Almond Pancakes

Pancakes. I am a big fan of pancakes- but I'd rather call them Flapjacks or Hotcakes so, I'm not sure why I didn't... and now I've become to lazy to go back and change this photo.

On Sunday mornings I like to make breakfast for Greg that end up being breakfasts for Dave (one of my roommates). I leave notes such as: 

for when he awakes from his adorable slumber. I don't know why that question mark is there..he will eat it.
So, this morning I made some Almond Pancakes (Flapjacks) which were supposed to be Pecan Hotcakes with a Strawberry Bourbon Glaze that I adapted from one of my favorite blogs Naturally Ella. That's a lot of awesome happening on that plate. I reduced the awesomeness but maintained the coolness. that makes a lot of sense.

Almond Pancakes
Adapted from Naturally Ella

• Pancakes:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond pieces
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon nut oil
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. To make pancakes, lightly toast the almonds in a skillet for 3-4 minutes over medium low heat. Remove and put in a plastic bag and smash with something heavy.. yes, that's right. I never want to dirty my food processor for smaller things... so I put those smaller things in plastic and then cathartic-ally smash them to desired smash-ness.
2. In a medium bowl, combine ground almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt and give a good stir. In a separate bowl,whisk together with the maple syrup, eggs, oil, and 1/2 cup milk. Pour over dry ingredients, stir just until combined but, as usual, don’t over mix. If batter thickens too much (and isn’t easily pourable) and a bit more milk.
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a little butter to the pan. When skillet is hot (if you flick water onto the skillet, it should sizzle), take about 1/4 cup of batter and pour onto skillet. Let cook for 1-2 minutes (until the pancakes begins to bubble slightly. Flip and let cook for another 1-2 minutes until pancake is cooked through.
4. Serve on a plate. 
5. Wave " HI" back to Reagan.

Boom Baby! Banana Bourbon Bread!

Okay my wonderful people. It's happening and it's about time it happened. I'm going to get over my fear of well the internet... and taking about myself all in one swoop. This blog will be my swoop.
 Two birds with one stone.

I want to start sharing not only my recipes with people (because that's kinda important...yet, I've skipped it the majority/all of the time) but a little bit about me and the life I live.

With this dude named Greg, and this puppy named Fiasco and the other three wonderful, guy roommates I share my home with.
Where's my sitcom?
Oh what? It's been done?
 Zooey Deschanel just always has to one-up me doesn't she.
Darn those bangs.

So, let's not forget the fact that the main reason you're here is baking/cooking (I hope that's the main reason otherwise I'll feel more pressure about this situation) I'm vegan, but I cook and bake many MANY non-vegan things because the people I surround myself with a love are not vegan and heck, they're important and stuff. I'm currently getting my Master's in Education hence the sparse-ness that has occurred update-wise.. oh, that and I've been a poop.

The rest of me will come out eventually. I'll start telling stories about how apparently, in the neighborhood i live in, I better keep an eye on my dog because people steal dogs. out of yards. for keeps?
this is highly unlikely. but makes me sad. and somewhat nervous...mostly because of the fact that there is a guy in our neighborhood, riding a bike, with crazy hair who is telling people that. multiple times.

See?! Look at all the sharing!
I want to thank you all for reading this and please keep checking in. I'm ready for this! bring it.

We just bonded. big time. I know this because booze was involved.
Banana Bourbon Bread was involved and now we are BFF's.

Banana Bourbon Bread
Recipe slightly adapted from Whitney in Chicago

I used all-purpose flour for the whole recipe because I didn't have any spelt flour like Whitney had used (but it sounds awesome). I also didn't have any walnuts. I was baking this in part for my best friend Alina who is allergic to nuts. and apples.. and berries.. so that I probably would have omitted the walnuts anyway.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
3-5 overripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup buttermilk (or feel free to use yogurt or sour cream; whatever you have on hand)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp bourbon; (I used Maker’s Mark)


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray the mini loaf pans (I ended up using 3) with some oil or if you have butter- go for it. (TIP O' THE DAY: if you have the wrapping to the stick of butter, use what's leftover on the inside of the wrapper to oil the pans, plus it keeps your hands from getting oily. that's nice.)

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs, bananas, buttermilk, vanilla and bourbon and stir to mix well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and stir just until the flour incorporated. Try not to over-mix. you know the dealz.

Divide the batter evenly into the mini loaf pans
Bake 25-35 minute. Mine took about 30 minutes.
Let the bread cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool.

EAT UP! and Thank you!

Vanilla Marshmallows

Whole Wheat Flaxseed Bread, Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Butter and a New Approach!

 

 Months? That's how long I've been on a picture posting hiatus?
Oh, so many things have happend.
One of those things? Bread baking. That happend. It's currently happening.
This is what it looks like post-happening.



Stinkin' delicious. hearty. flax-y.

Butter. Sans Butter. Avec pumpkin, cinnamon, apple.

Avec is the opposite of 'sans'. Did you know that? I didn't. I google'd it. wiki.answers delivered. as per usual.

Put this on the Whole Wheat Flaxseed bread and you've just put heaven on sunshine. That's right, it's totally possible and it tastes just like it sounds..
pretty awesome.




Happy Holidays everyone!! It's not over yet! In fact,when you think about it it's only just begun...
2012!

Bring. it. on.

Blam.

Halloween Spooktacular!

Blackberry Peach Cake

Coconut Bread