Carrot Cake Pancakes ala ~CHB~

Carrot Cake Pancakes ala ~CHB~

(original recipe by Bobby Flay)

Pancakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*

½ tsp. fine sea salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup eggnog

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp. vanilla

2 small jars carrot baby food

1 tsp. grated orange zest (optional)

1 Tbsp. grated crystalized ginger or diced candied ginger

* If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.

• Whisk the first five (dry) ingredients together in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, add the next 7 ingredients until smooth; fold in ginger; cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat griddle to medium heat; brush with butter and continue heating until butter foams.
• Drop ¼ cupfuls of batter onto heated griddle; cook until bubbles start to form and burst (about 2 minutes); flip and cook to set the other side another 1 to 2 minutes.
• As the pancakes are ready, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and keep them warm in the oven until ready to eat.

Topping

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup pure maple syrup

• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add maple syrup and whip for 1 minute.
• Warm the topping in the oven (or the microwave).
• Serve pancakes with topping.

The Best Chicken & Dumplings ala ~DKBB~

The Best Chicken & Dumplings ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Erika Monroe-Williams in Sept./Oct. 2015 Taste of Home magazine)

Soup, part 1

3 cans chicken in water

1 large onion, diced

6 medium to large carrots, chopped

6 celery ribs, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups chicken stock (I use 1 c. water to 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon)

½ cup white cooking wine

2 tsp. sugar

¼ to ½ tsp. white pepper

5 whole peppercorns

Dumplings

1⅓ cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

⅔ cup milk

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Soup, part 2

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. thyme leaves

• Add all part 1 ingredients to a large soup pot; bring all to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the dry ingredients for the dumplings in one bowl; whisk milk and butter in another bowl; add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened (do not overmix).
• Drop dumplings by forkful onto top of soup; cook, covered 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of dumplings comes out clean (NOTE: do not lift cover while dumplings are cooking).
• Gently stir in cream, parsley, and thyme.

Cabbage Roll Skillet ala ~CHB~

Cabbage Roll Skillet ala ~CHB~

(original recipe by Susan Chickness in Dec 2015 Taste of Home magazine)

1 28 oz. or 2 14 oz. can(s) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 lb. ground hamburger (or chicken, pork, or turkey)

1 large onion, chopped

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (optional)

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

¼ to ½ tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
½ to 1 tsp. dried basil
½ to 1 dried parsley

½ to 1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced

½ to 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

4 cups cooked brown rice

• In large nonstick skillet, cook meat and onion over medium high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink and breaks into crumbles.
• Stir in tomato sauce (if using), vinegar, brown sugar, seasonings, and diced tomatoes.
• Add cabbage and green pepper; cook, covered 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cook, uncovered, 6 to 8 minutes longer, or until cabbage is tender.
• Serve over brown rice.