came from the old New McCall's Cookbook - sorry for that unintended oxymoron. The cookbook was a bible of sorts in the early 70's and I suspect that anyone even near my age has made at least one dish from its pages. McCall's crepe manicotti with tomato sauce was legend and I probably had it a thousand time before it died a natural death. I digress. The blueberry muffins are inexpensive and really easy to make. This is definitely a "what's not to like" kind of recipe. It's worth a try.

Blueberry and Lemon Cake-Style Muffins

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, unbeaten
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
3/4 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen, unthawed blueberries
Confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 drgrees F. Spray 2 six-cup muffin tins with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) Place flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
3) Place butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as required.
4) Turn speed to low. Beat in flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with milk (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until smooth.
5) Fold in blueberries, just until combined.
6) Use an ice cream scoop to fill each cup two-thirds full.
7) Bake until golden brown and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks; let cool for ten minutes. Remove muffins from pans. Serve warm or cold. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving. Yield: 12 large muffins.

Blueberry Crumb Cake, Fats Domino and Blue Monday

Blueberries - partie un: What sparked this meme? I knew I was under fire when the second volley of berries hit me. He was a two-something minx who'd been left sitting in the grocery cart and was using the alone time to raid the berry basket and have a little target practice. That would be me. He was awfully cute; chances are he'll grow up to become a gunnery sergeant - if his mother doesn't kill him first. I held my ground lest he try to stand in the cart before she returned. My 40 yard dash was once the envy of the neighborhood and I stood at the ready should my prowess be needed to prevent bashed brains or sundry injuries. The adrenalin coursed until Mom returned, confirming to me yet again that God takes care of fools, drunks and mischievous baby boys.

Blueberries - partie deux: Ah, the music. Saddle shoes. Poodle skirts. Sock hops. I was 14 when he - all 15 years of him - asked me to dance. This was the song. The path to the altar was neither smooth or straight but we eventually got there. By that time, folk music, protest movements and coffee houses had replaced rock and roll and sock hops had gone the way of the dinosaur. The Weaver's trumped Fats Domino and folks stopped dancing altogether, but it's lovely to sit here in my December and remember the world when it was very young.

Blueberries - partie trois: Finally, it's time to eat, so grab a fork and belly up to the bar. I'm trying to reach the bottom of the freezer before the start of the new berry season. In order to do that, I've decided to have a blueberry bonanza - the first ever theme week on One Perfect Bite. Over the course of the next 7 days you're bound to find something you'll like. So, I hope you share my love of berries and will visit everyday to see what we're up to. First up is a crumb cake based on one developed by Ina Garten. Let's get the berrython started.

Blueberry Crumb Cake
Ingredients:
Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
Cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
2/3 cup reduced-fat plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup blueberries (if using frozen do not thaw)
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.
2) To make streusel, place granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Stir in melted butter. Add flour. Mix well. Set Aside.with fork to combine and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.
3) To make the cake, cream butter and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and creamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, just until incorporated. Add vanilla, lemon zest and yogurt. Place flour, baking powder,, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly add flour mixture and beat on low speed just till combined. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with a knife or offset spatula. Crumble streusel topping over batter. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack to cool. Let sit for 20 minutes. Remove from cake pan and cool to room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Transfer to cale plate. Yield: 8 servings.

I'm send this to Smiling Sally for her Blue Monday event.

Brussels and Liege Waffles

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was so enamoured with waffles that he had an iron shipped from France to Monticello so his guests could sample the Brussels and Liege versions he so enjoyed. While Belgium has been famous for waffles since the Middle Ages it's interesting to note there are no Belgian waffles made in this small country. The Belgian waffle is an American creation that was introduced at the 1964 World's Fair where it was called a "Bel Gem Waffle". The American version is actually patterned after the Brussels waffle but it's leavened with baking powder rather than yeast and beaten egg whites. Following the World's Fair waffles became a craze and the waffle iron proudly claimed a spot in most American kitchens. Do you remember the light, dense and delicious waffles of Sunday night? Chances are they were made with a baking mix and made it to the table with little effort and less forethought. Their Brussels and Liege counterparts aren't quite that easy. They both require yeast or a sponge and won't get to the table on a whim.

A true Liege waffle is made with chunks of sugar, which caramelize and form a crispy, crunchy coating. In Belgium, waffles are sold in waxed wrappers and eaten like a street food. They are usually not eaten for breakfast and are considered to be a snack or dessert food. Are they better than their American counterpart? That's for you to decide. I'm including recipes for Brussels and Liege waffles; I hope you'll try them when you have some time. Somethings beg to be tried before we die, put Liege waffles on your list.

Brussels Waffles - Gaufre de Bruxelles

Ingredients:
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups warm milk, divided use
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1/3 cup white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
1) In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of reserved warm milk and melted butter.
3) Stir in yeast mixture, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in remaining 2 1/2 cups milk alternately with flour, ending with the flour.
4) Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks; fold into batter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5) Preheat waffle iron. Brush with oil and spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup (or as recommended by manufacturer) inside edges of iron. Close lid and bake until steam no longer escapes from iron and waffle is golden brown. Serve immediately or keep warm in 200 degree oven. Yield: 8 waffles.

Liege Waffles - Gaufre de Liège

Ingredients:
Sponge
4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/3 cups warm milk
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
Batter
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup pearl sugar (see Cook's Note)
Extra flour (for sprinkling)

Directions:
Sponge
1) In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over the milk. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and sugar; set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
2) Sift remaining flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in center and add yeast mixture and egg. Stir well to make a smooth batter.
3) Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in a warm place and let rise until doubled or tripled in bulk, about 2 hours.
Batter
1) Place butter, flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and pearl sugar into a bowl and work with back of a wooden spoon to form a paste.
2) Work butter mixture into sponge mixture until well combined. Cover, and set aside for 10 minutes.
3) With floured hands, shape dough into 10 balls. Flatten one slightly and dust it with flour. (If dough seems too wet to handle, just pour batter directly onto the waffle iron.)
4) Heat a waffle iron until medium hot. Place a flattened ball in the middle of the iron; close top. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. If waffle iron is too hot, sugar will burn. Continue baking until all the waffles are done. Waffles may be kept warm in a 200 degree F. oven until ready to serve. Yield: 10 waffles.

Cook's Note: Pearl sugar, also called hail sugar because it is similar in size to hail stones, can be purchased in a well stocked super market. If unavailable you can make your own by crushing sugar cubes till they resemble hail stones or coarse salt.

I'm sending this recipe to Susan at Wild Yeast for her weekly Yeast Spotting event.
This week's event is being hosted by Zorra.


Brussels, Belgium Information
Find out about the homeland of the Brussels Waffles. Travel guide to Brussels. Features information on hotels, apartments, sights and entertainment in Brussels.

Gluten-Free Pancakes

These pancakes are not bad. My testers paid them the supreme compliment and said they tasted like "regular" food. I found the recipe in the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2009 Annual Recipes collection. I made the recipe just as it was written, although I toasted the almonds before grinding and omitted the chocolate chips. I'd make these again.

Gluten-Free Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup ground almonds
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, optional

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, potato starch, almonds, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2) In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter and vanilla.
3) Add liquid into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in optional chocolate chips if desired.
4) Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Yield: 12 pancakes.

Chocolate French Toast

When our children were small, Saturday was a special day. It began with pancakes made by my tiny chefs who were happily learning applied mathematics. Pancakes were actually their second creation. The first was a unique cookie called a "Mush Me." The cookie was made with 1 cup flour, 1 stick soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. The kids - with immaculately clean hands, of course - mushed the cookies until everything was mixed. They dropped them - literally - on cookie sheets and baked them in a 350 degree oven till they were done. I can't be more specific about the time. Sometimes we had one huge cookie other times a hundred small ones. The pancakes were more sophisticated and involved learning the difference between full and partial measures. They also involved sifting and mixing with a spoon and sometimes, if we were really lucky, there was batter left for the griddle. It was a great time for us all. Today's French toast is a bit more sophisticated. It's a festive dish, perfect for a brunch or holiday breakfast. I'm not sure I'd let the kids do this one but it really is simple to make.

Chocolate French Toast

Ingredients:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 (1-inch thick) slices challah or brioche
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar for garnish

Directions:
1) Combine granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; whisk until blended. Pour in half the milk and whisk until mixture is completely lump free. Whisk in remaining milk, eggs and vanilla.
2) Arrange the bread in a 9 x 13-inch pan and pour cocoa mixture over it. Turn the bread to coat both sides. Poke the slices with a fork at frequent intervals. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so.
3) Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat (I used an electric frying pan). Add butter and spread to cover pan. Carefully add bread to pan. Cook until underside is lightly crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Watch this step carefully as the bread can burn quickly. Flip until slices are slightly puffed, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

Adapted from a recipe by Abigail Johnson Dodge

I'm sending this recipe to Susan at Wild Yeast for her weekly Yeast Spotting event.

Cinnamon Meringue Coffee Ring

While looking for holiday recipes, I stumbled on this neglected favorite in a battered shoebox that holds my really old recipes. Each year I swear I'm going to transcribe and index them, but that just never seems to happen. As a result, a task that should take minutes can turn into hours of reverie as special recipes are found and the people associated with them emerge from memory. Lilah, George and Claire were a constant presence in my childhood. Lilah, whom I've written about before, was the mother of my best friend Claire. George, her husband, a professor at the University of Chicago, introduced Claire and me to the treasures of the Oriental Institute and the Field Museum, and, because neither of us were much into dolls, we became weekend explorers of the more exotic museum circuit. Back then museums charged no admission and a round trip ticket on the Illinois Central cost a quarter. If you were clever, you could ride from the south side of the city to the Loop and back again while stopping off to visit all the museums along the way. On a very good day, you might even catch a demonstration on the Midway at the University of Chicago. Claire and I really traveled. It was a different time and place and we were city kids, so no one worried about our museum treks from Mesopotamia to the coal mines of Appalachia. The holidays brought special exhibits to the Museum of Science and Industry and we learned that if you planned precisely you'd be able to see all the Christmas programs the museum offered. The blonde Claire, Cinderella to my Snow White, loved the re-creation of Christmas in Scandinavia and would embarrass me to death by singing "Santa Lucia" with abandon - at the top of her lungs, I might add - on the ride home from the museum. Claire loved this coffee cake and Lilah always made it for her on St. Lucia Day. It is very understated, but the unique meringue filling - a poor man's almond paste - makes it sweeter than a Viennese pastry. I hope you'll give it a try. It's not hard to do and if, as you make it, you hear the clear bell-like strands of "Santa Lucia" or see a blonde, haloed specter floating through the air, not to worry. It's probably Claire practicing for the Lucia Day procession. God Jul, Claire. No Lucia will ever hold a candle to you. Skol!

Cinnamon Meringue Coffee Ring

Ingredients:
1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast
3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons milk, divided use
6 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/3 + 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, divided use
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup + 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, divided use
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Combine yeast and 1-1/2 cups flour in bowl of an electric stand mixer. Set aside.
2) Combine 2/3 cup milk, 6 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat until butter is melted. Add to flour mixture with 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes longer. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise until double. Punch down, turn onto a floured surface and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into an 18 x 10-inch rectangle.
3) Beat reserved egg white until stiff. Fold in reserved 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Spread mixture over dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Starting from long side, roll dough tightly in jelly roll fashion. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; bring ends together and seal. Let rise until doubled in size.
4) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25 minutes, covering with foil if bread browns too quickly. Set aside to cool slightly.
5) Meanwhile, heat reserved 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until browned. Cool. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, reserved 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix well. Drizzle cake with icing. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup almonds. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Baked Swedish Pancake - Breakfast

One more long day, then it's all over but the shouting. We're going to start the day with a substantial baked pancake that comes from Sweden. Pancake is really a misnomer; this is more like a baked custard or an Italian cheesecake sans cheese. I first made this years ago in an attempt to get extra calories and protein into the diet of an ill child. It's not terribly sweet, so I suggest you adjust the sugar to taste or serve it with macerated fruit or a fruit syrup. It's very easy to do. A cast-iron skillet is recommended and any type of berry can be used.

Baked Swedish Pancake

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
Garnish: blueberries, powdered sugar

Directions:
1) Butter a cast iron skillet and place in oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Place flour, sugar, salt, eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a 2 quart bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Fold in blueberries.
3) Pour batter into hot pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until center of pancake is set.
4) Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with berries and syrup. Yield: 8 servings.

Cook's Note: Warmed jelly or jam makes an excellent syrup for the pancake.