Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

I have been making buttermilk pancakes from scratch for a little while now, but before this I was used to the Aunt Jemima pancakes that my dad would make from the box mix every Sunday. I always enjoyed those and I never really thought of making anything else until I had some leftover buttermilk one day. I decided to use the rest of it by making these pancakes and well lets just say I have never gone back to box mix again (and neither has my dad!)



The first time I made these I was a little weirded out by how much different the batter was. It looks lumpy and when you spoon it out (it does not pour) it has a ton of air bubbles in it (and I mix gently and definitely make sure not to over mix!). Then I slopped it onto the griddle and it made these unattractive odd shapes, not the perfectly round pancakes I was used to.



Then while cooking they started to puff up, becoming the fluffiest pancakes I have ever had!

So I figured I would post this recipe just in time for the weekend considering that it the only time I usually spend extra time in the morning making breakfast.

Buttermilk Pancakes (with a hint of vanilla)
Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
about 1/2 tbsp of vanilla extract (you can add more or less depending on your preferences. With this much you could really get a distinct vanilla taste which we enjoyed)
2 tbsp melted butter (not much warmer than room temp)
(and when in season about 1/2 cup blueberries)

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients together

2. Add the vanilla and butter to the buttermilk and mix

3. Beat the egg and add it to the buttermilk mixture (mix thoroughly, I usually use a whisk)

4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix gently being careful not to over mix (this makes
tough pancakes)!! The batter will be lumpy. I usually let it rest for a few minutes while the griddle heats up (about 350F)

5. Spoon batter onto a buttered griddle/skillet/whatever you use

6. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown

Enjoy!

I hope you like these pancakes! Also, I am looking for feedback, specifically I am wondering if the photos are too large for your screen size. I am still figuring out how to add photos and I seem to have success with HUGE photos and small photos, but if the large ones are okay than I might not rush to figure out how to make them a little smaller.


Thanks!

Martha's Mac and Cheese

This is not my first time making mac and cheese, but this is by far the best recipe I have tried so far. It is cheesy and rich with just a little bit of warmth from some cayenne pepper. I found this recipe via smittenkitchen who adapted it from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics. She uses a type of bread crumb I have never seen before. They are more like croutons but I actually liked them a lot although when you reheat leftovers (and believe me, you will definitely want left overs) they are kind of stale, so if you prefer a traditional breadcrumb I am sure that would be great too.



After looking at that cheesy goodness I am sure you will be dying to make this just as I was, so here is how I tweaked the recipe:

Serves about 6 people

Ingredients:
3 tbsp + 1tbsp of unsalted butter
3 slices of good italian white bread (ripped/cut into small pieces/cubes)
2 3/4 cups of whole milk
1/4 cup of flour
about 1 tsp of kosher sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
pinch of black pepper to taste
1 1/2 + 1/2 generous cups of sharp aged white cheddar cheese (I try to get cheddar that has been aged for at least 12 months as that it when you can really start to taste the difference)
1/2 +1/4 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese
About 1/2 lb of De Cecco Cavatappi or what ever noodles you prefer. I just find that this noodle not only holds on to all of the cheesy goodness but its a lot more substantial than the usual macaroni noodle which I like

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter a 8x8 casserole. Place the bread pieces in a bowl and cover with 1 tbsp of melted butter.

Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile in a separate saucepan melt the remaining 3 tbsp of butter after about a minute when the butter is bubbly add the flour and stir until well combined.

While whisking add the milk a little bit at a time. I usually add a little and wait until there is a uniform consistency then add a little more. At first it will look like mashed potatoes but that it okay just keep adding the milk.

Continue to cook the sauce until thickened. I usually cook until you get a decent layer of milk on the back of a spoon (about 8 minutes).

Once thickened remove from heat and add the salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of pecorino romano. Set the sauce aside.

Cook the pasta in well salted boiling water until the outside of the noodle appears to be done but the inside is clearly underdone 2-3 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water.

Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly. Add to the casserole. Top with remaining cheeses then bread pieces.

Bake in the oven on the middle rack for about 30 minutes or until the bread pieces are brown and toasty looking. When done, remove from the oven and set on a wire rack (or the stove top) for 5 minutes (this part takes real self control!)

ENJOY!

I promise you that this recipe is easy and pretty much foolproof so there really is no reason not to try it. Plus summer is still several months away, so no need to feel guilty!

Curried Chicken and Veggies with Citrus Cardamom Rice

Let me start off by saying that I cannot promise that everything I make will live up to the title of this blog, which translates to "Cooking for Lazy People", but I thought that it may be nice to start off that way! This meal, like many I will be making in the future, was from Dorie Greenspan's book, Around my French Table. I have only tried a few recipes from her book and I already LOVE it. For that reason I will not include recipes for all of the dishes I make from this book. Also, if I do include one which you try and like I would hope that you buy the book to try even more!

This is just a quick shot of part of the kitchen in my new apartment (which is a vast improvement over the last). This meal had very few ingredients, all of which were very fresh.

The curried chicken with veggies was perhaps one of the easiest meals I have made in a while. It basically involves mixing chicken, peppers, onions, and in this case peas in a large bowl with a little bit of oil, salt, pepper, and curry powder. Then the mixture is placed in foil which is made into a well sealed tent leaving some empty space for the packet to steam.

The citrus cardamom rice had a lot to live up to considering a fairly small container of ground cardamom was $15 at the Giant Eagle! I couldn't believe it! I have to say though that I am glad I got it because I LOVED this rice. I do not think there really is a substitute that would give you the flavor you get from the cardamom.

Citrus Cardamom Rice

(very closely adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table)

Ingredients:

Zest of 1 Lemon and it's Juice

1 tsp Ground Cardamom

1/2 cup of diced red onion

1 cup long grain brown rice (I use a light brown basmati rice)

2 cups of low sodium chicken broth

tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once heated add the onions, cardamom, salt and pepper. Cook the onions for a few minutes then add the rice, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toast the rice for a few minutes then add the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, give it one last stir, cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer on low for about 18 minutes. Then ENJOY!

Also, please excuse my sub par photos. I feel quite out of practice, time and light! I will definitely work on that, but even if these pictures do not convince you, try this out! It is really quick, easy, different, and yummm!