Breakfast with the ponies: Semi-Instant Pancakes

Every summer we go to the Del Mar race track to watch the horses.  They usually have an entire kids' area set up with magicians and face painting and pony rides.  It's great.  And the boys love watching the horses run.

But this year I found out about a special thing the race track does - they host a breakfast!  There aren't any races, but they open the trackside restaurant during morning exercises.  These are the horses that aren't racing that day, but some of the jockeys are.

The neat thing about this breakfast is that you get to be right up close to the horses and really get to see them strut their stuff.

The kids loved it.  In addition to watching the horses run really fast, there was an MC who gave us all sorts of facts about the horses and jockeys out on the track, as well as horses in general.  The boys wanted to know how old the horses were, and she told them all about the various ages.

But the best part of the whole thing was that it was totally cool and overcast.   The races don't start until the afternoon, and the afternoons in July and August are pretty hot.   Especially this year.   And there is very little shade at the race track.  

So we didn't actually make it to the races this year, but we still got our taste of watching the horses run.  And it's an experience I would definitely repeat.

My only negative comment was the breakfast itself.  It's clear the track isn't open for breakfast, and since the breakfast only happens on weekend mornings, they don't really go all out with the menu.  There are muffins and an egg dish.  But really, you're not there for the food.   Not like our house.  Weekend mornings are a time for great breakfasts.  Not on Saturdays when we're running out to swimming, or soccer, or art, but lately Sundays have been very low key around here, and we've taken advantage.

Last year I started making Alton Brown's pancake mix.  It came as a compromise.  Thatboy grew up on Bisquick and before he met me he didn't realize you could make pancakes without it.  On the other hand, I grew up with pancakes made from scratch.  So if I wanted Thatboy to make breakfast on the days I get to sleep in, then I needed to buy Bisquick, or make my own.

I made a little change to the original recipe - I added powdered buttermilk to the mix, which means we don't have to keep the liquid stuff on hand.  Because of this, I keep the mix in the freezer.

 Once the pancakes are made, we have a topping bar where the kids can put whatever they like on top (within reason.  Last weekend I nixed the notion of powdered sugar AND whipped cream).  

Semi-Instant Pancakes (by Alton Brown)

 10 oz semi-instant pancake mix (I use Alton Brown's with powdered buttermilk added, but shhhhh Bisquick would also work)

2 eggs, separated

2 cup buttermilk (or 2 cups water if you've added the powdered buttermilk to your pancake mix)

4 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled

1. Set a skillet over medium heat.  Place the pancake mix into a large mixing bowl.

2. Whisk the egg whites and buttermilk or water in a separate bowl.

3. Whisk the egg yolks and the melted butter.

4. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk quickly, leaving lumps.

6. When the skillet is hot, grease with cooking spray or butter.  Ladle 1 ounce of the batter into the pan.

7. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

8.  Top with butter, syrup, fruit, sugar, whatever your heart desires!

Padres and Pancakes: Pancakes with Pancetta and Maple SyrupP

Baseball has taken over our lives right now.  Thatkid has a baseball game twice a week, once during the week, and every Saturday.  He loves it.  He loves seeing his friends and he loves the game.  Earlier this week after work he and I were tossing the ball around in the back yard.  He told me we were professional baseball players.  I informed him that until someone started paying us, we couldn't really be considered professional.

Professional baseball is on his mind a lot this week, because he went to his first professional baseball game this past weekend.

Sunday was "Pony League Day" at Petco Park.  Which meant all the little league teams were invited to the field for a parade and a game.    Each team paraded around the field.

After we saw Thatkid, we headed up to the nosebleeds to our seats.

We were pretty high up, but we had an amazing view of the field.

Eventually the rest of the rugrats joined us.  There was a lot more horseplay and eating junk food than game-watching.  But Thatkid said it was the highlight of his weekend.

This weekend has more baseball, but also marks the beginning of Passover, so we've got a couple of seders on top.  Which means I've spent this week trying to load up on my favorite flour-y foods.  Breakfast for the next week is going to be mostly yogurt, so this week is all about waffles and pancakes.

Pancakes with bacon are a pretty well known thing.  But what do you think about pancakes with pancetta?  Brilliant idea right?  Pancetta is like fancy bacon anyway.  These pancakes are dense and thick, which pairs well with the salty meat.  And the salty meat is perfectly complemented by the sweet maple syrup.  While normally I'm not a huge fan of maple syrup on pancakes, I really like the combination of these flavors together.  I'm going to miss it next week!

Pancakes with Pancetta and Maple Syrup

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

3 eggs

1 tsp melted butter

2/3 cup milk

12 slices pancetta

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
2. Whisk in the eggs, butter, and milk.
3. Preheat a broiler and broil the pancetta until crisp.
4. Heat a skillet and when hot, wipe it down with vegetable oil.  Drop dollops of the pancake into the pan so they make 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  
5. Cook about 2 minutes per side, then flip and cook another minute.
6. Divided between 4 plates.  Top with pancetta and pour maple syrup over.

A Homemade Life: Dutch Baby Pancakes with Lemon and Sugar

 

I've already written about my love for the New Children's Museum, so when I heard there was another children's museum in San Diego I knew we had to check it out.  The Children's Discovery Museum is similar to the New Children's Museum in that it is all about hands on experiences for young kids.  Thatkid was the perfect age to enjoy it.  And boy did he enjoy it.

The inside is divided into various areas, "Experiment" houses Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math exhibits, like the magnetic ball wall, magnatiles, and a wind tunnel.

"Imagine" is home to the play stage, puppet theater, costumes, and instruments.

"Explore" is where you'll find the Global Village, the Pirate Ship, and the Toddler Tide Pool.

Outside is "Discovery" with a garden, chickens, a water table, bubble station, hula hoops, foam blocks, and a dinosaur excavation site.

Thatkid really got into the foam blocks, using the round ones to create a track for ball rolling.

And although Thatkid is a little young to understand the concept of a watershed, he did like playing with legos in the water.

Inside, Thatkid tried to combine the various areas, playing dress up with the costumes and wearing various costumes throughout the museum. 

The pirate ship is a big draw to the museum.  You can even go underneath the deck where a table is set up, like on a real ship.

Thatkid found himself a pirate hat and made himself right at home.  We sailed to Legoland and Disneyland.

I loved the fact that the deck came complete with brooms, so the kids could actually swab the deck.

We spent all morning at the museum and Thatkid was really reluctant to leave.  But lunch and nap awaited us, even if I did push them back to give him more time.  I only managed to cajole him out with the promise that we would return, and bring Thatboy, who doesn't get to join us on our week day adventures. 

We're so busy during the week, that our weekends often find us sitting around the house anyway.  (Which I love).  Lazy mornings at home are generally a thing of the past, but every now and then we manage to all eat breakfast together.  On mornings like that, something special is called for.  Thatboy first introduced me to Dutch Baby Pancakes at The Original Pancake House.  Before he discovered the 49ers, which is his choice now, he always ordered them.  And they were always enough to feed a small army.  I was pretty excited to see a recipe for them in A Homemade Life, and even more excited that the recipe looked incredibly easy.  And it was.  And we all got to sit down with a big "slice" of the pancake, warm and sweet.

Dutch Baby Pancakes with Lemon and Sugar (From A Homemade Life)

2 Tbsp butter

4 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425.  Put the butter in an 8-inch cast iron skillet and place over low heat. As the butter melts, use a pastry brush to coax it up the sides of the skillet.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, mix together the eggs, flour, half and half and salt until well blended.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the warmed skillet.  Slide into the oven and bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until the center looks set and the edges are nicely risen and golden brown.  Remove from oven.
4. Drizzle with lemon juice.
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

 

A Homemade Life: Buckwheat Pancakes

Father's Day is quickly approaching.  And with the new baby, Thatboy has decided that all he really wants for Father's Day is a trip to the Original Pancake House for breakfast.  The man is nothing if not predictable.  In fact, I had told Thatkid weeks ago we'd be taking Thatdad for breakfast there on Father's Day.  Of course, now Thatkid asks every morning if we're going out for pancakes yet.

It's funny that Thatkid will grow up associating pancakes with his father, because I have a similar relationship with buckwheat pancakes.  In truth, as I've mentioned before we weren't really a pancake family growing up.  And going out to breakfast was no guarantee that pancakes would make their way off the menu and on to the table.  With one exception.  Thatdad was a huge fan of buckwheat pancakes.  Because of this, buckwheat pancakes always seemed so grown up to me.  They weren't sweet like your typical pancakes, but had more of an earthy flavor, something you had to grow into.

I remember not liking them much as a small child, but appreciating their complexity as I got older.   When I made these buckwheat pancakes from A Homemade Life, I was a little worried in promising Thatkid there would be pancakes in the morning.  What 3 year old likes buckwheat pancakes?  My 3 year old apparently!  Thatkid either has a very advanced palate or just doesn't discriminate when it comes to pancakes because he loved these.  For me, it was nice to bring a bit of Thatdad to the breakfast table.  The only one who wasn't a fan was Thatboy, who doesn't have much of  a taste for buckwheat pancakes whatever their form.  Not all of us are grownups apparently.

Buckwheat Pancakes (From A Homemade Life)

2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk

1 egg

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
2. Pour the buttermilk and milk into a medium bowl.
3. Whisk the gg whitesinto the milk mixture.
4. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the yolk with the melted butter.
5. Whisk the yolk mixture into the milk mixture.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
7. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Brush the skillet with canola oil.  Ladle the batter in 1/4 cupfuls into the skillet.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook 1-2 minutes on the other side.
8. Re-oil the skillet and repeat with more batter.  Serve warm with maple syrup.

With a Little Help From My Friends

This week on Eat. Live. Be. For a Better 2011, we're sharing resources. Most of the other entries I've read share their favorite books and magazine which help them on their healthy journey. Most of the books I read don't have much of a health aspect to them. And the magazines I read are your fairly typical fare of foods and clothing (although not usually in the same magazine.)



So instead, the resources I turn to are fellow bloggers. No matter how healthy or unhealthy my own choices are, I know exactly who to turn to for inspiration or help.

First, there's Shelby. Shelby is my go-to resource for new playlist ideas, running inspiration, and wine and beer recs.

And anytime I feel tired or lazy, I turn to my friend Cate, who has FINALLY come out of the blog-closet regarding her pregnancy. Seriously, it kills me keeping secrets. You see, Cate is currently training for the Boston Marathon. Which she will be running 20 weeks pregnant. What? Like that's impressive? How on earth can you justify sitting on your butt doing nothing when Cate is out there running for 2.

My friend Kira is another runner, and recently converted vegetarian. (Well, she's probably closer to a flexitarian, but has a very low meat intake). She makes super healthy meals with high grains, good proteins, and some of my favorite ingredients.

And speaking of favorite ingredients, I think I first fell in love with Cara because of her pumpkin recipes. But it was easy to stick around for more. Because Cara is seriously the most inventive cook I know. She manages to turn ingredients you've never heard of, into dishes you MUST MAKE NOW. Everything she makes is healthy, and yet covers all of your indulgences. (Don't believe me? Try the black bean brownies) And she's a weights girl, which is totally badass.

And of course there's Branny, who also is my go-to girl for meatless meals. Even though she often adds meat in for her husband, which is WAY nicer than me. I never make Thatboy his own special dinner. Branny is now living in a horse ranch - minus the horses. I imagine her as the healthiest person I know, out working in the field, milking the cattle even though she does neither of those things. One thing's for sure, she is a wiz with taking something not necessarily vegetarian and coming up with a great alternative. I adore her meatless shepherd's pie and most of her enchilada ideas!


Next week's topic is keeping the motivation going.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

I'm sure most of you know what tomorrow is. The streets are already posted with signs warning about the imminent Mardi-Gras festivities. And not to worry, I have a fabulous Mardi-gras type recipe waiting for you tomorrow.

But Fat Tuesday isn't just Fat Tuesday, it's also Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday follows the same idea as Mardi-gras. It's the day before lent so you get all your sinning out in one day before you become trite and obedient. Back in the old days, people used to get rid of their "sinful" food on this day. Even back then, people knew that fat made food taste good and therefore was bad for you. So they used it all up on Shrove Tuesday by making pancakes.

So in honor of Pancake Tuesday tomorrow, I'm sharing a pancake recipe with you. It's a very basic pancake recipe. In the past few weeks I've doctored it up by adding bananas, or chocolate chips, or even oatmeal. You can really play a lot with a good pancake recipe. Just make sure that you use up ALL the fat, oil, or butter in your house when making these. If you need help, just send it my way. We Jews don't really get involved in this "Lent" thing.

Pancakes
1/2-3/4 cup milk (depending on how thick you want it, more milk = thinner pancakes)
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

1. Combine the milk, butter, and egg in an electric mixer.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl, and then add to the wet ingredients, stirring just until moist and combined.
3. Butter a griddle and set over medium heat.
4. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto hot griddle. Cook until the pancakes are full of bubbles on the top. Flip and and brown the other side.