When my son was in kindergarten, a very thoughtful teacher came up with an excellent idea. She decided that it would be fun to get her students to submit their favorite recipe. She would collect these recipes and make a cookbook for the children to give their mothers for Mother’s Day. I love to cook and have prided myself on doing a pretty good job of feeding my family. I try to make interesting and delicious meals for my friends and family. I could not wait to see what he would pick.
It came as such a shock when I opened my son‘s recipe collection gift on Mother’s Day. Instead of all the many homemade delicacies that I have treated him with over the years, his favorite recipe was “Dad’s Oatmeal.”
Are you kidding me? When I pressed him a little about his choice, he told me that he had a difficult time choosing his favorite recipe. Feeling a little better, I pressed on with him. His final comment to me about the recipe book was that he had a really tough time deciding between “Dad’s Oatmeal” and “Dad’s Pancakes.” Nothing like a child to keep you humble.
My husband does make the best pancakes around and when the kids help, it makes a very special breakfast for Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.
Dad’s Battercakes
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 T. oil
3 T. butter, melted
1 ¼ cups flour
3 rounded t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
Beat eggs until light; add milk, oil and butter. Sift together dry ingredients and beat into liquid ingredients. Cook on lightly greased griddle. Heat griddle very hot; then turn down to low temperature before cooking cakes. Ladle batter onto griddle and flip when small bubbles appear in center of pancake.
Serve with plenty of butter, syrup, bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.
*** The key to great Battercakes is to create animal shapes with the batter as you cook them. My husband was able to make a dachshund shape and even Darth Vader’s mask. How could I compete? I would try to tell my son that the round pancakes I made were balloons. He would never buy it.
Dad’s Irish Oatmeal
Prepare steel-cut Irish oatmeal (we use McCann’s) according to package directions. Irish oatmeal is not refined as much as instant or quick cooking oats, so is healthier for you. However, due to the course texture, Irish oatmeal can take 45 minutes to an hour to cook. It is delicious and healthy. Once oatmeal is cooked but is still a little “al dente,” top with brown sugar, melted butter and toasted walnuts.
* You can also add dried or fresh chopped fruit.
Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal
Try this slow cooker version to save some time.
Spray the inside of a slow cooker or crock pot with non-stick spray or rub with butter. Add 8 cups water, 2 cups milk, 2 cups steel cut oats, ½ t. salt, 1 t. vanilla extract, and ¼ cup brown sugar. Stir together in slow cooker and set on low. Cook on low overnight. The next morning, stir and top with maple syrup, more sugar, fruit or nuts.
Broiled Grapefruit
I grew up eating grapefruit and it remains one of my favorite fruits. An uncle used to send us a big box of grapefruit and oranges at Christmas. They were the best and we would eat them drizzled with honey or broiled with a little brown sugar. For mother’s day breakfast, my husband would always take the time to carefully slice cut each grapefruit segment so that it was easy to scoop out.
2 large grapefruit, Texas pink is our favorite
½ cup brown sugar or honey
Carefully cut each grapefruit in half and put each half in an oven proof bowl. Cut between each segment and around the membrane of the grapefruit. Top with sugar or honey and broil on high until sugar is caramelized.
Nicole’s Cinnamon Rolls
These are simply amazing and the best part is that you can make them ahead and store them in the freezer. The night before you plan to eat, take them out of the freezer and put them in the oven, loosely covered overnight. In the morning, the rolls have risen and are ready to cook. A great and easy Mother’s Day breakfast.
Dough:
2 cups buttermilk
½ t. baking soda
½ cup sugar
1 t. salt
½ cup shortening
2 packages yeast
½ cup warm water
5-6 cups all purpose flour
Heat buttermilk to lukewarm and add soda, sugar, salt and shortening. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the buttermilk mixture to yeast mixture. Slowly add 5-6 cups of flour to the liquid. Mix well. Turn out on a floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover and allow dough to rest for 15 minutes. Punch down and roll into a rectangle that is about ¼” thick. Spread with filling.
Filling:
2/3 cup melted butter
1 ½ cup sugar (can use white or brown or any combination)
¼ cup cinnamon.
Starting on the long side, roll up and seal ends. Slice ¾ inch thick. Put in a greased pan. Cover and freeze until ready to eat. When ready to serve, take the rolls out of the freezer and all to rise covered overnight. Bake 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Glaze while hot.
Glaze:
Cream 2 T. softened butter with 2 T. powdered sugar; add a little vanilla. Keeping the glaze thick, you can add a little milk to get to the desired consistency.
Bacon in the Oven
Like most people these days, we love bacon. It has become a treat for breakfast on special occasions and used in cooking. As much as I love bacon, I do not like to cook it. Cooking it in the skillet made a big mess and I would either burn it or get burned by the hot popping grease. Years ago, a friend that worked the deli line at the old Jitney #14 shared this great cooking tip: she told me they cook the bacon in the oven. Amazing, it is so easy and virtually no mess. Perfect bacon every time.
Spread out bacon slices on a heavy duty rimmed cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Allow some room between slices. Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes until the bacon is crisp or to the doneness you desire. Carefully remove bacon from cookie sheet and drain on paper towels.
Katty’s Orange Blush
1 (6 oz) can frozen orange juice
1 cup cranberry juice
4 T. sugar
1 pint sparkling water (club soda)
Mix all well and serve cold. You can blend with a cup of ice for slushy treat.
