Cranberry Sourdough Waffles

Have you sometimes wondered what to do with that left-over Cranberry Sauce beyond smearing it on the very important turkey sandwich on white bread, with mayonnaise and potato chips, (which is is a must, in my opinion), but what about after that? Well let me tell you; crispy sourdough waffles, smothered in Cranberry Orange Sauce are the answer. We unanimously "mmmed", "oohed" and "ahhed" over this combination. The tangy cranberry pairs so well with the "Sour" in the Sourdough Waffles, that it seems just flat to eat the waffles without the sauce... and now that the Cranberry Orange Sauce is all gone, but the waffles still remain in the freezer, I am considering making another batch of the sauce, so that the waffles don't seem flat... haha. But all that to say, "you're really gonna like these, so you gotta give this a try".


This sourdough waffle recipe is a recipe that my daughters have often made during their visits here. The recipe is an adaptation from All-Recipe's "Sam's Sourdough Waffles" Recipe, and it is delicious. The waffles are crisp outside, fluffy inside, with a wonderful flavor, and are perfect eaten fresh, or frozen and re-toasted. We have a whole batch in the freezer right now, and have been enjoying them all week... with the Cranberry Orange Sauce, of course.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Einkorn, Spelt, or Organic All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1 cup Sour Dough Starter
• 1/2 cup Cooking Oil (my favorite is Avocado Oil)
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar or Organic Non GMO Cane Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Himalayan Salt
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup Cranberry Orange Sauce
• 1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• Organic Powdered Sugar for dusting
• Oranges or Mandarins for Garnish

Its best to start this the night before you want to make waffles.

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 1/2 cups water, and sourdough starter. Mix well. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or paper towel and let sit in a warm place 4 -12 hours.
2. Once the batter has been sitting 4 -12 hours, and is bubbly, add oil, eggs, sugar, and salt; mix well to combine. 
3. Whisk 1 tablespoon water and baking soda together in a small bowl until dissolved. Fold into the batter with a rubber spatula.  
4. Preheat the waffle Iron.
5. Spoon in batter into the waffle iron, and cook until waffles are crispy.
6. While the Waffles are cooking, place 1 cup Cranberry Orange Sauce into a sauce pan, and add 1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water.
7. Heat until warm and well combined.
8. Spoon hot over hot, buttered waffles
9. Dust with powdered sugar
10. Enjoy!

They are so yummy, even for dinner, with sausage and eggs.

Stuffed Potato Pancakes

Don't you think one of the best things about a Thanksgiving feast, is the leftovers?  I love them eaten cold for breakfast (as in turkey on roll sandwich or pumpkin pie), rewarmed for lunch or dinner, (as in hot turkey and gravy over roll and mashed potatoes and stuffing), or re-made into new meals. I think I look forward to leftovers more than the actual holiday meal itself; Perhaps because it is a meal already fixed and ready to go.  It is like a present to myself.

With a large abundance of turkey and mashed potatoes after Thanksgiving, these two items are a sure thing to get made over.  At our house, left over mashed potatoes are almost always turned into potato pancakes. Sometimes we fix them plain, and  sometimes we jazz them up with cheese, onion and/or some sort of bacon. They are delicious served with eggs, or even just on their own as a meal in themselves. My Mom often made them for us when were little and I have often made them for our family.  In Russia they take the potato pancake idea a little further and stuff it with delicious fillings, such as sauted mushrooms, or ground meat, and then fry them until golden brown. When we adopted our kids ten years ago, my eyes were opened to the many delicious Russian comfort foods, and have loved trying them to please the kids. Here is my own adaptation of "Zrazy" which is the Russian name for this kind of Stuffed Potato Pancakes.

Put mashed potatoes, eggs and flour into a mixing bowl.

Mix together well.

Set aside until the filling is prepared.

Gather together stuffing ingredients: Chopped chicken or turkey, green onions, mushrooms and grated carrots.

Melt a half of a stick of butter in a frying pan. Stir and saute until vegetables are tender.

Put sauted mixture into a measuring bowl ready to fill the potato pancakes.

Create pancakes with one large spoonful of potato mixture on a floured surface to keep from sticking.  If the mixture is still sticky while working with it, add flour as you form your pancake as needed.

Top pancake with a tablespoon of meat mixture.

Fold pancake in half and pinch edges together. Forming and smoothing into a nice shaped pancake.

Take up prepared pancakes and place on  a plate Set to the side while you heat the oil.

Fry 3-4 minutes over medium high heat until well browned on all sides.

(sorry missed the pictures on this one).

Top with fresh green onions and sprinkle liberally with sea salt.

Stuffed Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:
6 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra to dust the pancakes with
2 large eggs
2 cups cooked and chopped Chicken or Turkey
5 or 6 mushrooms, minced

1 carrot, grated
1 garlic clove, minced

5 green onions finely chopped and or 2 TB fresh parsley,  minced
1/2 stick butter
Sea Salt or natural salt and pepper to taste
Flour or breadcrumbs to roll pancakes in before frying
Natural Palm Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes eggs and flour.
2. Mix well and set to the side while making the filling.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat.
4. Add butter, Chicken/Turkey and vegetables
5. Saute, and stir until the vegetables are tender.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Place in a mixing bowl to have ready for filling the potato pancakes.
8. Dust a working space with flour.
9. Using a large serving spoon or ice-cream scoop, take up a spoonful of the potato mixture and place it onto the floured surface.
10. Work the potato mixture into a flat circle or oblong.
11. Place a tablespoon of the filling onto the pancake.
12. Fold pancake in half and pinch the edges together, forming a nicely shaped oblong.
13. Roll in flour or bread crumbs. Place on a plate.
14. Repeat until all of the pancakes are made. 
15. Heat a large fry pan (non-stick ceramic is a good choice) with a little oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
16. Once the oil is hot, fry the pancakes until golden brown on each side (about 3 or 4 minutes per side).
17. Place on paper towel covered plate to drain.  Keep warm in a low oven until all is ready.
18. Delicious served with Sour Cream; we also love them with a little hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Picnic Beans

This dish is inspired by a neighbor of ours back in Colorado.  She called them Picnic Beans, and often served them on branding day.   They are a nice way to have baked beans with a meal, or on a picnic, without the "baking" part, which is perfect for keeping the summer kitchen cool. I have thought they could be called "Unbaked Beans", and have sometimes called them that.  They are basically baked beans with a healthier twist of fresh veggies added, no extra sugar added and served cold.  They are delicious.

Start with 2 15 oz cans of any variety of baked beans.

Pour them into a bowl.

Add 1 chopped green pepper….

…... chopped tomatoes (I used about a cup of small, colorful, heirloom tomatoes)…...

1/2 of a red onion, chopped…..

…..6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled….

…. stir well….

Pour into a serving bowl…

Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs…..

Picnic Beans
Ingredients:
2 15 oz cans of Pork and Beans of choice
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 a small red or white onion, chopped
6 slices of bacon of choice, fried and crumbled or chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped chives
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil

Instructions:

1. Begin by cooking bacon, and chopping veggies.
2. Pour two cans of beans into a medium mixing bowl.
3. Add the next 4 ingredients and stir together until well combined.
4. Pour into a serving bowl and top with fresh herbs.
5. Serve and enjoy.

 This is delicious served with hamburgers, sandwiches, fried chicken or as a side with any meal.

Enjoy!

Creamy Cottage Cheese and Coconut Pancakes

I loved the food in Russia when we were there.  I was surprised at how many delicious comforting foods there were to eat,  many of which were new to me.  One of our favorites, was a pancake that our hosts called "cheese cakes" I think in an effort to give them a name we could pronounce.  In Russian they are called "Syrniki".  They are just so good.

Cottage cheese is the main factor that makes these pancakes what they are, and gives them that moist, creamy goodness. These are a lower carb version because my waistline has been telling me I need to get back to some Trim Healthy Mama eating, and yet ….my comfort food cravings go down deep.  Sooooo here is one of my starting places to satisfy both sides of this tug of war.  These are a delicious, low carb, zero grain and down right satisfying pancake, and I can eat them with my sausage and egg because they work as an S meal on the THM plan.  Unlike traditional pancakes which fill me up momentarily, and wear off too quickly, these pancakes satisfy;  this is probably due to the high fiber content, in the coconut flour.

Cooking and baking with coconut flour can be tricky, due to the fact that it absorbs liquids like crazy, and can't be substituted measure for measure for regular flour.  It takes a little working with  and experimenting.  The coconut has so many benefits, that I love incorporating it in a variety of ways when cooking… and I could probably do whole post on the benefits of coconuts from oil to flour… but perhaps another day. Just a final note about coconut flour, if you are counting carbs as you go, remember that the carb count in coconut flour is 2/3 fiber, so the "actual" carb count can be reduced by two thirds.

 1. Place eggs and cottage cheese in blender.

 2.  Blend until thoroughly mixed.

3.  Pour into a medium mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix well together. 

4. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, to allow the coconut flour to absorb the liquids; it will thicken up a little.

 5. Scoop 1/4 cup measures and pour onto a prepared pan.

 6. Cook about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes after you have flipped them.

 6. Serve with berries or sugar free syrup if you are trying to watch those carbs, otherwise, pure Maple Syrup or honey  for our family.

 Creamy Cottage Cheese Coconut Pancakes
 Ingredients:

1 cup cottage cheese

4 eggs

1/2 cup coconut flour ( I use slightly under 1/2 cup, just loosely measured)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Coconut oil for flying

Instructions:
A well seasoned or non-stick pan and a low heat setting are important for these pancakes, because they need to cook a little longer than you would normally cook a pancake, and will brown quickly.  Also, the cottage cheese has a sticky factor to it, so having a well seasoned pan is important.  Be sure it is heated fully and coconut oil is well distributed before dropping the batter onto the pan.

1. Put cottage cheese and eggs in a blender and blend together until thoroughly mixed.
2. Pour blender ingredients into a bowl and add remaining ingredients.
3. Stir well and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  The batter will thicken while it sits.
4. Put 2 tablespoons or more coconut oil into a frying pan and bring to low heat. 
5. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter and pour onto frying pan.
6. Cook about 3 minutes on 1 side and 2 minutes once flipped.
7. Serve with fresh berries, or a sugar free syrup.

Enjoy!